Scrap UK's wind farm plans, says Gazprom boss

[phantom power]

Excuse me...

:spray: :rofl:

OK, I'm back.

Plans to build thousands of wind farms in the UK are irrational and should be scrapped in favour of more gas plants, according to the deputy chairman of the Russian energy firm Gazprom.

Alexander Medvedev said the UK and other countries should adopt a more "pragmatic" approach towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions following the impasse at the Copenhagen climate change summit. He argued it would be impossible to meet the UK's target to generate a third of its electricity from renewables by 2020 without a big contribution from gas. He also claimed it would be three times cheaper to meet emission reduction targets by replacing dirty coal plants with new gas plants rather than wind farms.

"If we do not want to see the authors of the 2020 strategy decapitated in a public square, I do not think they can forget about gas," he said. "We at Gazprom believe gas should be treated on an equal footing as renewables. I just hope that after the disappointment post-Copenhagen that the decision-makers will take a more pragmatic and rational approach to this."

Energy companies are sceptical that the UK will be able to meet its ambitious 2020 renewable targets. Gas is increasingly being promoted as a clean fossil fuel and the best way to cut emissions.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/09/scrap-windfarms-says-gazprom