Jim Wallace accused wind farm protesters of scaremongering

Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace said media reports had ignored the fact that many applications are speculative or would not meet planning guidelines.

Mr Wallace made the statement following a major increase in wind farm applications at the end of 2004.

However, protesters said his words were "hard to swallow".

He explained that the jump had more to do with a change in the terms of connecting to the national grid that came into force on 1 January rather than an accurate reflection of the number of wind farms that were likely to be built in Scotland.

There will not be a wind farm on every hill in Scotland Jim Wallace

He also made it clear that Scotland's energy needs would be best met through a full mix of renewable energy technologies.

Mr Wallace said: "Reports suggesting the massive proliferation of wind farms across Scotland are simply nonsense.

"It is true that a large number of applications are in the system, but a great deal of these will not meet our stringent planning regulations.

"These are designed to protect our countryside, wildlife and natural habitats and this is exactly what they will do.

"There will not be a wind farm on every hill in Scotland.

"On the contrary, wind farms will be developed only where it is right to do so and where stringent planning regulations allow."

Achievable target

Mr Wallace said he was "confident" that the Scottish Executive's ambitious target to generate 40% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020 was achievable.

He added that to achieve the goal new wind farms would be needed but not on the scale often quoted in the press.

The Liberal Democrat leader was also speaking as chairman of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS).

The forum brings together representatives from the wind farm industry and its various stakeholders in the private and public sectors.

Jim Wallace's claim that stringent planning regulations will protect the countryside against many of the current proposals is very hard to swallow Views of Scotland

Mr Wallace said that both FREDS and the executive would ensure that only those wind farms that met planning guidelines would proceed and would play a crucial role in helping to cut harmful emissions.

However, he added that schemes which would levy an unacceptable environmental cost would be rejected.

Fellow FREDS member and the chief executive of Scottish and Southern Energy, Ian Marchant, added: "The current policy framework provides enough safeguards to ensure that only good wind farm developments get the go-ahead.

"It also ensures that there is a climate of confidence which encourages companies in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK to invest time, effort and money in developing the new generation technologies which, with the right support, will mature over the coming decade."

Anti-wind farm campaign group Views of Scotland said Mr Wallace's comments were hard to take seriously considering that only a small percentage of projects had been turned down so far.

Mr Wallace said there will not be turbine on every Scottish hill

Gillian Bishop, media officer, said: "Jim Wallace's claim that stringent planning regulations will protect the countryside against many of the current proposals is very hard to swallow.

"Whether the minister likes it or not, the executive's renewable energy policy has opened a Pandora's Box.

"The applications in the planning process are enough to meet Scotland's renewable energy target and there are added proposals for twice that amount.

"The current refusal rate by local councils is about 11% and it is not uncommon for refused applications to be appealed or slightly redesigned and resubmitted under another name.