The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has issued a stark warning that a colossal new wind farm off the east coast of Scotland could drive iconic seabird species to the brink of extinction. The charity's alert follows Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's announcement of a subsidy deal for the massive Berwick Bank project.
A 'Deadly' Development for Wildlife
RSPB Scotland has labelled the Berwick Bank scheme the "deadliest" wind farm for birds ever proposed in the country. The site, situated near the English border and covering an area four times larger than Edinburgh, is perilously close to vital seabird feeding grounds adjacent to Bass Rock, home to one of the world's largest gannet colonies.
Official figures from the Scottish government project that once operational, the wind farm could be responsible for the deaths of thousands of birds annually. The estimated yearly toll includes 2,808 guillemots, 814 kittiwakes, 260 gannets, 154 razorbills, and 65 puffins.
Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, condemned the plan. "A development that will kill tens of thousands of seabirds over its lifetime and push species like kittiwakes and puffins closer to extinction in Scotland is unsupportable on every level," she stated. The charity called it an "absolute disgrace" that public money would support what it predicts will be one of the world's most damaging wind farms for bird populations.
Energy Goals Versus Ecological Crisis
The Berwick Bank development is central to the UK government's target of achieving clean power by 2030. When complete, it will feature up to 300 turbines with a capacity of 4.1 gigawatts However, the RSPB warns that the project poses an extreme threat to species already in severe decline. Scotland hosts 75% of the Atlantic puffin population in Britain and Ireland, but numbers have plummeted by a fifth over the last twenty years. The additional pressure from turbine collisions could, according to the charity, push puffins and kittiwakes to the edge of extinction. In response, SSE, the Scottish energy company developing Berwick Bank, defended the project. A spokesperson said, "Berwick Bank has been meticulously designed and its delivery will combat climate change, which is the biggest threat to seabirds." The controversy arrives alongside concerns over the financial impact on households. Ed Miliband announced contracts for six new wind farms, including Berwick Bank, on Wednesday, securing 8.4GW of offshore wind capacity. Under the contracts, households and businesses will pay a fixed price for electricity for the next two decades. The agreed price for offshore wind is around £95 per megawatt-hour in today's prices, which critics note is the highest price for offshore wind in a decade and above the current cost of electricity. The government estimates the deals could add £1.8 billion a year to energy bills. Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho accused Miliband of prioritising a "clean energy vanity project" over lowering bills. "These are the highest prices for offshore wind in a decade," she said, arguing the move "cements our uncompetitive electricity prices." The warnings create a complex dilemma, pitting urgent climate action against dire biodiversity loss and rising consumer costs at a time when UK energy prices are already higher than in many other countries.Consumer Cost and Political Backlash
