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Save our seabirds!
Public money could soon be used to fund the world’s deadliest wind farm for birds.
Berwick Bank is predicted to kill thousands of seabirds every year, pushing struggling species like our Gannets and Guillemots even closer to extinction.
Despite there being less deadly alternatives, the UK Government may still award it a Contract for Difference, using millions of pounds of public money to support it.
We can have offshore wind and still protect our wildlife.
Tell Ed Miliband to save our seabirds!
Why is Berwick Bank so bad?
Berwick Bank is predicted to kill thousands of seabirds every year, including Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Gannets and Puffins.
Scientists estimate more than 4,000 birds could die in its first year, and tens of thousands over its 35 year lifespan.
Some seabird colonies could be decimated, like those at St Abbs Head site where Kittiwake populations to be reduced by as much as 62%, and Guillemots populations by 32%.
UK seabirds are already in crisis, with around 62% of species in decline, so losses on this scale would push some populations toward local or national extinction.
Appropriate level of compensation is unlikely to be possible for the sheer scale level predicted, meaning these losses cannot be replaced. With alternative project applications that could deliver offshore wind power without such a huge loss of wildlife, it's clear that Berwick Bank is the wrong choice.
What is a Contract for Difference?
A Contract for Difference is a long-term agreement between the UK Government and an energy developer. It guarantees the developer a stable price for the electricity they generate. If the market price drops below the agreed price, the Government pays the company the difference using public money.
This system is meant to support and incentivise new renewable energy projects, because it reduces financial risk and makes investment more secure.
But if Berwick Bank receives a Contract for Difference, it would inhibit other far less damaging offshore wind projects from receiving this financial support and instead spend millions of pounds of public money to help fund a project predicted to kill thousands of seabirds every year.
Are there alternatives?
We need renewable energy, and we can still get it. There are more recent offshore wind project applications that can deliver the same clean energy without causing this level of harm to wildlife. Good, lower impact sites already exist, and offshore wind can be developed in a way that protects nature. We also need an energy mix, that utilises both off- and on-shore technologies as we transition away from fossil fuels.
Renewable energy does not require choosing a site that is predicted to kill thousands of seabirds every year. The problem is not with offshore wind, but the decision to fund one of the most destructive locations when better choices are available.
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