This article appears as part of the Winds of Change newsletter.

Tensions are growing in Scotland over clean energy infrastructure. Last week saw the Scottish Government consent to a new powerline across from Skye to the mainland. Next week will see a public inquiry a proposal for new wind turbines on Skye.

The island, in other words, is the current centre of an increasingly heated debate taking place across many areas of rural Scotland over the planning and consenting process for clean energy infrastructure.

Skye, host to three million visitors each year, is the target home of eight proposed windfarms at various stages of planning, some of them repowering older sites and replacing smaller turbines for those twice their size. It is also to see an expansion of powerlines and other associated energy infrastructure.

I write about climate and environment and I’ve no doubt that Scotland absolutely does need to push forward on the path to Net Zero to do our fair share in trying to halt climate breakdown.

But it’s also important to me that we tell the stories and reactions of people and communities on the ground, look at the issues they are raising and listen to their views........

© Herald Scotland