25/04/12: Moratorium on wind farm development

At the meeting with the Welsh Government's petitions sub-committee on February 28th in Carmarthen, a number of Gwddgrug residents provided moving evidence of their health suffering from wind farm noise. During the meeting, Ted Razzell posed a question to the committee as follows: "Given the ever increasing number of research findings from all over the world that wind farm noise causes health problems to local inhabitants, will the committee consider a)recommending that, as a matter of urgency, there should be independent research commissioned in Wales to examine this issue and b) all decisions on wind farm applications, which entail placing turbines less than 2 kilometres from local dwellings, should be put on hold until the necessary research has been completed?"
After the meeting, he provided the cleks with internet evidence about the impact of wind turbine noise on public health from all over the world, including at a later stage, an article from the British Medical Journal backing the call for a moratorium on wind farm development until independent research on this issue had been carried out. Ted received a guarantee from both the chairman and the clerks that all the details from the meeting would be put to the full committee on Tuesday, May 1st.

24/04/12: National Media criticise Royal approach to Wind Farms on Crown Land - reference to Mt Llanllwni

The plight of our mountain made the nationals last Saturday albeit on a somewhat contraversial criticism for double standards by the Crown Estates and Royal Family.

Daily Mail Article

Daily Telegraph Article

WIND FARMS AND BIODIVERSITY

It is clear policy of the UK Government to promote bio-diversity in Britain, recognizing that there is a problem with certain species of wildlife  going out of existence. In a BBC broadcast on Monday 18th July, Chris Packham looked into the damage done to woods, heaths and moorlands in Britain and the decline in the amount of unspoiled  areas with a consequent negative impact on such wildlife. He argued that the government policy of halting the effect on biodiversity is being undermined by this decline which leads to the disappearance  of certain types of wildlife such as birds, butterflies and animals etc. Carmarthen Council also have a policy of promoting biodiversity  but the 3 threatened giant wind farms proposed for the Mynydd Llanllwni and Brechfa Forest area would, if given permission, have the effect of continuing the decline of such unspoiled forest/heath lands and thus be in direct contradiction  to central and local government policy i.e. the decline in bio-diversity  would be made even worse!

There are, of course many other reasons why these planning applications should be turned down, such as their cumulative impact on visual and noise pollution, which in turn would have a detrimental effect on local amenity and tourism. However, whereas human beings have at least the theoretical option of moving away from this area, the local flora and fauna don't really have  that option. This situation points to the far better and more economic policy of using solar energy where panels can be situated in waste areas and well away from mountain tops!   

Wind Reduction

The 'Times' today has a report that the Climate Change Committee, set up by the Government, has warned that global warning will diminish winds, making turbines less viable. A subject worth tracking down!

Solar costs to fall rapidly

New information on the economics of solar power was provided in the Guardian on June 21st. According to Ernest and Young, "Solar energy will soon make commercial sense as panel costs plummet". Based on broker reports and industry analysis, E and Y forecasts that the price per unit of generating capacity by 2013 will be close to 1$ compared with 2$ in 2009. So large scale solar projects could be commercially competitive without government support within a decade. This forecast is good news for those of us who believe that there is a better option for producing renewable energy than the controversial, inefficient, unreliable, damaging onshore windfarms!  

Wales' Wind Farm Burden - some facts

1. There are 2.4 wind turbines per 100 square kilometres in tiny Wales; 1.7 in Scotland and 0.5 in massive England. Our small country, reliant on tourism as our only industry, has almost 5 times the density of England. [source Renewables UK, reported in The Times 16 June 2011]

2. The border counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Hereford and Worcs and Gloucester have 60% of the area of Wales and no windfarms - Wales has 38 and rising.

3. Wales already produces almost 3 times its energy needs, so has no need of more wind turbines. 

4. Christopher Booker in his article 'Greenpeace in Our Time' declares IPCC [ Sunday Telegraph 19 June 2011] reveals the constant lies by the IPCC, the incredible and unaffordable cost of wind energy and calls it 'one of the greatest follies of our time'. £100 billion over the next 9 years is being committed to wind turbines by the Government, i.e. taxpayer*, plus ongoing subsidies for their life span. 

*Close to 90% of taxation now comes from the taxpayer, as companies increasingly avoid corporate and other forms of taxation. It used to be 40%, 40 years ago. VAT paid by companies ultimately comes from the taxpayer in the form of higher prices.

 

Welsh government climb down?

Great news from the Welsh Government. First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has made the following points:

1)Planning guidelines on the number of windfarms should in future be regarded as an upper limit

2)He wants the UK Government to devolve powers over large-scale energy generation projects

3)He says that the number of applications and declarations of interest are higher than anticipated

4)That we cannot accept a position where decisions made outside Wales will lead to inappropriate development for the people of Wales

5)The Welsh Government believes this level of development is unacceptable in view of the wider impact on the local area.

This policy change will prove particularly important where planning applications are turned down by local authorities and are taken to appeal by developers to Planning Inspectors. Meanwhile it is to be hoped that politicians will turn their attention to using solar power for producing clean energy. This source has the benefit of being more reliable and far less intrusive. As pointed out by Leonie Greene from the Renewable Energy Association in the Guardian on the 14th June, " the latest report by expert consultants anticipates a 37% drop in solar costs between 2010 and 2020. Prices dropped  around25% last year alone".

Meanwhile at a local level we have noticed that the wind farm at Alltwalis was shut down for over 5 days recently due to its output being surplus to requirements!

No doubt the operating company will receive generous compensation for this situation as we have seen recently elsewhere.