Dear Editor,
Mr. Clubb makes a
number of points in his letter of January 16 entitled "Wind power is cost
effective" which I would like to refute. Firstly he states that serious
climate change is real and that those who differ from his opinions are not
relying on peer reviewed evidence - he is ignoring a recent statement from 125
international experts on climate change that the threat from global warming is
exaggerated. If he is keen on peer
reviewed evidence, how about the peer reviewed research from Professor
Gordon Hughes showing that wind turbines deteriorate after 10 years and become
totally uneconomic after 15 years? Mr
Clubb has also mislead us about the article in the BMJ last March, presenting
it as a mere opinion piece. In fact it took the form of an editorial and its
arguments were backed by published research; and, according to the pro wind
farm Professor Chapman, these studies were peer reviewed. Incidentally, the 17
studies he quotes, that state that there is no evidence of health effects from
wind turbines, are also heavily criticised by the BMJ authors.
With regard to the evidence given to the Welsh
Government Petitions Committee about the suffering of Gwddgrug residents from
wind farms, if this evidence is to be dismissed out of hand then how come the
Welsh Energy Minister is reported to have said that in this context turbines could be sited further away from
human habitation?
The assertion at the top of Mr. Clubb's letter that
wind power is cost effective should also
be taken with a pinch of salt. If his view were correct, then how come the
wind industry needs such massive subsidies which are paid even when turbines
are inoperative and have the effect of spreading fuel poverty in this country. I suggest that all the economic costs
to the local economy should be taken into account as well as the costs of
procuring damaging production materials
and then a different picture would emerge. It is obvious that apart from a few
fortunate landowners, the vast bulk of benefits go to RWE and their foreign
shareholders - otherwise they wouldn't be here!
I do accept there is
some evidence of global warming but there is so much anecdotal evidence from
all over the world about turbine based health problems, that an in depth
scientific study should be carried out here, involving medical experts such as
neuroscientists and epidemiologists. Prior to such a study, there should be a
moratorium on all new wind farm
proposals. Wind farms may have their place but in this small island of ours
there isn't sufficient wide open space for onshore wind farms to prevent an
unacceptable impact on people's lives.
Yours truly,
Ted Razzell
N.B. Those words which appear in italics were removed by the editor before publication.
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