25/04/12: 'Public Opinion' of Wind Farms true?

It is very surprising to hear about a survey carried out by the well respected IPSOS / Mori organisation into the issue of public support for onshore wind farm development. There appears to be an unbelievable amount of bias in the methodology used in selecting respondents. For example, people over 64 years old were excluded (possibly because their hearing had not been impaired by listening to loud pop music??). Secondly the bulk of opinions were sought from people living in the South East of England and West Midlands where there are very few wind farms so respondents would have little or no experience of the noise or other impacts of these giant turbines. Only 5% of chosen respondents were from Wales and 8% from Scotland where the vast majority of wind farms are to be found. Of course, without actual experience by people of wind farm impacts, they may well think that wind driven energy is a good idea and they won't be put off visiting affected areas.
It is interesting to note that in contrast to the IPSOS / Mori finding that 80% of people believed them acceptable, an online survey by the Friends of the Earth found that the majority of people were against onshore wind farms. OK respondents were self selected but you would have expected FoE site browsers would be pro rather than con wind farms!

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.