Wind Farms

[IainMacD]

Would anyone like to air their views on wind farms?
I was walking for the first time yesterday in an area where a new small (5 turbine) wind farm is nearing completion and it got me thinking about whether I approve of them or not. I suppose I am used to the existing farms I have seen regularly since I moved here and quite liked the structure of the turbines, but this is the first one to appear in a landscape I knew before. This was never a great viewpoint and even though there was a small radio mast out there, it always felt like a wilderness.



The above image is from a few years back, but it looked just the same last summer when my wife and I spent half an hour watching through binoculars, an Osprey scouring the surface of the loch.
It will be interesting to see if the Osprey returns this year now the view has changed:



You will also notice that the area is an RSPB Nature Reserve, something that seems to conflict with the new structures.

Not great images I know, but I'm just using them to illustrate before and after.

[David M]

Re: Wind Farms

The situation is similar in this part of Ontario with wind farms of varying sizes having appeared over the past few years. There always seems to be a controversy about one in the local papers these days.

I've read reports the blades kill a lot of birds so if the Osprey does return it may not survive.

[sapper]

Re: Wind Farms

I have heard that the amount of energy and resources used in the making and siting of them will never be recovered by the amount of energy produced by them.

[al_kaholik]

Re: Wind Farms

I quite like the look of them, they interest me. I see them a lot at home, on land and off shore.

[Zuiko]

Re: Wind Farms

I'm undecided. If they really are a practical, cost efficient and environmentally friendly (except for visually) solution to the energy crisis then with regret I think we have to accept them but try to maintain some control over where they are situated. However, I believe there are doubts about their long term effectiveness and I have heard talk that their real benefit is to landowners and the industry in the form of subsidies and tax breaks. How much truth there is in that I don't know.

[Ian]

Re: Wind Farms

I have heard that the amount of energy and resources used in the making and siting of them will never be recovered by the amount of energy produced by them.

I believe that is nonsense. Show me the evidence.

Compared to conventional power stations wind turbines are pretty much 100% clean. Once their operating life is over they can be removed easily and the land will look the same as it was before - try to do that with a conventional power station.

And on top of that I think they have their own sort of beauty.

If we don't tackle the problem of pollution and global warming the beatiful landscapes that NIMBYs seak to preserve will eventually be destroyed anyway.

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Wind Farms

I'm undecided. If they really are a practical, cost efficient and environmentally friendly (except for visually) solution to the energy crisis then with regret I think we have to accept them but try to maintain some control over where they are situated. However, I believe there are doubts about their long term effectiveness and I have heard talk that their real benefit is to landowners and the industry in the form of subsidies and tax breaks. How much truth there is in that I don't know.

John, you 'believe' - but where is the evidence that they are not cost-effective? How did you form this opinion?

I have read articles and heard/watched programmes that say some land-based wind turbines have been poorly located, but they are a relatively small number.

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Wind Farms

The situation is similar in this part of Ontario with wind farms of varying sizes having appeared over the past few years. There always seems to be a controversy about one in the local papers these days.

I've read reports the blades kill a lot of birds so if the Osprey does return it may not survive.

This has been debunked by experts - a very large factor more birds are killed just by cars than wind turbines, let alone other human factors that we take for granted (planes, birds flying into windows, pollution, climate change, trains, pet cats, etc.)

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Wind Farms

Here you go, Prince Philip hates wind farms - so they must be good!

Seriously, there is detailed analysis of wind energy here (cynics prepare to be disappointed):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/reality-check-with-polly-curtis/2011/nov/21/prince-philip-windfarms-useless

Ian

[LMGruchy]

Re: Wind Farms

We have a similar situation here where there is a proposal to build a solar farm in an area where there are a lot of very posh houses. It seems an odd place to site it, but presumably the lie of the land is right. If it were installed sympathetically and hidden from view, then I'm afraid we are likely to see more and more of this sort of thing, as we are so hungry for power. We don't really have much choice because burning fossil fuels is a finite resource, both in terms of resoures and in terms of pollution. The other choice is nuclear power.

I would have thought offshore wind farms are more use, but then they will affect the marine environment with pollution and noise.

I also feel that solar farms are better in places with year round sunshine. Even in low-precipitation Essex we have a lot of cloudy days.

[Zuiko]

Re: Wind Farms

John, you 'believe' - but where is the evidence that they are not cost-effective? How did you form this opinion?

I have read articles and heard/watched programmes that say some land-based wind turbines have been poorly located, but they are a relatively small number.

Ian

Well, Ian, what I actually said was "I believe there are doubts...." I readily admit I'm not nearly informed enough on this issue to have a firm opinion but I do recall TV programs in which the issue has been debated with "experts" having differing views on the matter. As a landscape photographer (sometimes!) I am concerned about the visual impact but I do realise that the power crisis is potentially so serious that any solution must take priority, so long as it is effective. I really did ought to know more facts about this issue, so thanks for the link which I will read when I have more time - I'm going for a walk now while the weather is fine.

[StephenL]

Re: Wind Farms

We already have too much wind, so why build machines to make more?

Seriously, I'm ambivalent about them. I'm more concerned about giant pylons striding across the countryside, but I suppose they are necessary too.

Oh, and in principle I'm in favour of nuclear. It's just the costs of safely processing their waste which concerns me.

[Graptolite]

Re: Wind Farms

This has been debunked by experts - a very large factor more birds are killed just by cars than wind turbines, let alone other human factors that we take for granted (planes, birds flying into windows, pollution, climate change, trains, pet cats, etc.)

Ian

I've never quite understood the argument that bird kills from wind turbines don't matter because cars and cats kill a lot more. That's like saying that it doesn't matter if I murder someone, because Hitler and Stalin killed far more.
One thing which is indisputable is that wind turbines are very efficient at killing bats (all species of which are highly protected both in UK and European law.)
People are understandably concerned about nuclear power, but if we are to stand any chance at all of hitting climate change targets, there are no realistic alternatives. Wind power is an expensive distraction which just doesn't cut the mustard. I would suggest to anyone who is getting jittery about the problems of nuclear waste that you do a Google search for thorium power. The Chinese and Indians are currently doing the world a massive favour by progressing development of liquid fluorde thorium reactors.

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Wind Farms

We have a similar situation here where there is a proposal to build a solar farm in an area where there are a lot of very posh houses. It seems an odd place to site it, but presumably the lie of the land is right. If it were installed sympathetically and hidden from view, then I'm afraid we are likely to see more and more of this sort of thing, as we are so hungry for power. We don't really have much choice because burning fossil fuels is a finite resource, both in terms of resoures and in terms of pollution. The other choice is nuclear power.

I would have thought offshore wind farms are more use, but then they will affect the marine environment with pollution and noise.

I also feel that solar farms are better in places with year round sunshine. Even in low-precipitation Essex we have a lot of cloudy days.

Linda, there is one proposed or recently installed in acres of fields "In the Cotswolds/Gloucs" lots of posh homes about (and Jeremy Clarkson ; Prince Charles ; Zara Phillips ; Kate Moss et al )

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Wind Farms

We already have too much wind, so why build machines to make more?

Seriously, I'm ambivalent about them. I'm more concerned about giant pylons striding across the countryside, but I suppose they are necessary too.

Oh, and in principle I'm in favour of nuclear. It's just the costs of safely processing their waste which concerns me.

Stephen, as we "THE UK" process boat and train loads of Nuc waste from all over the world ... you should not be too worried ... just move for retirement ... abroad