Wind Turbines

Robj · Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 53

Just wondered what everybody thought about the inevitable construction of wind turbines on the island.
Do you relish the thought of these giants on the horizon?
Should you accept that they are a viable source of additional energy and would go some way in " saving the planet " ?
Should they be built miles out to sea and the resultant energy be fed ashore through undersea cables ?

I certainly would not like to look up to say Brading Down and see these monstrosities looming over me !

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barns101 · Site Admin Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 56

Nice topic, Robj, and hopefully one that will stimulate some productive debate. Smile

I for one do relish the thought of the construction of wind turbines. Wherever wind turbines are proposed there is often a lot of local opposition. Many people are of the opinion that they will spoil the landscape.

I expect I will be in a minority when I say that I actually find them pleasing to see (OK I can't go as far as to say that I find them attractive). But when I see a wind farm it reminds me that perhaps we're not completely reliant on carbon-based or nuclear energy and there is a green alternative for our future.

Ideally I'd say that the wind farms would be built out to see to avoid disrupting skylines. Why isn't this the default option? Cost I'm guessing?

EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 92 Location: Ryde

As someone wanting to move there, I can't comment too much on any local objections, but I personally find them quite beautiful and awe inspiring. Out of interest, does anyone know what percentage of the islands power needs will be met by these turbines? I am assuming the islands power currently comes via undersea cables and that you don't have your own power station. How many jobs might this create or protect at Vesta blades?

Robj · Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 53

I also think that they have an awe inspiring quality and an almost surreal aura about them but I do not have to live near one ! I believe that they create a "whooshing " noise and if the wind is blowing in the right direction this can be an annoying side effect.

Do I want to see lines of them filling the views of the various downs on the island ?........no I dont think so but I do not live on the island so its difficult for me to say too much about the subject.

Carrie · Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 84

I always quite like looking at wind turbines in the distance, but I've never lived near one (the nearest one to my parent's home is about 15 miles away, the first place I ever remember seeing them was on the moors opposite Howarth in Yorkshire and thinking how fantastic they looked).
One question, does the busy shipping lanes completely rule out offshore wind farms?

Robj · Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 53

Good point Carrie. The waters around the iow are extremely busy and could prove to be a stumbling block.

frankie · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 11

Hmm Another quest for technology. I live quite far away, but still on a coast line, and in the few years I've been here these things have been sprouting up like monsters looming over the horizon Mad

Unfortunately we have no say over the matter, and if you try your cries will fall to a bottomless pit, because its the power of the future. We cannot continue to rape our planet of its natural resources to accommodate our comfort for much longer. Scientist in the 50s told the worlds leaders what would happen if we continued use the planets fuels. No notice was taken and now we have global warming, which is totally irreversible, in my view its a little too late to start finding alternative fuels like wind farms, because the energy they produce will still end up in the atmosphere aiding the destruction of the planet. I'me no Greenpeace lets stand up and be counted person, far from it, although with this post you would probably think I were. Laughing

Wight Portal · Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 326 Location: Carisbrooke

Mass production of power by any company, whether by conventional or new practices with the end result being for it to be sold back to the consumer is not the answer.

Everyone needs to take responsibility for what they use. The technology for solar power is advanced enough to produce a surplus of electric that is given back to the grid. If it was to become compulsory for all new builds to have solar panels on their rooves, over time enough energy would be produced to be able to close a power station.

The technology is not sun relient, even on cloudy days it can produce electricity. During the day the majority of people are at work or school, thus the only electric being used is by fridges and freezers, the rest is surplus and is passed back to the grid.

No I'm not in favour of turbines, they are costley to produce and maintain and only last 25 years. A solar roof will last probably the same amount of time but it is serving a dual purpose and not stuck in the middle of outstanding natural beauty.

Couple solar energy with a heat pump that extracts heat from a bore hole for heating water and living space, you then have an eco environment.
It is this that the Government should striving towards not mass produced energy supplies.

Freddie · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 34

At last a sensible approach to the vexatious question of "climate change", which has of course, been happening for millions of years.
Solar panels and ground source heat pumps are the immediate answer to sourcing energy in the cleanest way. Then wave and tidal power.
This subject has been discussed ad infinitum on hundreds of forums and what narks me most is the pro-lobbys "they look nice when I have driven past them in France" observation, or "we must act NOW, or we will all die".
The assertion by Robj about "The inevitable construction of wind turbines on the island" is also misleading.
There is no inevitability about it.
As the island is mostly made up of AONBs, the likelihood of the erection of wind turbines here is almost non-existent, especially when proposed to save a "members only" sports venue from closing.
Of course, with this Government saying that they are going to change the law to force local authorities to approve wind farms and with Mr. Miliband making crass statements that anyone who opposes wind turbines is akin to not wearing a seat belt or not stopping for a pedestrian crossing, the democratic process is, once again under threat.
I note with utter distaste that the eco-terrorists are now sitting atop the Houses of Parliament with their"Do as we say, or else" placards and banners.
What a pity they did not choose to occupy the roof with banners asking why no MPs have been prosecuted for making false claims on their expenses.
At least that would have been of benefit to the whole community instead of the elite few who have shares in, or are operators of, wind farms.

Mo · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 20

How true!
A recent Radio 4 programme stated that the company which owns the latest wind farm to have been installed in Portugal, is making 50 MILLION Euros profit per annum.
I heard that the proposed wind farm at Cheverton will give £3,000 to the local community per year.
How generous!

Mo · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 20

"the eco-terrorists are now sitting atop the Houses of Parliament"
There was another band who got into Didcot power station and have now been evicted with banning orders keeping them out of Oxfordshire.
They were protesting at RWEs plans to build 30 more power stations across Europe, two of which will be in the UK.
So, even in these fairy-tale times of eco this and eco that, one of the largest energy companies in the world are building.............power stations.
And so to Copenhagen, where there is about as much chance of total agreement and all countries signing up to enforceable targets as there is of a wind farm application on the island being approved. Laughing

Freddie · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 34

I see that the "debate" over wind has kicked off again in the County Press, who in their usual biased fashion, published one letter against and three letters for, even though the true picture islandwide is double the reverse.
The bloke from the golf club made me laugh.
"its not about money" he proclaimed "its about saving the planet"
Yeah right. The golf club is thousands of pounds in debt, although quite how much they refuse to say publicly. Estimates vary from £80K to £120K.
They have allegedly bought £20 k' s worth of second hand chalets for phase two without approval yet for phase one.
They are encouraging the Council Planners to break the law and determine the application without the statutory Environmental Impact Assessment, probably because it will cost anything from £50 to £100 K
They have a shrinking membership (down to about 170) although they tried to offer "cheap" membership at £150 to raise some money.
Yet insist :"Its not about money" Do they think the public are stupid?

Mo · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 20

Yet another interesting Radio 4 programme at 11 a.m. today featured the village of Knighton, close to Offas Dyke in Wales, where the locals are facing a fight against windturbines stating that IF permission is given for a windfarm in such a beautiful area, they will blow them up with dynamite.
Way to go, my Welsh cousins.

Freddie · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 34

Strange that this thread has been viewed over 1200 times yet there have only been 13 responses.
Maybe people are too scared of the pro-lobby. Just an observation.
I have just been reading an article from last month in the Wallasey Globe, which commented on an offshore wind farm which stopped working for four weeks because of a broken cable.
This is a few lines from that article which illustrates superbly the double standards exhibited by adherents of wind "technology". (with acknowledgement to the Globe) (Bold print is mine):

"We are currently experiencing a total loss of electrical supply to and from the National Grid due to a failure of a 132KV onshore underground cable owned by Scottish Power," he (site manager)said.
The manager explained that it was the cable connecting the wind farm to the National Grid via a Wallasey substation.
"It is therefore beyond our control and we are waiting for Scottish Power to repair the cable.

"This has been very frustrating for us because up to the cable failure the wind farm has been operating very reliably with an availability of over 97%.

"Please be assured that there our Siemens turbines do not have a design fault and are the latest in offshore wind turbine technology."

Asked how much electricity had been lost during the four-week lack of operations, a Dong spokesman said: "We are not able to say, since it depends on how much wind there was at all time in the period.

"But the four weeks were overall a low production period with only three days of good winds."

Like the majority of people who distrust the propaganda surrounding this issue, I find it quote insulting that we are expected to believe that "they had been operating very reliably" but when the cable broke, "the four weeks were overall a low production period with only three days of good wind"
How lucky was that? Mad

And how illuminating that "it depends on how much wind there was", when they are always predicting how many homes will get their energy from wind! Not if its not blowing they won't. Three days out of four weeks! Laughing

Georgedubya · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 28

I have just been looking at the Council Planning website and find that they are still accepting comments on the Cheverton Down application long after the closing date.
In addition, virtually all of these belated comments are on the same idiot sheet which starts "I wanted to write to you as my Councillor to express my support for onshore wind power".
Are we to assume (and it would be quite natural to do so given the childish manner in which this chain letter was formulated) that the "writer" could not actually write a proper letter, hence the "I wanted to write", so availed themselves of the easy way out by just signing or making their mark on this idiot sheet.
Then the phrase "to express my support".
Well where is the expression of support? Where are the relevant planning considerations which comments are supposed to contain according to the Councils "Guidance for Commenting" information sheet?
The Council are on very dangerous ground here if they include this chain letter in their recommendation report to the Planning Committee in the final total, especially if officers recommend approval of the application.
There is little doubt that this idiot sheet was concocted by the founder of the pro lobby action group, probably with the assistance of the applicants.
In any contentious application and there can be no doubt as to the contentiousness of this one, lobbying of Councillors in this fashion and asking for their views is forbidden, as it would give the lobbyist the idea that Councillors had pre-determined the way they are going to vote.
That would put the Councillor at serious risk of being brought before the Standards Board.
I tend to agree with the previous post that people are now becoming scared to openly state their opposition to these schemes because of the veiled threats and predictions of dire consequences.
It is to be hoped that Members of the Planning Committee are not so fearful and determine the application with due consideration for the whole island and not just a few hundred vociferous activists and their paymasters.