Wind watchers and commentators around the globe have been confused and wrong-footed by the UK Government’s on/off like/dislike g0/stop attitude to the future of wind farms. Is it any wonder that probable investors in the UK wind industry are reluctant to commit when the UK Government seems to be a dithering headless chicken when it comes to the future of wind power? The Government needs to get its act together or it will lose, for the people of Britain, a golden opportunity for a renewable future. It’s not just me that thinks this… Britain’s “negative” attitude to wind power has been criticized by the Brussels-based head of a leading green energy body.
The Chief Executive of the European Wind Energy Association, Thomas Becker, has gone on record saying that the UK was missing out on a valuable energy source.
Mr. Becker said:
“The debate in the UK has become overly negative. In my opinion, wind turbines are beautiful. You could be having British wind turbines providing electricity for Britain and other parts of the EU. And you wouldn’t be so dependent on [Russia President] Mr. Putin and the Middle East.”
Those comments came as politicians and business leaders in Hull were celebrating the news that engineering giant Siemens is to create more than 1,000 new jobs manufacturing wind turbines on the banks of the River Humber. A great boost for the North East of England. Siemens production will focus on the offshore wind industry, but it seems the future of onshore wind power hangs in the balance at the UK Parliament. Many Conservative Members of Parliament want the party to commit to a cap on the number of new wind farms – if they form the next government.
Tory party chairman, Grant Shapps, was reported as telling journalists that onshore wind farms “upset everybody” and “by and large” turbines are better located at sea. Those views have been also stated by the Conservative leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Martin Hill, whose authority has sought to block the number of wind farm developments in the county.
Next year’s UK General Election will see the onshore wind turbine debate center-stage as politicians battle for votes in rural constituencies. But even offshore wind farms have come in for some stick: Developers of a £3.5bn wind farm off the south coast of England have dismissed claims about noise from the turbines as “factually inaccurate”. Navitus Bay wind farm would be located between Dorset and the Isle of Wight and would be visible from the coast. Opponents of the wind farm say new research shows noise levels would be higher than the developers’ estimates. The planning application is for 194 wind turbines of 200 meters in height. The developers say it could generate enough power for up to 700,000 homes and contribute more than £1.6bn to the economy in its 25-year lifetime.
Dr. John Yelland, an opponent of the scheme who holds a physics Ph.D. from Oxford University, said Navitus Bay developers had incorrectly calculated how loud the turbines would sound on the shore, as estimates of noise levels have been based on noise traveling overland rather than water. He maintained there would be a “rumbling” noise of 41 decibels heard in Bournemouth, which he likened to a household fridge, but at a lower frequency.
The company disputes the claims, which it said contained “fundamental factual inaccuracies”.
The UK has a rich resource in wind and it saddens many to see the issue of wind power become a political football. The noise of a fridge against £1.6 billion to the economy in renewable energy? No contest!
