Transition St Gennys

Beauty or Beast?

There seems to be two distinct camps when it comes to wind turbines – love them or hate them.  The picture is sometimes clouded by those who feel that our area of Cornwall already has too many wind farms.  The proponents of this line of thought suggest that more should be made of tidal and wave power instead.

Recent headlines such as “Wave hub firm’s Cornwall blow!” (Western Morning News 3 September 2009) show that we are not yet at the stage where tide or wave technology is the answer.

Everyone accepts that wind turbines never work to their rated capacity and 30% for smaller sized turbines is about the most achieved when correctly sited – although some of the latest 2.5MW turbines have shown 40-42%.  So long as predictions are based on actual expected output this is not a problem.

Turbines need reliable back-up supply is another reason put forward for rejection of turbines.  This point is generally accepted, but when turbines are working they reduce the amount of energy needed from other more environmentally damaging sources.

Turbines cause noise and flicker problems that can affect peoples’ health is another reason put forward.  Modern technology has improved noise levels and with minimum distance criteria for turbines relative to occupied dwellings should not cause any noise pollution.  Flicker only occurs when the sun is low in the sky and directly behind the rotating blades.  Careful siting of the turbines should negate any risk of flicker effect.

Impact on wildlife and birds in particular is also stated as a problem.  The RSPB have actually installed a wind farm on one of their santuaries and their ‘Green Energy? – Count me in!’ campaign leaflet proudly displays a wind turbine under the quote by RSPB’s Mark Hamblin “Renewable energy should be the UK’s number one energy choice.”  Siting is all important to reduce any risks to migrating birds.  Developers generally work closely with the RSPB when planning sites.

Effect on tourism is also cited.  There is no available evidence that tourist numbers have adversely affected by existing wind farms.  People objected to electricity pylons when they were first introduced, but we now accept them as common place.  Turbines are similarly becoming part of the accepted landscape as more are erected throughout the country and abroad.

Turbines spoil the scenery in areas of outstanding natural beauty is a personal view held by some.  Other people consider modern architecture or tall chimneys as blots on the landscape.

Those in the Transition Movement believe that currently generation of energy through the use of wind turbines is a necessary and acceptable means of contributing to the fight against the twin challenges from reduced availability of cheap energy supplies and changes in our climate.