Cornwall

Another Wind Farm in Cornwall? 

Cornwall Light and Power is holding an exhibition at the Village Hall in St Mawgan-in-Pydar (north east of Newquay) on Friday, December 11^th (2.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) and on Saturday, December 12^th (10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.) to explain its proposals for a new wind farm at Denzell Downs. The exhibition is being held prior to a planning application being submitted. 

The site of the new wind farm on Denzell Downs would be immediately south of the existing 16-turbine wind farm at Bear’s Downs AND very close to Newquay Airport!  A transmitter station at St Eval is situated to the north west and within two miles of the proposed site.  Surely a wind farm on this site must be both a blot on the landscape and a hazard to aircraft (and passengers!). 

This proposal must be resisted on environmental grounds, as well as air safety. 

The scandal of increasing Government reliance on wind power is highlighted by John Etherington in his book “The Wind Farm Scam” - which is available through Amazon.  The book provides useful information that can be used to defeat the proposal.  Points made by the author include: 

1. Wind turbines are inefficient.  The overall efficiency of a wind turbine is only about 30%!  They do not produce any power in wind speeds of up to 10 mph.  Maximum energy is produced when wind speeds reach 34 mph.   Furthermore, wind turbines have to be shut down when the wind is less than 10 mph and above 56 mph.  Then it is not always easy to re-start the turbines. 

2. Wind strength is variable and intermittent.  Alternative energy sources must be available.  As similar wind conditions are frequently widespread, other wind farms are not a reliable answer for back up - especially as it takes time to bring a wind turbine back into operation.  

3. Because wind turbines have moving parts they are liable to wear out and will require frequent servicing. 

4. Wind turbines are dangerous as the blades have been known to break up and ice occurring on the blades has been known to be thrown to the ground. 

5. The revolving blades of wind turbines create noise, produce shadows and cause flicker - all of which are a nuisance. 

6. The revolving blades can kill and maim birds and bats. 

7. The claim that wind turbines reduce CO₂ is a myth, as manufacturing and installation processes create CO₂ - so the carbon footprint remains more or less the same! 

8. Wind farms are only feasible with generous Government subsidies - using tax-payers’ money!  Furthermore, excess energy from wind power has to be sold to the National Grid! 

It would seem, therefore, that wind energy is only being promoted by the Government as an easy way to meet internationally agreed targets by which carbon emissions are reduced - if indeed that is the case!  Scepticism arises as there is now a carbon-trading market! 

The rejection of wind energy does not condemn renewable energy.  There are other options: solar power, tidal power, and wave power, as well as geo-thermal heat.  All these options should be developed now, rather than relying on a so-called “clean” energy source that is unreliable. 

Although Cornwall Council recently gave approval for a large wind farm at Davidstow, albeit with two provisos, the reasoning for that decision is flawed.  The Strategic Planning Committee decided that security of energy was more important than environmental considerations.  That committee failed to realise that wind power is intermittent, and ignored the fact that wind turbines are inefficient, ineffective, dangerous and costly. 

So, go to the St Mawgan exhibition and make your views known!  And be prepared to object to the proposal when or if a planning application is made. 

Ted Venn

26^th November 2009