Wind turbines

[kshotton45]

I couldn't find a thread on Wind Turbines, so I'll start one. Do you love 'em or hate 'em ! ?
Is it a case of 'not in my backyard' !
I like them , they're graceful. Does anyone have one ' in their back yard' ?

The Scottish Government has approved plans for the second largest wind farm in Scotland, capable of generating power for 120,000 homes.
The project will be created at Harestanes, near Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway, and comprise of 71 turbines.


BBC NEWS | Scotland | Second biggest wind farm approved

Keith.

[Jez]

I love Windmills, Turbines, Chimes and those garden decorations that all spin to the invisible power of the wind. I don't own a Turbine or even how to install one but if you can switch to 100% renewable energy anyway then what purpose does having one yourself serve?

[almostnormal]

i'm not sure on wind turbines i have to say. i think that they're ok when they're in the right place, but i'm not convinced about their renewable-ness. i've read a lot of literature that suggests that they don't always generate the energy it takes to make them during their lifetimes. i also think you have to carefully assess the impact they're going to have on the surrounding environment. for example the ainsdale off shore windfarm has had to be moved due to the disturbance it would cause to the scoter roost, and the lewis windfarm shouldn't even be contemplated. its all very well saying renewable renewable renewable, but i don't think we currently possess the technology to create truly renewable energy.

[Tormentil]

Hate them.

They're noisy, not cost effective, and will not provide enough power for the UKs needs.

They're a blot on the landscape and a danger to birds.

[almostnormal]

there's quite a lot of evidence for that aswell. large birds on migration, for example pink feet and bewicks, can't manouvre quickly enough to avoid large farms, and birds of prey have been seen to hit them, probably at dusk and dawn. that's one of the main concerns i have when i look at these massive developments. its also why i think they need to do detailed EIA's and study bird movements (and other wildlife movements) at a site over a period of time (say 3-5years) before they build them.

[kshotton45]

The RSPB seems to support wind power .............

' Monitoring of existing wind farms suggests that with sensitive siting there is no
adverse effect on bird populations. The RSPB supports wind power, and has said that
from its own studies at three wind farms in Wales, “the scale of bird strike does not
seem to be of serious concern”, and that wind turbines will have little effect on birds
outside their main migration routes.
For example, The 9 harbour-wall turbines at Blyth are in a busy bird area. Of the bird
flights through the wind farm, only 1 in 10,000 have resulted in a collision. This
translates to 1-2 collisions per year per turbine. To put the issue into perspective, every
year more than 10 million birds are killed by cars in the UK.
Developers should contact specialists such as the RSPB and conduct thorough
analysis of the risk to birdlife as part of the environmental impact assessment of the
wind farm proposal. With rigorous environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and
thorough monitoring wind power can be deployed without significant detriment to birds
(and other wildlife).
For more information about wind power and nature conservation issues, including
birds, see the report from RSPB, WWF, English Nature and BWEA: “Wind farm
development and nature conservation” '.

[jdurbo]

I never really thought about liking wind turbines or not, but after seeing those pictures from Tormentil i hate them..thats awful

jen xxx

[kshotton45]

There's more .........

Wind & Bird Strikes

' The anti-wind farm lobby has been making much of bird strikes in recent months- following the discovery of the remains of a red kite, near a wind farm in Wales (see Observer 25/1/04). It’s a rare species, even rarer nowadays since, for example, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, more than a third of the red kite population in the north of Scotland had been illegally poisoned between 1989 and 1998. By contrast, according to the BWEA, wind turbine surveys have found that bird strikes are in general around one per turbine per year. That’s not surprising. Birds tend to avoid moving objects and wind turbines are essentially bird scarers-except perhaps when they are not moving. Then they are more like power lines which birds sometimes hit. However care has to be taken to avoid migratory routes where large numbers can flock. '

[kshotton45]

Originally Posted by almostnormal

i'm not sure on wind turbines i have to say. i think that they're ok when they're in the right place, but i'm not convinced about their renewable-ness. i've read a lot of literature that suggests that they don't always generate the energy it takes to make them during their lifetimes. i also think you have to carefully assess the impact they're going to have on the surrounding environment. for example the ainsdale off shore windfarm has had to be moved due to the disturbance it would cause to the scoter roost, and the lewis windfarm shouldn't even be contemplated. its all very well saying renewable renewable renewable, but i don't think we currently possess the technology to create truly renewable energy.

' Environmental Effects.
Manufacture of wind turbines causes no
major environmental impacts. The
energy used in the manufacture and
construction of wind farms is only about
the same amount as the energy
produced by the wind farm in the first 3-5
months of its operation '

[Jez]

It's clearly awful to see the kites ending up in that state. It can make a man change his mind instantly.

[Coley]

Wind turbines take up less space than a power station. Though they cover a larger area, their combined area adds up to less thean a power station that produces the same amount of energy would. Also, the area wind farms are usually placed are used for growing wheat or something.
I don't agree with people who say they are an eye saw because I think pilons are really ugly but we got used to them. I am shocked by the pictures of the poor birds, but people except the destruction of wild animals done by vehicles because we all want cars.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Coley

Wind turbines take up less space than a power station. Though they cover a larger area, their combined area adds up to less thean a power station that produces the same amount of energy would. Also, the area wind farms are usually placed are used for growing wheat or something.
I don't agree with people who say they are an eye saw because I think pilons are really ugly but we got used to them. I am shocked by the pictures of the poor birds, but people except the destruction of wild animals done by vehicles because we all want cars.

Valid point Coley i think it too awful when i come across Badgers that have fallen victim to road kill it most likely outways the turbines consideribly

[Tormentil]

I don't think they will ever replace either nuclear or other conventional power stations in the UK, if only because of the space required.

[ChrisJB]

I hate them! Unless they are festooned the length and breadth of the land, they are incapable of supplying us with sufficient energy. They have also destroyed a lovely tract of wild moorland here in the South Pennines, where Golden Plover and Dunlin once bred and Dotterel used to stop off, on their travels north in early May. And more local stretches of moorland are under threat of them.

You cannot profess to be helping the environment when you pull stunts like this.

Regards, Chris

[rscott74]

Tormentil - could you provide an accurate caption to the images you posted. They seem to suggest 3/4 fresh kills by a single turbine - is that the case?

[kshotton45]

Originally Posted by rscott74

Tormentil - could you provide an accurate caption to the images you posted. They seem to suggest 3/4 fresh kills by a single turbine - is that the case?

I'm highly suspisious of these images. But I'm keeping an open mind about them. I've emailed the RSPB about the matter as the movement against the Turbines are using some unfair tactics.

keith.

[paulchandler6]

Wind Power seems to be the in thing at the moment and all the big power companies are jumping on the Green bandwagon.
Is this a cheap way to produce electricity? I dont know but there must be some other way. I am opposed to them because they are ugly to look at and spoil landscapes, not to mention being deadly to Birds Of Prey and other large species.
Also do we know what other effects they have on the environment. Cheers

[kshotton45]

Originally Posted by paulchandler6

Wind Power seems to be the in thing at the moment and all the big power companies are jumping on the Green bandwagon.
Is this a cheap way to produce electricity? I dont know but there must be some other way. I am opposed to them because they are ugly to look at and spoil landscapes, not to mention being deadly to Birds Of Prey and other large species.
Also do we know what other effects they have on the environment. Cheers

Have you read post #6 (above) ? The details are not mine, but from a report by RSPB, WWF, English Nature and BWEA.

Keith.
.

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by rscott74

Tormentil - could you provide an accurate caption to the images you posted. They seem to suggest 3/4 fresh kills by a single turbine - is that the case?

Sorry no its not. The first is a Red Kite in Wales 2005. The other is Griffon Vultures killed by a turbine in Spain 2004.

[naturelover]

I Was Going To Say That I Am For The Turbines But After Seeing Those Poor Birds I Just Dont Know Anymoore.

[ChrisJB]

The R.S.P.B also adds, concerning the uplands of Britain:

"We should place them at the centre of a rural renaissance and protect them as the green lungs of the country, while rewarding those who manage them for the benefit of people and wildlife." (The Times, 1st August 2007).

From this, one would expect that the R.S.P.B would be dead against upland wind farms at the very least.

Regards, Chris

[paulchandler6]

Originally Posted by kshotton45

Have you read post #6 (above) ? The details are not mine, but from a report by RSPB, WWF, English Nature and BWEA.

Keith.
.

Thanks Keith, I did read it. The power companies have a big TV advertising campaign at the mo. I was aware of all the above supporting it. I feel there is some political expedience going on here. Or am I just cynical.

[Meles meles]

Originally Posted by Jez

It's clearly awful to see the kites ending up in that state. It can make a man change his mind instantly.

I have to agree, Before these photos i never liked nor disliked wind turbines.
Ok maybe they are bad for the picturesque landscape like pylons and power stations. But always thought they was for the better.
Now though I do feel differently towards them. I assume the kites got sucked into the wind flow?? (apologies amature learning) How else may they effect mammals birds etc??

[pressld2]

Several people have pointed out that wind farms cannot supply enough power to meet the UK's needs. This is true. Neither can solar, tidal, thermal, wave, hydro or bio-fuels. However, a combination of all of these just might.

Dave P.

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Several people have pointed out that wind farms cannot supply enough power to meet the UK's needs. This is true. Neither can solar, tidal, thermal, wave, hydro or bio-fuels. However, a combination of all of these just might.

Dave P.

Well said. My sentiments exactly. We have a few wind farms near me and I visit one of them regularly plus I have never seen any dead birds as of yet. The Wind Farm I visit is also home to quite a number of cattle and a wildlife pond. I do find them to be magnificent though, a real feat of engineering. And, afterall, it's renewable energy as they say!

Also, they are low maintenance too, if you compare them to a regular power station, which surely means less cars in rural areas (am I right in thinking power stations are usually situated away from residential areas??). Anyway, my point is that the amount of roadkill I see on rural roads is heartbreaking. On one section of road near me I regularly see 5+ Rabbits at the side of the road . Therefore, less cars on rural roads is a good thing.

Simon