June 21st, 2010
There has been a lot of press recently concerning the UK wind farms and the need for more wind turbines in the aim to tackle global warming and to increase the use of green energy.
Harnessing the winds power can and does ganerate a huge amount of useable energy. However, it has now been reported that there could be an overload of energy onto the National Grid if it gets too windy.
Too windy? Surely, this would be a good condition considering how unstable and infrequent the weather can be. To store up lots of wind-generate electricity cant harm us can it? Apparently, according to those at the National grid, too much wind and too much wind-generated electricity is not a good thing.
Owners of wind farms are now going to be awarded a payment to switch off thier turbines if it does become ‘too windy’. This seems all well and good in the grand scheme of helping the country to use more sustainable energy sources but this payment to the wind farm owners is going to come from the tax payers.
The National Grid is constantly working to match the need for electricity with supply and this can often be determined by weather predictions and TV schedules. Plant failures and erratic weather changes are also a factor when the National Grid juggles electricity use across the nation. They feel that the balance between using the wind famrs and deciding to turn them off in adverse weather conditions will prevent the network from being overloaded.
Tags: Global Warming, green energy, national grid, renewable energy, Sustainable Energy, wind farms, wind power, Wind Turbines | Posted in Energy Efficient, News, Sustainable Energy, renewable energy
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September 8th, 2009
Vestas is considered to be number 1 in modern energy, with 20% of market share and more than 38,000 wind turbines worldwide. So why did our government allow the closure of Vestas in the Isle of Wight, our only UK turbine manufacturer? What happened to their ‘green promise’ that supported the installation of 10,000 wind turbines in the UK by 2020?
To add insult to injury the government managed to find £340m to bail out Airbus, the company who likes to promote itself as an ‘environmentally benign organisation’. Currently Airbus are advertising their plan to cut fuel emissions by 2%.
2% in a rapidly growing industry, about to be responsible for potentially catastrophic fuel emissions is of what use exactly? In addition to this and very interestingly, Airbus’s Chief Executive claimed a government bail-out was not necessary and what was actually required was a ‘functioning financial system’ to be set in place.
Tags: Airbus, fuel emissions, government money, green promise, Vestas, Wind Turbines | Posted in Climate Change, Sustainable Energy, renewable energy
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July 22nd, 2009
A plan to build six giant wind turbines in Silton the picturesque village near Gillingham, Dorset has been rejected.
Most people accept that there is a pressing need to find alternative sources of energy. However, when it’s on their doorstep, potentially blocking their view, it’s a whole different story!
When are we going to recognise the true gravity of both the global warming crisis and the decline in oil production?
Surely we should be striving to find solutions? The widespread opposition to wind farms is fundamentally down to their appearance, though other half-baked, inaccurate arguments are often deployed.
Let’s hope that the next application, wherever it may be, is better received and that we will have the sense and foresight to put necessity before the narrow-minded, self-centred view of a few people!
Tags: alternative energy, Global Warming, oil production, wind farms rejected, Wind Turbines | Posted in Climate Change, News, Sustainable Energy
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June 1st, 2009
Rather naively I simply assumed that wind generated energy was a great idea: no burning of coal or oil or dangerous nuclear technology, just wind – that has to be a good thing surely!? I have to admit that now I am not so sure.
DART: Dorset Against Rural Turbines has a great website and it has turned my initial preconception regarding wind turbines on its head. DARTs prime concern is the proposal to erect four wind turbines at East Stoke, clearly visible from the historic town of Wareham.
Personally I struggle with the aesthetic argument, not because it not a very valid point, but because it has never stopped anyone before. Power stations are not exactly easy on the eye, neither are electricity pylons, but governments do not refuse their construction because they are ugly blots on the landscape. Wind Turbines are not pretty either, but will that really stand in the way of our energy needs?
DART’s money over common sense argument is particularly interesting. If the science does not stack up, then why is the government continuing with the scheme? The simple answer appears to be £’s. Surely we have wasted enough time and money on destructive forms of energy generation than to go down another dead-end with this one?
Apparently British Gas sending out 52 million energy saving light bulbs across the UK, will slash carbon emissions by nine million tonnes whereas the most optimistic estimate of a wind farm’s carbon saving is only 20,000 tonnes. Meaning we would need to build 450 wind farms to achieve the same carbon saving as changing our light bulbs! As well as these and other frightening statistics on the DART site there are also some shocking pictures of birds cleanly cut in half … again something I had never considered.
I admit it – I’m confused. Is wind energy really a bad thing? Should we be concentrating on wave generating power or will that electrify our fishes? I genuinely want to know. Any comments very welcome…
Tags: alternative energy, British Gas, carbon emissions, energy saving, light bulbs, Wind Turbines | Posted in Climate Change, Local Councils
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