Eden protestors launch balloon
Campaigners opposed to plans to build a giant wind turbine at the Eden Project in Cornwall raised a balloon earlier to demonstrate how tall it would be.
The ecological tourist attraction, near St Austell, wants to install the 127m (420ft) high turbine in order to become energy self-sufficient.
But some people claim the device, which would be twice the height of Nelson’s Column, will overpower the landscape.
The two megawatt turbine will cost £3m to build.
Andrew Dean, from No to Eden Project Wind Turbine (NEWT), said: “We’re trying to show the visual impact the balloon would have on the area.”
He said it would be “like Big Ben with a jumbo jet nailed to its face like a Catherine Wheel”.
Mr Dean added that his main objection to the turbine was its “enormous” size and a number of smaller turbines would be preferable.
Katrina Rogers, who was out riding her horse, said: “He saw the balloon and just freaked right out.
“It really frightened him.
“What’s it going to be like when there’s a propeller going round? The horses are going to hate it.”
In November Eden, which says it has a duty to promote sustainable energy, put up its own balloon to demonstrate the turbine’s impact.
Restormel Borough Council is due to make a decision on Eden’s planning application at the end of this month.
10 January 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
Some possibly related stories:
The copyright of this article is owned by the author or publisher indicated. Its availability here constitutes a "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law as well as in similar "fair dealing" exceptions of the copyright laws of other nations, as part of National Wind Watch's effort to advance understanding of the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development. For more information, click here.
