October 6, 2006
Ireland

'Environment is being ruined by wind farms'

Angry activists savage turbine claims

Large swathes of scenic countryside are being ruined by massive wind turbines which damage people’s lives and the environment.

That was the blunt message yesterday at the launch of a new nationwide alliance of communities fighting wind farms.

Believing the answer to Ireland’s energy needs is not blowing in the wind, the Irish Wind Energy Truth Alliance (IWETA) insisted that the turbines damage the environment and, because of their inefficiency, do nothing to tackle the energy crisis.

Campaign

Representatives from more than 20 rural communities in 15 counties attended the high profile launch of the campaign in Dublin yesterday and said their lives had been ruined by the turbines.

The average wind turbine now stands more than 400ft (120m) taller than the Spire of Dublin with rotor blades larger than the wing span of 747 Jumbo jet.

Peter Crossan, IWETA spokesman, said: “If the Irish people do not shout ‘stop’, hundreds of miles of our ancient countryside and coastlines will be disfigured for generations.”

“There is no evidence anywhere in the world that wind energy has had any impact on fossil fuel use or greenhouse gas emissions, which are its entire raison d’etre,” he added.

“We have a situation where speculators and big financial interests, the breeze wheeze as it’s been coined in the US, are staking claim to some of our finest scenery, driven not by concern for the planet but the opportunity to pocket huge profits.

“The construction of industrial wind power stations is causing unjustifiable and irreversible damage to some of our greatest assests, hills and coastlines, farmland, flora and fauna, sensitive eco-systems,” said Mr Crossan.

When insufficient wind was blowing, the turbines would then have to be powered by conventional electricity.

“Our rural landscape is part of what we are and is a source of great pride to Irish people.

“If we continue to litter our hills and coasts with these structures, tourists will turn their backs on us,” he said.

Treacy Hogan

unison.ie

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/10/06/environment-is-being-ruined-by-wind-farms/