October 12, 2006
Ireland
Ireland
A cluster of 220 wind turbines measuring 100 metres high are to be built off the east coast of Ireland.
The Irish Independent has learned that the Department of Marine has granted foreshore permission for the wind turbines to be built 12 kilometres off Bray Head, at Codling Bank, in Wicklow.
However the move has been condemned by the Irish Wind Energy Truth Alliance (IWETA).
Spokesman Peter Crossan said the Irish people are still not being told the truth about wind energy and its huge inefficiencies.
He pointed out that international evidence has shown that it causes huge harm to the landscape and wildlife. Although the development is offshore, it will damage birdlife and will cause a visual eyesore in a tourist area.
“It’s vandalism really,” he said. “And one of the major complaints is there is no public consultation process for offshore developments.”
He said the experience across the EU has been that the wind farms deliver just 20pc of expected output.
“The windfarms are being driven by tax incentives, capital grants and carbon grants.”
Codling Wind Park is a joint venture project between Fred Olsen Renewables, Bonheur ASA and Eco Wind, a wholly owned subsidiary of Treasury Holdings Ltd.
Last night Eco Wind refused to comment on the granting of the planning permission.
On its website, it said that their aim was “to bring to Ireland one of the most innovative electricity generation systems in the European Union”.
They said that Ireland, like other states which signed up to the Kyoto protocol, agreed to limit its CO2 and other emissions to 13pc above its 1990 level by 2008.
They said that Codling Park will become “a major part of the solution” to emissions.
However Mr Crossan pointed out that international evidence has shown that countries who have a substantial amount of wind farms have still not seen any reduction in CO2 levels.
The first phase, which has a proposed generating capacity of 200megawatts, is due to be operating by December 2009.
The seventh and final phase, which will see the windfarm with a proposed generating capacity of 1,100megawatts, is due to be completed by the end of 2016.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/10/12/controversial-wind-turbines-on-the-horizon-for-bray/