November 24, 2006
Letters, U.K.

Exhibition propaganda

Gamesa Energy Company wants to erect 14 600ft high wind turbines in the Llynfi Valley. I went to the exhibition and was confronted by the PR team who told me how wonderful living next to a droning wind farm would be. Probably wonderful for those who profit; very much less wonderful for the local communities who are forced to live under it.

The powers that be have justified areas that cannot have wind farms such as the Brecon Beacons, because it would be detrimental to the environment or would spoil the view. How, then, to justify wind farms all round the Afan valleys, which in my opinion have equal or greater beauty than the Brecon Beacons?

The exhibition is close to propaganda. We already have a wind farm, Ffynnon O’er (Abercregan). At that exhibition, we were told we would only see the turbines from two locations. The statement would have been more accurate had it read, “there are only two locations where you can’t see the turbines”. These exhibitions are a masterclass in PI (public insulting), not PR.

It’s sickening to see our elected government allowing big companies to prey on small communities in the profitable name of saving the environment. The cost of installing this wind farm is more than £60 million; surely this money could be better invested?

For example, pay homeowners (as opposed to landowners) to put a solar panel on their roof (that’s a lot of roofs), or put a suitably sized wind turbine every 40 foot on our miles and miles of motorway central reservations (that’s a lot of turbines). We have enough rain – why are we not utilising hydro-generated power?

All of these suggestions are not obtrusive to their environments. Put a stop to these massive wind turbines destroying our beautiful valleys, communities, wildlife and visitor numbers before it’s too late.

M Souter

Glyncorrwg

Port Talbot

thisissouthwales.co.uk


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/11/24/exhibition-propaganda/