July 29, 2008
England

Turbines are beautiful says boss

Wind farm company Ecotricity says its four 330ft (91m) turbines planned for Cornwall will be “graceful and beautiful”.

Opponents say the turbines proposed near Lanivet will be a blot on the landscape and inefficient.

But Dale Vince, managing director of Ecotricity, which is exhibiting its plans, rejected the accusations.

The firm says almost 7,000 homes could benefit from green electricity if the wind farm goes ahead.

Mr Vince said: “To most people they are graceful, rather beautiful structures that are doing a very important job for us all.”

He said there was no merit in claims that wind turbines were inefficient and the effects of noise and on tourism had been disproved.

The firm is also planning another four turbines near Davidstow on the A39.

Mr Vince said: “It’s important what people think, but you cannot please everyone in this life.

“If you didn’t go ahead with something because a few people didn’t like what you are doing, you would never do anything.”

He added: “We need to look at the bigger picture and be concerned about where the UK is going to get its energy in the future.

“We are at the beginning of a global energy crisis, wind is an indigenous fuel source and we need to be using it much more.”

He said putting turbines at sea would cost “twice as much, which means people have to pay twice as much for the electricity…”.

29 July 2008