July 3, 2011
Sweden

Wind power stations meet resistance

David Jonasson, Stockholm News, www.stockholmnews.com 2 July 2011

The gradual expansion of wind power is seen as vital for future energy supply. But it also meets resistance. According to the state-owned power giant Vattenfall, wind turbines being built in the forest must be even higher than today in order to become profitable. ”But it would be a disaster for those living nearby,” says Elisabeth von Brömsen, who is chairman of the Confederation of Swedish landscape protection.

“It’s unacceptable already as it is now, and if we will have skyscrapers in the woods – Sweden would soon be nothing more than one big wind colony,” von Brömsen says to public radio SR.

But wind turbines where the wings give a total height of 150 meters is generally not enough, says Eva Vitell, head of Vattenfall’s Swedish wind power development on land.

“In many places there need to be a total height exceeding 150 meters. Simply because the trees are in the way of the wind. You need a bit extra in order to escape the turbulence and access to good winds,” Vitell says.

Vattenfall is not able to tell exactly how much higher the wind turbines needs to be. But Elisabeth von Brömsen is worried about the plans of higher wind power stations.

“The visual experience will be terrible, imagine these monsters everywhere,” she says.

But Vattenfall believes that higher wind power stations will become more efficient and therefore are not needed in the same number.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/07/03/wind-power-stations-meets-resistance/