July 29, 2012
England

Spreading some disinformation

Northumberland Gazette | www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk 29 July 2012

Unfortunately Aiden Harrison has allowed himself to be lured into spreading some dis-information perpetrated by the wind industry (Blame Rain on Global Warming – Gazette,Thursday, July 19).

First off, wind energy is not cheap energy, in fact it is currently the most expensive form of energy production we have – and every one of us is paying for it in our energy bills. A fact which is putting thousands of individuals into real fuel poverty and making a handful of others very rich in the process.

The suggestion that any residents who are inconvenienced by wind turbines be supplied with free electricity is unfortunately both naïve and impossible. The turbines are economically viable as they send whatever little power they generate into the National Grid. It’s these massively subsidised returns that are fuelling the wind rush – not any concern for our environment.

The idea that wind turbines can in any way present a viable alternative to nuclear, coal or gas power stations is just plain daft – unless of course we are content to put the lights on only when the wind is blowing! Even if we are prepared to devolve our society into a wind-dependant nation, do you really think China, Russia, India or any developing nation will follow suit?

Unfortunately the somewhat inconvenient and slightly ironic truth is that even if we cover our entire country with turbines, we would not be able to lose or decommission even a single traditional power station because of the naturally unpredictable nature of the weather.

The need to reduce carbon emissions is cited as the reason why we need to just shut up and accept the industrialisation of our rural spaces by wind speculators. But even for a second accepting there is a link between human-generated carbon emissions and climate change, then suggesting that large-scale wind farms help reduce these emissions is laughable.

Turbines contain huge amounts of rare earth chemicals mined in dubious conditions and shipped from all over the world. They are filled with gallons of oil – which is why they tend to be a bit of a handful if they catch on fire. They are erected on concrete pads of massive proportions with road networks to service them slashed through miles of carbon storing peat landscapes. And where do you think those massive turbine sections which on occasion fall off the backs of lorries are made and hauled all the way from? You guessed it, China!

In the enlightened years to come our kids will look on the rotting iron work and crumbling concrete in what was once our unspoilt landscapes and shake their heads, in much the same way as Tynesiders have looked upon the concrete devastation brought upon their once beautiful city by the T Dan Smith era in the name of progress.

John Tait

Elsdon

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/07/29/spreading-some-disinformation/