March 14, 2013
Ireland

Drehid locals opposed to Bord na Mona’s turbine plans

Conor McHugh | Leinster Leader | 14 March 2013 | www.leinsterleader.ie

Bord na Mona has confirmed that it intends to build wind turbines at Drehid, near Carbury, which is already home to a large landfill site.

But locals, who are already uncomfortable with the large landfill and a proposed methane burning electricity generator are opposed to the plans.

Conscious that it is fast running out of peat, Bord na Mona has seized upon wind turbines as a viable alternative to their current business.

And they have ambitious plans to produce the equivalent of up to 40% of Ireland’s electricity needs with wind energy produced throughout the Bog of Allen.

CEO Gabriel Darcy told the Leinster Leader last Friday that they have a definite intention to build turbines in Kildare, although the details of how many, or whether the electricity would be for the domestic or export market had not been decided.

Local man J Logan has said he is opposed to turbines being erected in Drehid. He said that the surrounding roads were already in bits as a result of the increased traffic in the area.

Furthermore, he doesn’t see why the electricity should be going to the UK. “Why can’t they produce it over there for themselves?” he asked.

Describing a 500 metre planning setback (between dwellings and turbines) as insufficient, he said it was “no distance”.

He called for a united front against Bord na Mona’s plans but admitted it will be difficult to raise one because the Drehid Community Grants had tempered opposition to the locality’s dump.

He said he felt that things were going in the wrong direction, and he suggested that the resource of Drehid would be better used by planting fast growing trees and using them for fuel.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/03/14/drehid-locals-opposed-to-bord-na-monas-turbine-plans/