November 21, 2022
Wales

Hypocrisy of felling trees for windfarms

Western Mail, 21 Nov 2022

I don’t understand the logic of Welsh Minister for Climate Change Julie James in proposing to erect more gigantic wind turbines in upland woodland areas of Wales

First of all , the Welsh Government is telling Welsh people to plant millions of trees to absorb CO2 in the fight against global warming. Yet here is the Welsh Government felling millions of trees to make room for huge wind farms on forestry land owned by the Welsh people, not the Welsh Government. How hypocritical is that?

Furthermore, Welsh Government body NRW has already felled several million trees for wind farms over recent years, right across Wales.

As for the proposed wind turbines, 100 monsters 400ft high with an installed capacity of 2MW each will only generate 25% on average, or a measly 0.5MW per machine. So Julie James is prepared to wreck the natural beauty of Wales and severely damage our crucial tourist economy for a minuscule extra 50MW.

Meanwhile, Wales is overflowing with electricity because Pembroke gas-fired power station generates 2,200MW, far more than the 1,678MW average Wales currently uses.

Even 200 highly visible 2MW monsters up the spine of Wales will still only generate a measly 100MW average, and for England not even Wales. Picture an extra 200 threearmed bandits on our unspoilt rolling hills visible from a 20-mile radius. Why are there none in English border counties?

Of course, these machines will need flashing lights to prevent catastrophes with air ambulances and police and mountain rescue helicopters, thus causing the wholesale guillotining of red kites, peregrines, owls and buzzards from Welsh skies.

Does Julie James have no feeling for the magnificent beauty of wild Wales or care for its wonderful protected bird species, all vital for Welsh tourism?

Why is she so hell-bent on destroying Wales to power energyhungry England, where onshore wind turbines are banned?

LJ Jenkins

Gwbert, Cardigan

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/11/21/hypocrisy-of-felling-trees-for-windfarms/