I was watching a programme yesterday that said we will need this form of power in the near future

I would not really have much objection to these being sited near my home as I can understand the need for them.

What would your reaction be if it was decided to site them near your home

:)

in towns and cities where it is needed great, but I do understand many people out in the peaks and such areas have a great dislike for these white monsters as they spoil the natural beauty of the area..

Alternative methods of power need to be found but all implications need to be addressed before they are implimented nationwide.

Moon

They are also killing loads of rare birds..

They often also play havoc with TV and radar signals.

The places where we need power and the places where we can produce power rarely line up. The amount of energy produced by windfarms could more easily be produced by us SAVING the power we waste!

For example - only heating and lighting teh rooms we're in. Only heating the water in a kettle we intend to use, rather than boiling a kettle full, using 1 cup and then letting teh water go cold. Keeping freezers and fridges well maintained. Wash pots by hand not with a dishwasher. Insulate your house. Use power saving bulbs.

Etc....etc....

Joe

I'm all for wind turbines and would be much happier living near one of them than a coal fired power station.

If every single windmill produced as much power as a coal fired power station then all would be good, I think you might need more than one tho!

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
If every single windmill produced as much power as a coal fired power station then all would be good, I think you might need more than one tho!

Yeah, I know, but they don't produce acid rain, don't deplete the ozone layer, don't use valuable fosil fuels etc. etc.

It's ok saying they spoil the view but when we get to the point where it's too dangerous to go outside to look at the view what will that matter ?

Cant we just put them out at sea, like off the coast at Rhyl? They look quite nice on the horizon, and you can't hear them... I think they are a great idea, and should be used far more. One thing i've always wondered though... Why do they always have to be White? Why not paint them blue so boring old farts stop compaining that they are an eyesore (unlike beautiful cooling towers)?

Originally posted by Snook
Cant we just put them out at sea, like off the coast at Rhyl? They look quite nice on the horizon, and you can't hear them... I think they are a great idea, and should be used far more. One thing i've always wondered though... Why do they always have to be White? Why not paint them blue so boring old farts stop compaining that they are an eyesore (unlike beautiful cooling towers)?

Thats a great idea, the sea if pretty boring to look at anyway, it will make it more interesting.

I seem to remember reading some statistics that said that the best we can expect to get form Wind Farms is 10% of our electrical energy needs, with a more realistic figure in the short term (by 2010) being 10%.

The only way we'll actually make true progress with regard to energy usage is to use less - it's the same logic with the roads. Widen a road and the traffic increases to fill it again. Create more energy, and we'll just soak it up.

Joe

Originally posted by jan2002
I was watching a programme yesterday that said we will need this form of power in the near future

I would not really have much objection to these being sited near my home as I can understand the need for them.

What would your reaction be if it was decided to site them near your home

:)

You were also watching Countryfile was you?! The info is attached below.

www.bbc.co.uk/nature/environment/programmes/countryfile/#2

I'm quite up for the use of renewable energy if it reduces the amount of fossil fuel that is burnt. These off shore farms look pretty impressive and apparently are more effective than the inland wind farms.

Originally posted by Snook
Cant we just put them out at sea, like off the coast at Rhyl? They look quite nice on the horizon, and you can't hear them... I think they are a great idea, and should be used far more. One thing i've always wondered though... Why do they always have to be White? Why not paint them blue so boring old farts stop compaining that they are an eyesore (unlike beautiful cooling towers)?

There are several wind farms that have been built/are being built offshore http://www.offshorewindfarms.co.uk/sites.html . They are also a great deal taller than the land based ones (about 150m). I can see the ones off the coast of wales from my home. As the sun sets behind them, they twinkle in the light. It really is quite beautiful.

Originally posted by JoePritchard
Widen a road and the traffic increases to fill it again.

Not if the number of cars on the road remain constant.

Originally posted by t020
Not if the number of cars on the road remain constant.

True, but that doesn't seem to happen and I'd say that our power usage isn't likely to stay constant either.

Joe

But as was pointed out in the 'Countryfile' programme, wind turbines don't produce power when it's most needed, - in periods of high atmospheric pressure. In summer these calm conditions produce heatwaves so the use of fans and air-conditioning rises dramatically, and fridges and freezers are working flat out; in winter high pressure usually means still and frosty conditions with daytime temps sometimes not rising above freezing.

Wave and tidal power generation is much more reliable, but costs a lot more to set up. The implications of 'Global Warming' are that UK rainfall will increase significantly so why not more hydro-electric schemes ? We also need a few more pumped-storage schemes like the one at Llanberris.

And do we need street lighting from dusk to dawn ? It could be switched off from 1 am to 6 am without much inconvenience, - except perhaps to burglars who would have to use torches and be much more noticable.