Wind Farms
Posted: Friday, 06 August 2004 |
Comments
As with other forms of power-station, windfarms are unsightly - but particularly so as they have to be sited in such conspicuous places. Islay has a full scale wave-power station and, again, this is unsightly but, being pretty low-profile and at sea-level, is not conspicuous though it does spoil that particular stretch of the coastline. There are a number of ways of generating electricity from the seas but I think the shore-based options are the least desirable due to the costs of construction, the damage to the immediate surroundings and the unsightly building. Also, in the news recently on Islay, new houses being built are to have part of their energy needs supplied by geo-thermal heat.
Now this seems to me ideal - free energy, supplied directly to the home, low maintainance and no ugly power-station or distribution network!
Islayboy from Edinburgh!
Of course you have a point..... I just think it’s completely glossing over reality and you have bought all the pretence our government wants.
As a nation we should not accept an increase in energy consumerism until 2020. As a nation we should be insisting on cleaning our fossil power station chimney exhaust…. But we don’t as this would cost money (and votes). So, instead we pretend windmills are solving our problems. Windmills are great but burying our head in the sand over flue gasses will be disastrous. And THAT is the real issue. Governments have always encouraged the debate of side issues and irrelevant issues and windfarms are just the red herring they cultivate now.
Someone (Tony) from Uig
Connel Bridge ( barrage) anyone?
pondhead from mull
Connel Bridge/Barrage anyone?
pondhead from Mull
Though I agree you have a point, Island Wanderer, I do fear that there is an almightly rush to wind farms to the detriment of other alternatives and that that rush is at least in part very much a political issue. In short: a quick fix and ride roughshod over those who will bear the long term brunt!
Islayboy from Edinburgh - been down south so missed this interesting item on geo-thermal heat - can we have some more information, please - or is this a wind-up - NO pun intended!!!! ;-) I know we don't have the huge Icelandic potential, but it interests me!
BTW, it might interest people to know that, as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswolds will NOT be getting wind farms, although there is strong potential for them! Tourism and the despoilation of that natural (!) landscape were strongly taken into account in the arguments, so I am informed. Are not Mull, Ardnamurchan and Morvern - not to mention Skye and some of the parts of Perthshire under threat also not of outstanding beauty? Could it be that the Cotswolds are only a couple of hours drive from London, whereas, even flying (a very anti-green activity!) it takes a minimum of six hours to reach Mull - if you're lucky and the flights and trains and ferries work out!
Sunset from Mull
Tony,
Sorry for delay in replying to your comment regarding my blogg of 6th august. I trust you will get this:
Glad you agree that I had a point; but now for us wind farms are becoming a reality, and I believe that is what the government wants. We all know what goverments do.
Fossil fuel power stations - cleaning the exhausts - Well, we want to keep the atmosphere clean. Don't you realise that global warming is a relevant issue no matter what is said to the contrary. Will wind mills solve the problem? Well, you have your view. It is still a free country.
Are wind mills a red herring? Could be.But do they work? Could do so. North sea oil did it work? Yes. Various government premiers could have told you that.
island wanderer, tiree
Tony from from uig
re:comment to my blog of 6th August:
Power stations unsightly, yes. But as far as wind farms are concerned it is a matter of opinion in spite of where they are placed.
I hope that you are aware that along with wind power wave power could be the next important supplier of this countrys electrical supplies.And not more unsightly than the building site for a new housing scheme,although this might be a poor comparision.
Thermal heat-good, but will it solve the demand for raw power nationally.
Thanks for the comment,
Island wanderer of Tiree.
Islay boy from from Edinburgh
Island Wanderer,any chance you could sign yourself off as Island Wanderer rather than as the person your writing to?
Island Wanderer from Tiree
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