1. Wind Farms Are Unreliable

World Wind Electricity-Generating Capacity, 1980-2005

Annual Rate of Year Total Capacity Annual Addition Growth Megawatts Percent

1980 10 1981 25 15 150 1982 90 65 260 1983 210 120 133 1984 600 390 186 1985 1,020 420 70 1. "Wind farms are unreliable" Not true. Wind turbines generate electricity when the wind is blowing. The wind blows at different times in different places but rarely, if ever, is the whole country completely calm. Our electricity system can cope with intermittent sources of energy, at levels of up to 10-15%, without operational changes. In the winter, when demand is greatest (and the weather is windiest), turbines operate at up to twice their summer output. Wind turbines are rarely 'out of service'*3 and have operating lives of up to 25 years*4. 2. "Wind Farms are inefficient" Not true. The concept of efficiency is easy to misunderstand or misrepresent. With wind energy the fuel is free and so efficiency takes on a different meaning - there is no waste if some of the wind is not used. With coal and gas-fired power stations, much of the energy is lost as heat through the chimney. Over the course of a year wind turbines will normally produce around 30% of their theoretical capacity. This is the average load factor, and this should not be confused with efficiency. 3. "Wind Farms waste land". Not true. Wind turbines occupy a very small amount of land, typically five square metres, sometimes with small access roads. Generally speaking only 1% of the land is needed to house turbines - the remaining 99% can still be used as normal. If it is farmland, then animals can be grazed or crops grown right up to the base of the towers. Open spaces continue to support flora and fauna populations. 6,600 turbines (mostly 1.5MW), split equally between onshore and at sea would be able to generate 6% of the UK's anticipated electricity needs by 2010. At the turn of the century, there were approximately 10,000 traditional windmills, mostly in England and Wales, occupying considerably less land. However, by 2025 it is likely that offshore wind energy will be developed and many turbines will be located at sea. These turbines are likely to be larger, which will further reduce the number needed. 4. "Wind farms don't reduce pollution" Not true. Every unit of electricity produced by a wind turbine avoids at least half a 1 kilogram of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere* . In Denmark, wind energy already produces more than 10% of its electricity needs, avoiding the need to build further conventional, polluting power stations. They plan generate 50% of the country's electricity from wind by 2030, vastly reducing their contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. 5. "Turbines are noisy" Not true. You can stand directly beneath a turbine and hold a conversation without having to raise your voice. The simple proof is to try it yourself. 6. "Turbines are visually polluting" Not to everyone. Many people find wind turbines elegant and a pleasing part of the landscape. However, much of our 'natural' landscape is already man-made, from fields, hedgerows, canals and forestry, to bridges and piers. Wind turbines are the modern successor to the traditional mill. Don't forget, it would be unlikely that there would not be an alternative view to the one with wind turbines in it. Turbines are rarely visible from more than 20 miles away, even in good weather. 7. "Turbines could be dangerous" No member of the public has ever been injured. Over the past five years, in British stately homes, 83 people have been injured.*15 This does not make a case for demolishing stately homes, despite their inherent risks to the public! World-wide, there are around 35,000 wind turbines. There has never been an incident anywhere in which a member of the public has been injured by wind turbines*2. 8. "Developers are not green - they are merely after the subsidies" Not true. By developing a sustainable technology, developers acquire some green credentials. The only subsidy paid either directly or indirectly was as part of the non- fossil fuel levy, paid through electricity bills. Support for wind is around £1 per household per year. Wind-generated electricity, despite only appearing in the UK in 1991 will, in a subsidy-free market, be one of the cheapest sources of electricity available. The average cost of electricity from a modern wind farm is already as low as 2.88 pence per unit (against an average of all sources of 2.40p*17) before transmission, etc. 9. "Subsidies encourage pollution" Not true. Wind turbines do not produce any pollution during their operation. Even if you allow for the indirect pollution created during manufacture and commissioning, turbines 'pay back' this cost in months.*16 Wind turbines do not leave waste, unlike coal or nuclear fuels. Subsidies paid to conventional fuels do nothing to encourage increased use of clean fuels. Although energy efficiency is prudent and an essential part of achieving sustainability, it can not remove an increasing demand for electricity. 10. "Subsidies don't create jobs" Not true. Wind energy is more labour intensive than many other technologies. An American study suggested that wind generates 66% more employment than coal, pound for pound, watt for watt.*11 Many of these jobs are local to the site, particularly in construction and maintenance. At the end of 1995 there were 1,300 people directly employed in wind energy in the UK. In Denmark more people are employed in wind energy than in fishing!*5 The potential for domestic manufacturing jobs is enormous - most turbines are imported at present. 11. "Tourists go elsewhere when the novelty wears off" Not true. The oldest wind farm in the UK is Delabole in Cornwall. Since April 1992 to the end of 1999, more than 350,000 tourists have been recorded visiting the project. In the first eight months of 1997 alone, over 40,000 visitors were recorded.*6 The West Country has remained the number one tourist destination in England, with a 10% increase in 1998 adding to an ever-expanding tourist industry.*18 12."House prices fall in areas close to developments" Not true. There is no evidence that "house prices fall". According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, there are no studies that suggest an effect either way, but at Nympsfield in Gloucestershire, house prices continued to gain in value after plans for the turbine were announced in 1992 and continued to increase since the turbine began operating in 1997.*12 Recent surveys in areas near to a wind project show 78% of respondents reporting no difference in house prices, with some even reporting an increase.*19 Some other misconceptions corrected:

 TV interference, if it occurs, can be quickly remedied.*13

 Wind turbines are less of a danger to birds than electricity cables. Larger turbines turn more slowly, presenting even less of a hazard. Horses are frightened by a variety of natural features, but according to the British Horse Society, there is no conclusive evidence that horses are frightened by wind farms, nor is the society opposed to wind farms.*9

 It is completely safe to walk under a turbine.*10 Public footpaths have not been diverted.

 In many cases, the ecology of a site is improved by a wind farm, because of the careful attention developers are required to pay because of BWEA guidelines and planning consent conditions.*14 In conclusion, the only substantial argument against wind energy is that some people do not like their visual amenity altered by wind turbines. However, most wind turbines win planning consent. There is therefore, patently, no proof that most people find the appearance of wind turbines unacceptable. Perhaps we should recognise that 'visual impact' is a matter of judgement, without 'right' and 'wrong' answers? In the trade-off between environmental benefits and visual amenity, which is more important? Wind energy is cheap, environmentally friendly and should make a significant contribution to our needs. Wind energy, together with other renewables and energy efficiency are all essential in moving towards sustainability. Even British Energy, one of the UK's largest nuclear generators, state that "if there is to be a sustainable future, the world must move to using more renewable energy".*7 In the UK, we have the greatest wind resource of any European country. We know how to make large quantities of electricity from the wind. We should use that resource. For our children's sakes. *1 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology *2 Paul Gipe, Wind Energy Comes of Age, 1995 *3 availabilities are typically over 95% *4 manufacturers' statements *5 Danish Wind turbine Manufacturers' Association *6 Delabole Wind Farm, Cornwall 1997 *7 R Hawley, July 1997 *9 Letter from British Horse Society, August 1997 *10 where there is site access *11 NY State Energy office *12 Enercon UK *13 Rheidol, 1997 *14 Guidelines for Developers, BWEA 1996 *15 HSE reports, various *16 University of Keele *17 Offer report, 1997 *18 Western Morning News, July 1998 *19 Robertson Bell Associates, 1998