TracieB

Hello there

I'm looking for someone who currently lives in a country where significant investment has been made in Wind Farm technology.
Plans have been put forward to build a wind farm near to where I live. I cannot find a community in the UK to whom this has happened who will speak out in favour of them.

What I am looking for is the perspective of someone who lives very close to one of these.
Are there health issues?
Is there a noise issue?

etc. etc.

You can imagine what is happening around here, there are the people who are scared and the people who are name calling everyone NIMBY's. It would be interesting to gain an understanding from someone who is not trying a sales pitch, especially if it is a positive point of view at an existing site.

Many thanks

mazz1

I live in the south of sweden, denmark is a 2 hour drive away and we also have wind farms here...health issues i'm not aware of any!
noise minimal,certainly less then moderate traffic!
impact on wild life is non existent.
from my perspective fear of the unknown often causes unnecessary hysteria.

TracieB

Thank you for your response. I only specified Denmark because others had told me there were many wind farms there.
It is good to hear from someone with experience of them who is positive.

I have been doing some research and I can find very little against them, unless you don't like them aesthetically.

Again

Thank you for responding.

Casa Santo Estevo

How can it be said that there is no impact on wildlife?
The infrastructure placed underground to support these things means that vegetation is dug up. That in turn is a loss of habitat for many species. Also it is know that a turning blade can kill birds. It seems that the larger birds, like Eagles and Vultures are particularity affected.
As for noise, these giants are usually placed in the countryside so noise is an issue no mater how low it is. And when you get a wind farm the noise obviously multiplies. Silence is golden!
The visual impact is awful too.
It is green propaganda that these things are the best invention since sliced bread.
It is said that the amount of electric they produce means they have to work over 15 years non-stop to recover the amount of energy used to manufacture, transport to site erect and maintain them. They do not work for that amount of time as the wind does not blow all of the time.
Yes something may need to be done but these are not the answer.
I would not want to live near a farm.

mazz1

As i said hysteria!!
yes there is some disruption to wildlife when they are installed,this is temporary.
Blades can kill birds (you assume) although the rspb have been unable to provide any evidence of this being a common occurence.
Here in sweden wildlife seems to be unaffected, unlike Uk we have a large number of birds of prey and the swedes cherish their wildlife and seek green solutions to preserve the environment for all to enjoy.
I can only speak from experience.
If wind farms did not make money ie. produce enough power you can bet your life that energy companies would not be wasting their time and resources installing them.You say you would not like to live near a wind farm but have you ever even stood within listening distance of one?
I am unaware that it is claimed they are the best invention since sliced bread as far as i know they are merely an alternative to fossil or nuclear fuels which lets face it are responsble for slowly killing the entire planet.

Casa Santo Estevo

I read your reply with interest and a smile. There has to be a trade off somewhere and from reading your posting there is none all.
Do you not realise you do not get something for nothing in the world?
May i suggest you look up the word "greenwash"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwash
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/series/greenwash

and this one is related to this subject.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...-farm-peat-bog

welshviking

There's also lots in Holland, and there seemed to be a lot more in Wales the last time I was back, but I haven't lived near any. In Wales the main reason people were annoyed was because they wouldn't benefit from any of the energy made from the windfarms, it went elsewhere but they have to sufffer the eyesore

meauxna

This is a currently brewing controversy where I live as well. You might appreciate the background of these items, particularly the comments sections of the news articles.

Oregon wind farms whip up noise, health concerns

BPA: Wind farm system sets output milestone

Windmills Are Killing Our Birds

Wind power in Oregon
Biglow Canyon Wind Farm

Mitzyboy

Huge swathes of them in Spain when you head inland. A bit spooky because I'm not used to seeing them!

mazz1

Perhaps the original poster can look these links up. I am sure there are a great many arguments for and against them. The question was does anyone have any experience of them noise,impact on wildlife etc. From my experience i would rather live next to a wind farm then a power station, there probably are other options to cater for the ever increasing population, may be we could just ration power or increase the prices so people use less...i dont know i'm not an expert.

TracieB

Thank you all for your responses, I have been looking at the links. I have also been sent a news report from a co-op wind farm in the UK.

It is all very interesting and the views are conflicting.

But many thanks any way, for responding.

Casa Santo Estevo

Me nether but I do not honestly believe all the greenwash around...Like if you have a car over 10 years old you can presently chop it in for a newer model in most EU countries....however years ago I learnt that a car usese less fuel in the average road use in that time than it takes to amke it...Moving on to preant day the MPG or L/100km has not changed that much in say 30 odd years ie a 1600 will do about the same then as now. But they use a lot more plastic in cars, which cna be reciclyed but they donot tell you how much energy it takes to do that, do they? So chopping in a older car before it is worn out is crap or Greenwash.

We have to do some thing but what that is the millon dollar question.


PS here in Galicia they were planting the wind farms everywhere...but with the crisi they ahve seemly stopped lets hope the powers to be take stoke on the situation and stop ruining the countryside before it is too late.

Casa Santo Estevo

More bad news as to the side effects of those wind farms.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/s...ds/8275255.stm