On shore Wind Farms on the Dengie

Vamoose

Vamoose

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I read in this weeks Maldon & Burnham Standard that despite very strong local opposition from residents & Maldon District Council that an appeal has been successfull, and that it is now very likely that the beautiful landscape from Bradwell to Burnham will be changed dramatically by these monster wind turbines.

Can anyone tell me - How long do they have to be in operation before they pay back or save the amount of greenhouse gases, that are generated in the manufacturing and erecting these things.

Still I suppose it will be easier to fix your position from seaward. (Assuming of course you dont have an electronic gizmo to do it for you)
 
That's bad news. We have to accept them offshore but I hate them on land.

When they started building the ones on the Gunfleet one FAQ on the website was "How long do expect them to last" to which the answer was that they had taken a 20 year lease on the site and expected them to outlast that. Presumably they might last even longer on land :(

After further research I see that the Bradwell site only has 10 turbines so will make a negligible amount of power but a lot of money for the landowner. The site near Southminster/Burnham is only 13 turbines. You would think that withh all the offshore stuff and a probable new nuker at Bradwell that this area is doing its bit.
 
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VinceHall said:
Prefer this:
http://bpics.rubylane.com/graphics/shops/foxandhounds/ax201353.1L.jpg?61

I have wondered if these abandond windmills that are being converted to completely impractical homes would be better given an upgrade to modern sails or blades and generators. Afteral, our forefathers would have sited them in the best position and they look much nicer.
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You make an excellent point. Function is not everything.
We are starting to undo the mistakes we made with buildings in the sixties.

This would be a great opportunity to build something that our children could be proud of.
 
Systematic destruction of our landscape

I would not want to be thought a Luddite. But it seems as though every wild place in our crowded islands is to be covered in wind generators. What are we doing to our landscape? It used to be telegraph poles and electricity pylons which spoilt the view. Now it is windmills. Where is it going to stop? And what is going to be the effect on birdlife?

If there were clear benefits I might be more accepting of their necessity. But they are never going to do more than provide a marginal amount of the electricity consumed in Britain.

Rant over.
 
Vamoose said:
Can anyone tell me - How long do they have to be in operation before they pay back or save the amount of greenhouse gases, that are generated in the manufacturing and erecting these things.
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I've been asking this question for several years now and never got a straight answer. The only time anyone put a number to it was I think in the Lounge, at a rather unconvincing 8 months, which was denied by others. As far as I am concerned, the most likely answer is still "a very long time". Unless anyone knows better.

Anyway, I expect the construction workers will all go down with malaria which used to be endemic in the area, with global warming and all that.
 
Am I to be the only one who is consistent?
The Gunfleet farm (and others) were braodly supported here - I say they are a carbunkle, and a complete cost/benefit dead end, no matter where they are sighted.
Its a shame that he hard fought campaign in the Dengie has been reversed, I would like to understand the real reasons for this reversal.
 
FullCircle said:
I would like to understand the real reasons for this reversal.
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A planning inspector from distant parts working to a political agenda. The fact that the council and the residents don't want them is irrelevant.

In every town (certainly mine) there are unwanted developments passed on appeal. The latest is the 7 flats and two shops in Rectory Grove, Leigh (on the car sales site) where there is no provision for parking. The inspector said that there was no parking stress in Leigh. What planet do these people inhabit that they know better than the council and those of us who live here. :(:(
 
Wind farms like the dengie one are only profitable if subsidised. Their contribution to carbon reduction is not significant - nuclear power would solve the problem much more successfully. (No I don't work for them!)

However wind power has an emotional, totally irrational lobby led by the sandal wearing greens who probably vote labour and shun nuclear power on an equally irrational basis.

The local consultation groups here in Burnham were dominated by out of town greens who told the audience that if they didn't vote for a windfarm, we'd get a nuclear power station with the risk of localised armageddon.

In fact, now we're getting both because nuclear power is unavoidable and there will be a new station at Bradwell. The dengie wind farm will contribute zilch compared to it, and trample over the views of local people regardless.

Wind power is a political sop and onshore is quite pointless in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't stack up and we'll be paying for government cowardice in not adopting the nuclear option earlier in the form of sibsidies to large energy companies who have jumped on the subsidy bandwagon.

Because of that cowardice we're getting nuclar stations and these wretched wind farms as well.
 
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