Wind Turbines at Levington

[LONG_KEELER]

Have been told that two 85' Wind Turbines have been given the ok despite 80% of the villagers being against it.

Cannot seem to find much about it.

Anyone know anything more ?

 

[Lucky Duck]

Report from the EADT;

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/levington_turbines_given_go_ahead_at_beauty_spot_1_1418123

 

[Habebty]

Heard it on Radio Suffolk whilst sheltering from the wind on a mooring at Levington Friday evening.

Seems a shame to have to see them every time we go up and down the river

Don't really mind them out at sea though.

 

[Burnham Bob]

With any luck the recent announcement that subsidies are being phased out will stop lots of the proposed wind farm developments.

We need to reduce our dependance on fossil fuels but onshore windfarms are not the answer. They are proliferating because of the subsidies, but without it they will not be economic.

Much as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace hold them up as the answer to everyone's prayers and the recipe to save the planet, onshore wind is simply a cynical money maker for the energy firms. Lots of places round here in the Dengie have their own single turbine and good luck to them. But as adjuncts to the National Grid, onshore wind is not a sensible solution to our energy problems.

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

Windfarms, 10% of turbines out of commission at all times ( servicing requirements etc. ) do not work in higher than a F5, do not work lower than a F3. turned off into feathering mode for 7 hrs per day ( unable to store energy produced off peak hours ). Carbon footprint in manufacture=Vast, windfarm vessels running out of Brightlingsea alone consuming in excess of 70,000 litres of diesel per week. Plastic windfarm boats = more fossil fuels being consumed. Ok, at least the building of the boats is creating jobs but sadly the guys building them are eastern european specialists and not home grown craftsmen. Lifespan of wind generators is expected to be 20 years, after decommissioning the whole process will need to be reversed as the scrapping and transportation of the pylons,generators and blades will be at least as costly in energy usage as was their building. Cynical money maker indeed, even the guys in charge of building them are marginally embarrassed at the wholesale profiteering of their employers. Bring back fast breeders, ugly, yes, efficient , yes, relatively inexpensive, yes. Bit of a rant but hey ho

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Report from the EADT;

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/levington_turbines_given_go_ahead_at_beauty_spot_1_1418123

Thanks for that.

Googled Dame Marjorie Scardino which produced this link :-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/en...timillionaire-couples-wind-turbine-plans.html

It would seem that Dame Marjorie Scardino's estate at Levington will not be able to see the turbines from their property.

My mate seems to think that the turbines will definitely be visible from the river.

I seem to remember, possibly from a piece by Jack Coote, that farmers and landowners , over many years , have deliberately kept the views clear for all of us to enjoy when using the river.

Personal view, even the Orwell Bridge seems to look different every time I go their with changes of light, sun and shadow.

 

[PeterWright]

Windmills!!

The really sad thing about these wind turbines is that the ridiculous price paid for the electricity they produce is only half the story of their subsidy.

They also enjoy the right to be paid at these enormous rates whenever they happen to produce (i.e. when the wind blows, but not too hard), whereas other generators only get paid for production when they are cheaper than anybody else offering to generate up to the level necessary to meet demand at that time.

Because the windmills produce when they want to, rather than when customer demand requires, for every windmill built, somebody must build an equivalent capacity of reliable generation to meet the demand on the days of little or no (or too much) wind. But capital intensive reliable generators will get bumped off the grid by the windmills when they are generating because they have this right to sell whatever and whenever they happen to produce. Because the reliable generator gets bumped off the grid from time to time, it will produce less energy over its lifetime, so the owner must charge more for the energy he produces to recover the capital cost, even if the fuel cost is unaffected.

This hidden subsidy for the windmills, like the subsidised price paid for the units from windmills, is not met out of taxation, but is paid for by consumers, both domestic and commercial. That's why politicians like it, because the public blame electricity suppliers, not the government, for the ever rising prices.

Does it really reduce CO2 emmissions? The prime effect has been to price energy intensive industries out of Europe (apart from France with its predominantly nuclear based generation) and displace it to India, China and Brazil. The CO2 is still emitted to the earth's atmosphere, just from a different place.

I won't get into whether CO2 is really affecting climate or, if it is, the EU and UK response to it is in any way credible, that would take all night!

 

[DavidofMersea]

They also enjoy the right to be paid at these enormous rates whenever they happen to produce (i.e. when the wind blows, but not too hard),

It is this last bit "Not too hard". I had read that when the wind blows too hard, the turbines are switched off, but last week when it was blowing a hooly, the turbines at Clacton were going strong. Do they really turn them off, or is this something put about by the anti-brigade? Certainly the Clacton turbines were turning last week, I can see them from my house

 

[NUTMEG]

The Lounge?

Thought I had clicked the wrong link reading this. I will not debate the relative subsidies of wind vs. nuclear or any other renewable energy generation here but would suggest a little research and fact gathering might be appropriate before posting.

The Lounge is the place for invective and tub thumping I have always thought.

 

[PeterWright]

Hi Sophie,

Sorry if it offended you, that was not intended. There is no tub thumping one way or another, and the only part of the post I cannot prove as fact is my view that politicians are happier sucking money from the citizenry through electricity bills than through taxation.

As to why it's posted here, simply because it's in response to the OP.

Peter

 

[PeterWright]

Hi David,

The need to shut down in high winds is a documented fact, as is the catastrophic failure of many wind turbines which were not shut down when they should have been. If you don't believe me, perhaps you will believe the British Wind Energy Association:

"How strong does the wind have to blow for the wind turbines to work?

Wind turbines start operating at wind speeds of 4 to 5 metres per second (around 10 miles an hour) and reach maximum power output at around 15 metres/second (around 33 miles per hour). At very high wind speeds, i.e. gale force winds, (25 metres/second, 50+ miles/hour) wind turbines shut down."

My post was based on properly researched facts - not just what I happen to read in the paper or on the internet.

Peter

 

[DavidofMersea]

Hi David,

The need to shut down in high winds is a documented fact, as is the catastrophic failure of many wind turbines which were not shut down when they should have been. If you don't believe me, perhaps you will believe the British Wind Energy Association:

"How strong does the wind have to blow for the wind turbines to work?

Wind turbines start operating at wind speeds of 4 to 5 metres per second (around 10 miles an hour) and reach maximum power output at around 15 metres/second (around 33 miles per hour). At very high wind speeds, i.e. gale force winds, (25 metres/second, 50+ miles/hour) wind turbines shut down."

My post was based on properly researched facts - not just what I happen to read in the paper or on the internet.

Peter

I note what BWUA and you say, but last week whilst it was blowing a hooley the turbines at Clacton were turning - I saw them

 

[NUTMEG]

Hi Sophie,

Sorry if it offended you, that was not intended. There is no tub thumping one way or another, and the only part of the post I cannot prove as fact is my view that politicians are happier sucking money from the citizenry through electricity bills than through taxation.

As to why it's posted here, simply because it's in response to the OP.

Peter

Thank You. No apology nessesary though. If I came across a bit grumpy I appologise. Rubbish day, 3 glasses of wine and feeling sorry for myself.

 

[Otter]

Sorry, I like them, graceful pieces of engineering, they enhance the skyline. I know they're first generation and inefficient, everyone knows tidal is guaranteed and predictable power. Never the less I like wind turbines.

 

[MikeBz]

50+mph is Force 9+ - a bit more than GrumpyOldGit's F5! And pretty rare!

I note what BWUA and you say, but last week whilst it was blowing a hooley the turbines at Clacton were turning - I saw them

Hi David,

The need to shut down in high winds is a documented fact, as is the catastrophic failure of many wind turbines which were not shut down when they should have been. If you don't believe me, perhaps you will believe the British Wind Energy Association:

"How strong does the wind have to blow for the wind turbines to work?

Wind turbines start operating at wind speeds of 4 to 5 metres per second (around 10 miles an hour) and reach maximum power output at around 15 metres/second (around 33 miles per hour). At very high wind speeds, i.e. gale force winds, (25 metres/second, 50+ miles/hour) wind turbines shut down."

My post was based on properly researched facts - not just what I happen to read in the paper or on the internet.

Peter

 

[sailorman]

Sorry, I like them, graceful pieces of engineering, they enhance the skyline. I know they're first generation and inefficient, everyone knows tidal is guaranteed and predictable power. Never the less I like wind turbines.

the Dutch have been using wind turbines & PV for 30 + yrs.
these are hardly "first generation" are they

 

[DavidofMersea]

If anybody is interested To day I saw that they are erecting turbines (on shore) at Weely