Wind Power Myths

The Woodford Wind Farm Action Group is opposed to the development of wind farms in the Woodford Charwelton area for the reasons identified on our home page. Whilst we recognise that the world is facing a huge energy crisis and that Global Warming is the single biggest environmental issue confronting the planet, the fact is that wind energy cannot make a significant contribution towards solving these problems. The wind industry is simply manipulating the issue of climate change and using the green label in order to promote its own profit. As Noel Edmonds, chairman of the Renewable Energy Foundation, recently commented:

"Politicians are promoting the wind industry as a green icon, but they are misleading the public into believing the propaganda of the wind industry. The reality is that wind power is too costly and can never meet our energy needs; but it will destroy the countryside".

A detailed study of wind farms in Britain, just published by the Renewable Energy Foundation confirmed that wind farms produce, on average, only 25% of their capacity due to the intermittent nature of the wind. The claims that wind companies make about the output of their turbines or the number of houses they can supply should therefore be treated with genuine scepticism; these figures should be divided by four.

The REF report found that wind companies are often prepared to put turbines up almost anywhere in order to capitalise on the huge government subsidies available for renewable energy. In fact wind farms only make one third of their profits from the actual generation of electricity; the other two thirds come from subsidies in the form of 'Renewable Obligation Certificates' which the wind companies then sell off to other non-renewable suppliers of energy to provide tax exemption.

The fact is that we are facing a huge detrimental change to large areas of our landscape in exchange for a very small return in terms of the energy produced.

So our argument is that if wind power has a role to play in the future production of energy, then this role should be in proportion to its merits. Wind farms should not, therefore, be sited in areas where they will have such a major impact on people's quality of life.

If you want to learn more about these arguments and about why so many environmental experts have turned against wind power, then check out the following links:

Other Wind Farm Experiences

Bozeat Lavendon Oppose Turbines

Vortex Wind Turbine Action Group

How Cambridge blew away their Wind Farm Application on Appeal

Podington Planning Decision

Many well known public figures, environmental and health experts who have studied the impact of wind farms and the claims of the industry have spoken out against the development of wind farms. Here is a selection of their views:

"The most respected energy experts agree that as a matter of extreme urgency we must now adopt a new approach to energy conservation and energy production. The industrialisation of our landscapes with wind power stations will not prevent the impending energy crisis. Wind Turbines are Weapons of Mass Distraction. The rollout of thousands of these structures is a cynical attempt by the Government to distract the public and the media from the real issue; the UK's impending energy crisis".
Noel Edmonds, Chairman of the Renewable Energy Foundation

"the grotesque political push for wind turbines is misguided. The grid will not cope, vast additional infrastructure expenditure is needed, the countryside everywhere will be irreversibly damaged, and all for a pittance of power".
Campbell Dunford, Renewable Energy Foundation

"Across Britain, a voice of protest is growing louder. From Wales to my own constituency in Suffolk, local communities are angry at the way wind farms are being foisted on them by this Labour Government. Ministers have bet everything on land based wind farms in the belief that they are the quickest and cheapest way to meet the Government's renewable energy target. They are pressing ahead regardless of the opportunities offered by other renewable energy sources: regardless of the cost to the British landscape: and regardless of the impact their policy will have on local people's lives".
Tim Yeo, Shadow Environment and Transport Secretary

"Wind energy is not green: it destroys the landscapes; it chops up birds; it chops up bats".
Professor David Bellamy, Television Botanist

Above sources taken from Network for Alternative Technology and Technology Assessment journal Renew, issue 152

"wind turbines should not be built within 1.5 miles of people's homes. Let it be understood, however, that there will still be health and quality of life problems caused by wind turbines beyond this radius. People living 1.5 to 3 miles from a proposed turbine site should be notified of potential health and life quality effects, and for this reason they should be appropriately compensated".
Dr Nina Pierpont, Medical Doctor and Researcher on the health risks posed by wind farms

"Take the "N" from Green and replace it with a "D".
David Brierly, Wind Energy Researcher speaking on what motivates the wind developers.

"Wind farms are an expensive way of generating sustainable energy according to a study from Germany, the world&'s leading producer of energy. The report which may have ramifications for the UK's rapidly growing wind farm industry, concludes that instead of spending billions on building new wind turbines, the emphasis should be on making houses more energy efficient".
Luke Harding, Journalist