AS WITH most subjects, there are two sides to an argument. With wind turbines the split is quite defined between those who have done research and those that haven't.

We refer to the letter by Daniel Kelly, Bridgwater, in the Burnham Times, August 5, 2010, whose reasoning whilst being a common view of many is nevertheless fundamentally flawed.

The idea that erecting these 400ft machines with 1,000 tons of concrete beneath each makes any environmental sense would only be true if they produced free, extra electricity.

That's where their argument falls down.

Free it is certainly not, as the life of the structures are limited to around 25 years and they produce very little electricity.

By the power companies own figures they are only about 30 per cent efficient. Experts outside the industry have shown this to be as low as 17 per cent.

That means a 2Mw turbine will only provide the equivalent of 340kW – only enough power for about 113 kettles.

An independent energy expert put the cost of each megawatt produced at £34, whilst it is only £4 per megawatt from a conventional power station.

Also, we mentioned "extra" electricity above.

The reason for this is that for every unit of electricity each turbine produces a conventional power station has to produce the same in case the wind drops – or indeed gets too windy – so the turbines stop.

They have to do this as they cannot vary the output of a power station in anything like the timescales needed as the wind ebbs and flows.

Mr Kelly states he knows the proposed site well. If this is the case, then he must also be aware that the nearest property will be only 410m from the turbines, with many others less than 800m away.

People living within these distances and well beyond will suffer noise, strobe shadows and devaluation of their properties.

The site is adjacent to the Huntspill River National Nature Reserve, which attracts abundant wildlife and waterfowl. Large turbines such as the ones proposed are known to have a negative impact on wildlife.

Us naysayers are not against renewable energy at all and are keen proponents of tidal and wave power. We care very much about our environment. This is why we do not want wind turbines.

John Wakefield and Julie Trott West Huntspill