Turbine subsidies
Re: Maesbury wind turbine planning application.
Last week's letter from the applicant, Mr Calder, afforded at least some relief in his undertaking that he will "not defend ...repetition and unproven allegations ...that seem to be favourable to the Journal's point of view... "
Well, this one of the campaigners (referred to as "anti-campaigners" – so, we are against ourselves?) is relieved to be no longer obliged to struggle to extract meaning from verbosity.
But more pertinently, over and above the wearying insistence on turbines being erected and inflicted for just about any reason, from saving the planet from a (non-existent) carbon threat, to their aesthetic embellishment of otherwise the most glorious countryside in the universe, there is one elephant in the room.
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This is the colossal, cynical government subsidies for all concerned, in establishing and operating these wildly inefficient tributes to the three most ambition-fixated Prime Ministers under whom our country has – ever – suffered.
And no developer ever seems to admit that massive subsidy is an – let alone the – incentive. Or indeed acknowledge that area property values stand to drop by up to 50 per cent.
But what goes around does come around. The design life of these monstrosities is claimed to be 25 years (for which, read 15 or less). Thereafter, along with the practical lessons thus crushingly imposed on economies world-wide, there will be a spectacularly lucrative market in decommissioning.
From, say, the year 2025 – investment in that market, anyone? (Oh – and also, put money on our still and always essential nuclear, coal and gas fired backup. From now.)
William Sanders-Crook
Maesbury
I have visited Mr Calder and explained in person that our newspapers have not taken sides in the wind turbine debate or expressed "a point of view". What we have done is publish the letters from readers, most of whom have expressed opposition to building more wind turbines in mid-Somerset – Editor.
Comments
by johndavies
Saturday, February 23 2013, 12:27AM
“It is an unhappy fact that wind farms are almost entirely subsidised by a complex yet hidden regime of feed in tariffs, tax cuts and preferential tax credits. A typical turbine generates power that is worth around £150,000 a year, but attracts subsidies of more than £250,000 a year.
These subsidies are of course added directly the bills of energy users. The cost to consumers of the Renewables Obligation scheme alone has
risen from £278 million in 2002 to more than £1 billion in 2012.
To see the eye watering amounts of our cash that's being given away have a look at these OFFGM figs- http://tinyurl.com/affaqep
For instance Greater Gabbard offshore windfarm nr Felixtowe,
140 x 3.6MW turbines = 504 MW site.
Between Jan-Sept 2012
Production Factor was only14.31 %
It generated 472,105 MWh
& was paid £63,495,768 = £134.10 /MW
But the average system Buy Price = £51.74 /MW
So WE made up the difference of £82.36 /MW a total of £38,882,568 over 9 mths.
That's right WE paid £38.8 Million in subsidies to 1 site in 9 months !!!
These high subsidies given to wind energy also take investment away from energy efficiency measures. We must get away from the philosophy that we must consume more and more energy. If instead of paying extra on our electricity bills to subsidise wind-energy, we invested the money in energy saving measures we would save as much CO2 and still have our landscapes and countryside to enjoy.
This would also have clear benefits when the wind isn't blowing!
As I write this, on a cold frosty night the UKs entire 4,413 wind turbine fleet is producing…just … 3.7 % of demand !!!
See - http://tinyurl.com/6ja8btf
Not good value for money are they ???”