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Wind Turbine Farms

2:29pm Tuesday 4th November 2008


I SEE that details of the proposed Wind Farm in the Lenches are fully explained in this week’s Journal (October 30). What is not explained is that the data reported is nowhere near the truth.

1 The capacity from the turbines to supply 9,000 homes is true, but the reality is very different. A wind turbine only operates in exposed coastal and hill areas such as Cornwall or the Yorkshire Dales at 25 per cent capacity and in lowland agricultural areas such as Hertfordshire at seven per cent capacity. So the electricity flow from these turbines is not the 9,000 homes at full capacity but is truthfully likely to be nearer 600 - 700 homes.

2 They have very limited use as they rely upon wind power. Every day the wind is less than 5mph they don’t work. They really need 10mph to even get moving. So all the days they don’t work, electricity is required from the standard fossil power stations. If you watch set ups of nine turbines even in windy weather for operational reasons they are never all working, usually there will only be anything from four to a maximum six operating.

3 The chairman of the parish council is incorrect in comparing them to pylons. There are two differences. The first is the noise of the turbines through the air which, for houses nearby, will be a critical issue and the second is the safety risk for people and houses in the area due to the possibility of ice particles being thrown off the turbines in cold windy weather.

4 The only people who can gain are the land owners who make money by agreeing to set up the turbines on their land and Government by massaging their Green reputation. Everyone else loses as the electricity companies pay a higher rate for wind turbine power, when it is available, so we all pay higher electricity bills.

BRYAN MCGINITY, Court Barn, Bishampton, Pershore.


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erica, fladbury says...
3:43pm Tue 4 Nov 08

I have set up a group called LAW - Lenches Against Windturbines and all supporters can find details in the Evesham Observer this week. We will be arranging a meeting over the next couple of weeks for all people opposed to the proposed industrial turbines by Scottish Power in Evesham countryside. Erica

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erica, fladbury says...
6:57pm Tue 4 Nov 08

Just been to the first meeting. They are not giving a more detailed area yet maybe in March 08, but will effect the Lenches mainly, particularly atch, sheriff's, church and Ab and golf course side of Bishampton. email law@acrsevesham.co.u
k if protesting

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Peter B, Burntwood, Staffordshire says...
9:23am Thu 6 Nov 08

I live in Burntwood, Staffordshire and we are fighting to stop 3no. 334 foot Turbines. The nearest approx 600metres from the nearest house. We appear to have been given the same information regarding the output and supplying so many homes with electricity (infering the homes within the imediate area will be supplied with the electricity rather than going straight to the national grid) As you have stated the Turbines are only 25% efficient therefore to supply the amount of electricity to the number of homes they state then the Turbines would have to be working 24/7, therfore the noise emmitted from the Turbines would be night and day.
The Company proposing to build the Turbines also produced photos of how the Turbines would look. Wide angle photos were taken from various locations and the Turbines added. The wide angle photos tend to show the turbines as being smaller.
The photos were not wrong in an accurate way yet if they were taken as at a normal viewing angle then the impact of the Turbines would be more realistic. In their none techinal report they also state in the small print under the photos that 'in order to get a realistic view the photos must be viewed at a distance of 23.5cm (approx 9.25 inches)' How may people/councillors will or have viewed these photos from this distance . My point is this is only on instance the information is minipulated to give a distorted view.
There is a short program (16mins) which has been produced by LBV TV which has accounts from people in Cumbria who are having to live with the noise and disturbance of the wind Turbines night and day, and the detrimental effect on their quality of life.
I am not against win Turbines in the CORRECT place but not when they are going to diminish the quality of life for thousands of people.
The main driving force behind the 'build the Turbines anywhere' are the MASSIVE SUBSIDIES OFFERED by the government. So in effect people (who pay taxes) who have to live with the noise and nuisance of the Wind Farms will be paying to have their quality of life diminished.
Peter B

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DaveAngel, Stroud says...
2:22pm Thu 6 Nov 08

Please refrain from spouting such NIMBY nonsense ... you guys all have electricity at home? Does it occur to you that somebody else in this country lives near the power station that provides your power? Get a grip ... we all use electricity so we have have to take responsibility for where it comes from

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DaveAngel, Stroud says...
2:30pm Thu 6 Nov 08

Please refrain from spouting such NIMBY nonsense ... you guys all have electricity at home? Does it occur to you that somebody else in this country lives near the power station that provides your power? Get a grip ... we all use electricity so we have have to take responsibility for where it comes from

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Peter B, Burntwood, Staffordshire says...
4:00pm Thu 6 Nov 08

Dear Dave Angel,

do you live within 600 metres of a 102metre high wing Turbine where you
get noise and shadow flicker?

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