Navitus Bay Wind Park: the arguments for (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Navitus Bay Wind Park: the arguments for
11:00am Thursday 25th October 2012 in News By Steven Smith
Mike Unsworth
Offshore turbines – how do the arguments for and against stack up? Steven Smith asked a major protagonist and a major objector for their views...
THE public will be able to view plans of greater clarity for the controversial wind farm off the coast when the next round of consultation starts in February, says the project boss.
Mike Unsworth, who became project director for the Navitus Bay Wind Park, a partnership between Eneco and energy firm EDF, earlier this year, admitted that the company had not given people as much information as they could have in the past.
Speaking to the Echo, he said: “The amount of feedback that’s come from previous consultations has raised a lot of questions, so I’ve decided to commission new work, like new photo-montages, for the next round.
Read the opposing point of view from Challenge Navitus
“One of the criticisms is it only showed one type of turbine montages, but as a developer we’re putting forward a range, so we need to show what it will look like at each point on the scale.
“We’ve listened to Challenge Navitus’s advice on how we need to present the information to make it easier for the public.”
The main thing to get across, Mr Unsworth said, is that the number of turbines depends on the type used.
For example, there could be as many as 330 smaller turbines to generate the site’s maximum capacity of 1,200megawatts, or as few as 100 larger turbines generating the minimum of 900MW.
See the visualisations created by both sides and read all our Navitus Bay stories at bournemouthecho.co.uk/navitus
Mr Unsworth added: “What we want to dispel is that there would be 330 of the largest turbines, that’s not the case. What I want to do is narrow that envelope to give more certainty and clarity to the public.”
He said the reason there was a range at the moment is because turbine technology is advancing, so by the time it comes to signing a contract in 2017, what was needed could be different to now.
The February exhibitions will also feature a 3D flythrough capable of showing people what the wind farm would look like from any position with any turbines.
One main criticism is the proposed farm’s proximity to the coast – the 76sq mile park would be around 10 miles off Bournemouth and eight miles off Swanage.
Mr Unsworth said: “The process was to look at all areas in the zone against criteria like engineering, environment, seascape, landscape and stakeholder assessment.
“A lot of the site has constraints, for example in the west there’s shipping issues. In the south we have a reef which is a special area of conservation. In the east you have navigation issues again and steep ground on the sea bed.
“So a number of constraints focused us into this central area.”
Mr Unsworth said Navitus had also worked with Bournemouth Tou-rism to liaise with tourism representatives.
He said it was anticipated the project could create 1,000 jobs, while around 100 people would be required to operate and maintain it once it was up and running.
Navitus expects to lodge a planning application at the end of 2013/ early 2014, with a decision in mid-2015.
If granted, construction would begin in 2017 and the farm would be in operation by early 2021.
Navitus answer key questions about the project
Were previous consultations inadequate?
“What we could have done better is to better explain the range and illustrate the range with better photo-montages.
“The level of consultation with statutory consultees is not in question, but what I would admit is the extent of information provided to the public could have been better.”
Will next round be more transparent?
“It’s not about transparency, it’s about the amount of information that’s been provided. There’s never been any intention not to fully inform, but there’s more information that we could have provided and we will provide. People will continue to have the opportunity to express their opinion or raise concerns right up until the time when we submit the planning application.”
Why is the Dorset one so close to shore compared to other similar schemes?
“The Crown Estate designed the original zone area and then we had to consider where it was feasible to do something and the restrictions focused us in the central belt of the zone.”
Why is it in the middle of a shipping lane and migration route?
“The main English Channel shipping has been covered by a line and they are south of where the farm will be.
“What we have done is carried out a very extensive nautical survey which has looked at the movement of vessels in the area over the past year.
“We have extensive data and what it shows is the hot spots.
“It gives us the real-time data to prove that there’s not a significant issue as regards traffic, but we’re talking to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Trinity House to look at some potential challenges.”
Comments(14)
aerolover
says...
12:29pm Thu 25 Oct 12
whataboutthat
says...
12:36pm Thu 25 Oct 12
aerolover wrote:Aerolover - you are, and have been paying for these wind farms for quite a few years via your electricity bills. Guess what? You will still be paying for them for their lifetime and their eventual dismantling - about 20 years in the marine environment.
To all the nimby's if you don't want them, then you pay higher electric charges. I want lower bills and if that means wind farms, so be it. I haven't been on Bournemouth beach for years because of all the tourists so if they don't want to come because of the wind farms spoiling the view good I can go on the beach.
There is no such thing as cheap electricity.
PS There are plenty of spots along the Bournemouth Bay beaches where there are few, if any tourists for most of the year. You really should get out more.
fedupwithjobsworths
says...
1:09pm Thu 25 Oct 12
aerolover wrote:Building windmills will result in higher energy prices as is the case in Denmark where the domestic cost is twice that of in the UK. It should also be remembered that these windmills usually only generate 25% of their rated capacity.
To all the nimby's if you don't want them, then you pay higher electric charges. I want lower bills and if that means wind farms, so be it. I haven't been on Bournemouth beach for years because of all the tourists so if they don't want to come because of the wind farms spoiling the view good I can go on the beach.
BmthNewshound
says...
1:09pm Thu 25 Oct 12
.
We face the real possibility of power cuts within the next decade if we don't build new power stations to replace those which have come to the end of their working life.
.
Wherever new power stations or turbines are built will inconvenience someone so objectors of the wind farm off the Dorset coat need to get over being small minded NIMBYS and stop expecting other people to be inconvenienced simply to provide them with a reliable source of electricity.
Phixer
says...
2:15pm Thu 25 Oct 12
How are all these extra wages going to save my electric bill??
Jim'llFixIt
says...
2:16pm Thu 25 Oct 12
The ITER project in France is great example of this:
en.wikipedia.org/wik
i/ITER
muscliffman
says...
2:34pm Thu 25 Oct 12
This should not be simply about the precious view. More important underlying matters should be considered.
Basically wind farms do not work, they are grossly inefficent and there are far easier ways to produce electricity.
Again like the Imax, dig only a little below the surface, where naturally 'they' prefer you don't, and this project (and others like it) are all about a select few people making vast sums of money from the public purse.
As for electricity becoming cheaper. Sorry but in your dreams, we have been promised this for decades, nationalise it, privatise it, nuclear stations etc, etc, the only consistent theme has been rising prices and one way or another the wealthy few in control getting richer. So it will of course continue.
If this wind farm project would work and generate low-cost clean power, if it helped correct the fantasy of man made global warming, I would support it but it won't, it cannot.
As ever regretaby this is about the powerful making more money. Brainwashing the well intentioned but gullible public is a part of the process.
The French are pulling down their youthful wind farms by the way - why?
muscliffman
says...
2:36pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Jim'llFixIt wrote:I think you need to reconsider your ID - really!
Wind farms are ugly and impractical in the long term. The money for such green projects would be better invested in more viable forms of energy generation, such as fusion.
The ITER project in France is great example of this:
en.wikipedia.org/wik
i/ITER
a.g.o.g.
says...
9:10pm Thu 25 Oct 12
BmthNewshound wrote:1. No WE haven`t.
We've all taken it for granted that we have electricity available at the flick of a switch 24 hours a day without giving a second thought to where it comes from or how it is generated. . We face the real possibility of power cuts within the next decade if we don't build new power stations to replace those which have come to the end of their working life. . Wherever new power stations or turbines are built will inconvenience someone so objectors of the wind farm off the Dorset coat need to get over being small minded NIMBYS and stop expecting other people to be inconvenienced simply to provide them with a reliable source of electricity.
2. No we don`t.
3. Nanitus would not provide ANYBODY
with a reliable let alone reasonably cost
efficient source of electricity.
a.g.o.g.
says...
9:14pm Thu 25 Oct 12
muscliffman wrote:Quote Seconded.
More than a bit of 'Imax' syndrome going on here. This should not be simply about the precious view. More important underlying matters should be considered. Basically wind farms do not work, they are grossly inefficent and there are far easier ways to produce electricity. Again like the Imax, dig only a little below the surface, where naturally 'they' prefer you don't, and this project (and others like it) are all about a select few people making vast sums of money from the public purse. As for electricity becoming cheaper. Sorry but in your dreams, we have been promised this for decades, nationalise it, privatise it, nuclear stations etc, etc, the only consistent theme has been rising prices and one way or another the wealthy few in control getting richer. So it will of course continue. If this wind farm project would work and generate low-cost clean power, if it helped correct the fantasy of man made global warming, I would support it but it won't, it cannot. As ever regretaby this is about the powerful making more money. Brainwashing the well intentioned but gullible public is a part of the process. The French are pulling down their youthful wind farms by the way - why?
Tom 'Boscombe' Jones
says...
5:41am Fri 26 Oct 12
muscliffman wrote:Absolutely. If you want to look at corruption involved with windfalls just Google "mafia windfalls" and read the first couple of stories. Why not use wave power, it's reliable as clockwork, we have a unique double tide with the isle of white the only drawback is that it won't provide a huge public symbol that the government is tackling dirty energy as it's entirely underwater. But that's not such a bad thing is it.
More than a bit of 'Imax' syndrome going on here.
This should not be simply about the precious view. More important underlying matters should be considered.
Basically wind farms do not work, they are grossly inefficent and there are far easier ways to produce electricity.
Again like the Imax, dig only a little below the surface, where naturally 'they' prefer you don't, and this project (and others like it) are all about a select few people making vast sums of money from the public purse.
As for electricity becoming cheaper. Sorry but in your dreams, we have been promised this for decades, nationalise it, privatise it, nuclear stations etc, etc, the only consistent theme has been rising prices and one way or another the wealthy few in control getting richer. So it will of course continue.
If this wind farm project would work and generate low-cost clean power, if it helped correct the fantasy of man made global warming, I would support it but it won't, it cannot.
As ever regretaby this is about the powerful making more money. Brainwashing the well intentioned but gullible public is a part of the process.
The French are pulling down their youthful wind farms by the way - why?
Tom 'Boscombe' Jones
says...
5:45am Fri 26 Oct 12
Tom 'Boscombe' Jones
says...
5:50am Fri 26 Oct 12
Glashen says...
11:57am Thu 25 Oct 12
-
"Navitus Bay Wind Park: the arguments for"
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Yet only one positive reason is stated
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That it would create 1000 jobs in building it and 100 jobs maintaining it.
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I'll add one myself, it will have a capacity to produce 900MW of "green" electricity, about 3% of the UK target for wind energy.
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Given that the Wind Farm breaks the governments on guidelines on siting and raises significant issues of maritime safety, and visual impact on a world heritage site, that is not enough reason to go ahead in my view.