Wind farm is a huge mistake (From Bournemouth Echo)

Wind farm is a huge mistake

10:03am Friday 4th May 2012 in Letters to the Editor

SO, THE plan is to put between 200 and 300 turbines stretching from the Isle of Wight to Swanage.

The company proposing it are Dutch and are coming as close to shore as they are legally allowed to, the nearest point being 8.1 miles from shore.

In their own country turbines must be at least 14.9 miles from shore.

These turbines have been proven to be only 25 per cent efficient and Eneco will receive huge subsidies from the government to install and run them.

Where is all this subsidy money coming from? Well of course it’s you and me, that why our existing energy bills are so high.

I am convinced we are blindly following America’s lead who started wind farms years ago only to regret it later.

It is estimated 14,000 turbines across the US have become derelict since the ’80s, the problem comes when the subsidies fall away, companies find them to expensive to run and maintain and simply abandon them.

How long before we are left with these eyesores just rusting away.

What about living with them? Some of the problems are: turbines fall over; catch fire after being struck by lightning; lethal shards of ice being hurled from the blades; the nerve-racking low frequency noise (like a pulsing disco); and the disorientating strobe effect in sunlight, not to mention how they spoil the view.

There is an alternative wave power. It’s always there unlike wind and everything happens underwater so it does not affect coastal views.

It has also proved to be much more efficient.

J ARROWSMITH, Pinehurst Avenue, Mudeford