Comment: The wind of change

Feb 25 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

PLANS for four 125m wind turbines in rural Birdsedge have already gone down like a lead balloon with those living nearby.

Pure Renewable Energy (PRE) want to build the 410ft turbines which will feature 90m rotors.

In context, they will be around a third of the height of the Emley Moor Mast.

But opposition to the wind turbines is increasing, with councillors and local residents already forming a group against them.

They say one of the proposed wind turbines will stand within 450m of houses and 600m of a local primary school.

PRE say they are already monitoring local noise levels and believe they have an appropriate application for the rural area.

But is more research needed before any plans for major new energy sources are approved, here and further afield?

Is wind power the future? It’s certainly the greener option compared to oil, but is it going to provide enough energy to keep the country going in years to come?

It’s evident that we need to be looking at new sources of energy, current resources will not last forever, oil prices are high and stocks are not unlimited.

New resources are needed and naturally occurring sources like wind may provide us with the answer.

But while there’s so much opposition to wind turbines, it’s clear people need more persuading of their benefits – in the short and long term, before they will be accepted.