Wind farm opposition is "vocal minority", claim operators

Monday, 20 September 2004 12:00 AM

The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) has launched a new campaign to stress that the vast majority of the public are in favour of wind farms.

Wind energy is a key part of the Government's plan to ensure that renewables provide 10 per cent of the UK's energy requirements by 2010.

However, there has been increasing coverage in the media of claims that wind turbines are unsightly, and could actually be damaging the natural environment. The Conservatives have aligned themselves with the protestors, and said that they would alter the planning laws so that local people have more say.

Today, the BWEA are launching a new campaign which will attempt to dispel the "myths" around wind power, and stress that the majority of the public are in favour.

According to two separate research polls carried out in August by NOP and ICI, 74 per cent back wind power, with 62 per cent agreeing that the farms' appearance was unimportant.

A notable part of the research is that people seem to become increasingly supporting of wind energy when they have direct experience. When asked about the common perception that wind farms are a "blight on the landscape" 59 per cent who have seen them disagreed, compared to 43 per cent who disagreed who had no direct experience.

Furthermore, 70 per cent would back the development of a wind farm in their area.

Councillor Margaret Munn, of Ardrossan, Scotland, said that: "The Ardrossan wind farm has been overwhelmingly accepted by local people - instead of spoiling the landscape we believe it has been enhanced.

"The turbines are impressive looking, bring a calming effect to the town and contrary to the belief that they would be noisy, we have found them to be silent workhorses."

The campaign claims widespread support from figures in the world of design, architecture, music and the media.

David Marks and Julia Barfield, Marks Barfield Architects, who created the London Eye, said: "Wind turbine technology available now provides the best environmentally sustainable and economically viable source of renewable energy. That is why we are actively exploring ways to incorporate wind turbines within landmark buildings that we are designing today."

The campaign is calling for supporters to sign a petition at www.embracewind.com, all names placed on the petition will be inscribed on to four new wind turbines which are due to be erected in 2005.

Launching the campaign, Marcus Rand, chief Executive of BWEA, said: "Time is running out on climate change and wind power is essential to averting its potential impacts. Britain has the best wind resource in Europe. It's everlasting, on our doorstep, and ready to use now.

"By embracing wind we will increase our nation's energy security and create thousands of new jobs for Britain. But we need to act now. The Embrace campaign will challenge the myths about wind energy head on and will give a voice to the vast majority of us that want to see wind turbines as a common feature in Britain."

The BWEA claims that just 16 people are responsible for a quarter of all anti-wind letters published by the media in the last year.

Tags: