Wind Energy Planning

Cheltenham Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood stood up for wind energy this week, opposing a bill for a new rule dictating wind turbines should be 2km from houses.

The bill introduced by a few anti wind energy MP’s could bring an overnight halt to the UK’s renewable energy progress if passed.

Horwood explained the problem with an example close to his home; “Cheltenham’s first wind turbine is planned in the Springbank area of Cheltenham. Planning permission is being applied for. It will not be big—a bit less than 18 metres tall, to the tip of the highest blade. It will generate 9,500 kWh of electricity a year, and save more than 4 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.”

“Perhaps more importantly, it will follow the good example of Danish wind energy by being owned by a community organisation, the Hesters Way Neighbourhood Project.” said the MP.

The project was set up to support regeneration in one of the least well-off parts of Cheltenham, and the wind turbine will save the community nearly £1,000 a year off its electricity bill, allowing it to spend more money on its other work in the area.

Horwood maintained that the turbine will be safe and quiet and that “it also has a rather striking design”. “I concede that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but in general, I think that most wind turbines are rather graceful, and easily more attractive than the average pylon. The Springbank wind turbine has so far encountered very little opposition, but whether it receives community support should surely be a matter for the people of Springbank and their elected representatives. We should not contemplate a Bill that would rule out the project at a stroke” said the Lib Dem MP.

At the British Wind Energy Association conference earlier this month the Lib Dems also spoke out in support of a policy for zero carbon Britain. The party wants 30% of electricity generation from renewables via 33 Gigawatts (GW) of offshore capacity and 11 GW onshore. Their policy includes a committment to investigate harnessing power from the Severn Estuary.

Like the Scottish Exec, they do not support nuclear – in doing so they say they can allow even more R&D budget for renewables. They say they will protect science budget and research budget.

They also believe that the UK cannot have safe and sensible UK energy policy without robust EU wide energy policy and supergrid. Smaller proposals include turbines on council roofs to power electric car fleets.

source www.parliament.co.uk