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Power generation by wind farms means no harmful emissions from electricity generation and helps avoid global warming.
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Power from wind farms has to be backed up by conventional sources because the wind is intermittent. No coal-fired power station has ever closed as a result of a wind farm being built.
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Wind farms are "green" |
What's so green about pouring 1000+ tonnes of
concrete into a fragile hillside to support a single turbine ? Aside from
hydrological and ecological issues the carbon debt incurred in producing the
cement is huge! |
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Power from Borders wind farms will go to Borders houses.
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Scotland already produces more electricity than we
need. Power goes into the National Grid and the consensus amongst power
engineers is that the 'epicentre' of consumption would be in the area of Milton
Keynes.
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Wind farms are an efficient means to produce
electricity. |
Latest DTI figures give an average efficiency of 24.1% for wind power. This is significantly less than the 30-35% claimed by developers.
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Scottish Borders Council will make money from rates charged to the developer.
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Wind farms pay non-domestic rates that go to the Executive, who then decide how much SBC will be allocated.
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Tourists like wind farms
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This is based on a 2002 MORI poll in Argyll, which every developer holds up. The poll was later discredited. A more recent poll by VisitScotland showed that visitors to rural Scottish locations come for peace, quiet and stunning unspoilt scenery, 58% agreed that wind farms spoil the look of the Scottish countryside. Over 29% of those surveyed said they would not return to an area blighted by a wind farm. This would equate to a reduction in tourist revenue in the Borders of £25m. Of the 2 wind farm visitor centres opened in the UK, both are now closed / in receivership.
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Wind farms bring lots of local jobs.
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Not once they're built - 2 or 3 at most. Furthermore, wind farm developers tend to use national firms for construction, since smaller firms do not posses the large plant required. On the other hand the Borders stands to permanently lose up to 150 jobs in the tourist sector due to declining visitor numbers.
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Turbines are not noisy.
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The Westmorland Gazette in 1999 claimed about a local wind farm "Environmental Health Officials agree turbines contravene noise nuisance laws."
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Small wind farms and modern turbines are hardly noticeable and will blend into the hills.
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Lots of BIG turbines (112m/364 feet high) along the ridgeline will not 'blend' into anything.
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Horses are not adversely affected by turbines. |
According to the British Horse Society, horses can be frightened by appearance of blades, low
frequency noise, shadow flicker and the unexpected starting of turbines with fresh wind.
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Local communities benefit from a community fund from the developer.
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This fund is offered as an inducement to get local people 'onside'. If the development was acceptable, there would be no requirement for this. Such funds are entirely discretionary. If there is a downturn or removal of subsidies, it may never be paid. If funds were available, divided communities would have difficulty in agreeing how to spend the money.
Many would view this situation as a curse rather than a blessing.
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