This website has a lot of pages and information.This page is intended to give a snapshot of the reasons why we believe that wind power isn't a suitable solution to our energy needs.
These are explored in greater detail throughout the rest of this site.

1 - We believe that we do have environmental and energy issues
2 - We believe that these issues should be solved using real science.
    (In other words: our energy policies should be fully based on real science.)

Please read on.

Most people may start to take notice of wind farm development when they are faced with the prospect in their own back yard. Local action groups may be formed to fight and oppose these plans. Soon we are aware that there are hundreds of groups across Scotland and the UK doing the same. And across the world. We begin to research wind farms and to learn more about them and we may find other reasons to believe that this is not a fit and proper solution to either climate change, carbon emission reduction or to the growing demand for power. We look at all we have been led to believe and to question that for many reasons. We start to think about everyone's back yard and not just our own. We believe that in time this may well be the greatest environmental disaster that mankind in panic, haste, folly and greed, has ever conceived.

• Electricity Prices
  
  • Denmark, the world's most wind-intensive nation with more than 6,000 turbines has yet to close a single fossil-fuel power plant. When Denmark has too much windpower it exports its surplus to Norway via an interconnector at a give-away price. When it does not have enough windpower it imports hydro-generated power from Norway. Pollution and carbon dioxide emissions have risen (by 36 per cent in 2006 alone); and its electricity generation costs are the highest in Europe.
    Source: Article in this paper by
    Michael Trebilcock Professor of Law and Economics at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law
    
  • When The Wind Drops
    Their cost is increased by the required standby capacity from conventional plants
    They need to be inefficiently backed up by other often carbon based 365-Day/24/7 alternatives.
    
  • UK Windfarms are paid to NOT PRODUCE electricty when there is over capacity - SEE THIS LINK
  • Germany
    Electricity prices rose by 2.1 percent in Germany in the first half of 2010, according to figures published by the German Association of the Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), driven by rising levies and taxes for renewable energies."Taxes and levies have reached a record high and make up 41 percent of people's electricity bills," BDEW director Hildegard Mueller said in a statement.
    Souce-Link
    
  • From Scottish Power Renewables own FAQ
    Does producing energy from windfarms cost more than coal, gas or nuclear power?
    In general, the cheapest electricity in 2010 is from efficient new gas fired plant. Onshore wind energy is one of the cheapest forms of renewable energy but in general is more expensive than gas fired plant. Offshore wind is relatively more expensive than coal or nuclear, due to the larger civil engineering input plus methods/ limits for access.
         (We believe that this is financial madness whatever you currently think about wind power)
  
  
• Production/Capacity Factor
  
  • Despite the claims made, wind turbines do not work at anything like their supposed capacity
    
  • Aerodynamic Issues (ask any pilot)
    The same issues that affect aeroplanes apply.
    
    1. Ice build up reduces performance
       
    2. Dirt and bug build up reduces performance
    3. Downstream turbines can lose 20 to 30% of their power through wake turbulence
  • The non-profit Renewable Energy Foundation, known for its firm stance against on-shore wind farms,warns that “political enthusiasm for wind power” does not reflect the high-cost and inefficiencies of large-scale wind farms in the United Kingdom.
  • Wind farms produced "practically no electricity" during the cold snap of early 2010 which manufacturers' groups say could lead to severe winter energy shortages. Jeremy Nicholson, director of the Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG), gave warning that this could turn into a crisis when the UK is reliant on 6,400 turbines accounting for a quarter of all UK electricity demand over the next 10 years.
  • Professor David MacKay, a physicist at Cambridge University, said ministers would have to look at other forms of alternative energy, like tidal power, if they were to meet their ambitious renewable energy commitments.By analysing the average power output possible from wind turbines and comparing it to the amount of land needed to house each turbine, Professor MacKay believes wind farms will need at least five times more land than has been previously estimated.His research has raised further doubts over the viability of the Government's push for wind power.Critics insist that wind energy is too unreliable to replace the creaking network of fossil fuel power stations and would require an extensive network of back up power stations to provide energy on calm days.
• Lifespan and Reliability
  • The lifespan of a windfarm is a maximum of about 25 years
  • At the Danish offshore wind farm, Horn Reef, all 80 turbines had to be dismantled and repaired after only 18months’ exposure to the sea air.
  • The Kentish Flats turbines gearboxes:-one third needed replacement during the first 18months
  • Turbines do collapse and do go on fire
    
    
• Carbon Emissions do not fall in any significant way
  
  • The carbon emissions created in building the turbines in the first place is never taken into account
  • Other power plants must remain 'on' for times when the wind drops
  • Germany (with the most turbines) has one of the highest CO2 ratings in Europe
  • Flemming Nissen, head of development at the Danish utility Elsam, told a meeting in Copenhagen, May 27, 2004, "Increased development of wind turbines does not reduce Danish CO2 emissions."
    
    
• The High Human Cost
  Loss of natural amenity and peace particularly for people who live in the country at present
  The same will be true soon of town dwellers as farms arrive adjacent to large towns -LINK
  
  • Property Values may fall
  • Noise Disturbance
  • Flicker Shadow
  • Many reported Health Issues
    
    
• Wildlife Cost
  • The horrific damage to wildlife/birds is well established
  • Red Kite already killed at Fairburn Windfarm in the Highlands (which was dubbed harmless to birdlife)
  • Sea Eagles and Golden eagles wordlwide
    
    
• Environmental Cost
  People who live in and visit this country and others are attracted by unspoiled beauty
  This is as true of Yorkshire or California as it is of The Highlands of Scotland
  The environment will be changed irrevocably for at least a quarter of a century where a wind fram is built.
  If after their lifespan is complete-they can then apply to replace the turbines and start all over again
  
  
• Radar Interference
  
  • Wind turbines can and do interfere with Air traffic radar systems
  • The MOD object on occasion for this very reason
    
    
• Our Nations are up for Sale
  
  • Huge foreign conglomerates such as The Louis Dreyfus Group are buying up land all over the place
  • LINK HERE to information about this one group alone
  • A list of their land purchases in Scotland will be posted to this site soon
    
    
• Tourism is likely to suffer and tourist income decline
  • The Scottish government acknowledged an economic impact in their 2007 research
  • Activity Scotland Study 2006 suggests 88% of tour operators predict a negative impact
  • Wild Scotland Study 2006 suggests 61% of operators predict a negative impact
    
    
• Little Social or Employment Benefit
  Highland Council, as one example, acknowledge this in their Community Benefits Policy document as follows
  "This recognises that most new renewable energy developments offer little social or employment benefit to the Highland area. The Highlands is therefore likely to carry a significant burden for little gain in pursuit of national energy targets."
  
  
• Financial Incentives Offered to Communities
  Communities are offered 'Benefits'
  These benefits comes from the money we have already paid in our electricty bills
  We only get back a tiny proportion of what it has cost us
  This whole issue is dividing communities across the country
  What price our communities and way of life?- We believe that these should be beyond price
  
  
• There are other ways of reducing power demand and lowering carbon emission
  We can use less power - 'Yes we can'
  We can stop importing food that we can already grow here in the UK
  We can shop much more locally for our produce and encourage farmers
  We can buy goods made at home that create employment at home
  There are other technologies available
  
  
• Finally - Neodymium- the high environmental and human cost of rare earth mining
  This rare earth mineral is used in building the huge magnets of most modern wind turbines
  Mined in China, through a filthy process with radioactive thorium as a by product
  This alone should convince us that the cost is too high for the planet
  It Is leaving Chinese workers ill and farms and rural people with polluted land and water
  LINK to PBS documentary
  LINK to Daily Mail article
  LINK to another Daily Mail article
  

What you can do now

1. Please take the time to read through the opinions and information we have gathered on the rest of this site.