Wind Turbines off Llandudno in North Wales: Click for larger Image
In my humble opinion, wind power is one of the simplest, most inoffensive ways to generate renewable electricity. Libertarians with country cottages in the Lake District :-) criticise wind power because it is (a) not very effective, (b) offensive to the eye, and (c) more expensive than burning coal. I disagree with all these criticisms.
- Firstly it is effective. Reuters report that at the height of storms in December 2011, wind power provided 12% of UK electricity requirements. Wow! And more significantly, on average in 2011 it provided 5% of UK electricity requirements. That is a pretty effective generation on any terms and it should grow in the coming decade.
- Secondly, I think wind turbines are beautiful – breathtaking engineering structures that are the embodiment of our respect and understanding of the natural world. They say loud and clear that we have understood that carbon dioxide emissions are pollution and that we are going to reduce the damage we do to our climate and try to live sustainably
- And finally, although it is more expensive than burning coal, I think our collective choice to generate electricity this way is real sign of our civilisation – something to be proud of.
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February 13, 2012 at 7:01 am |
[...] power. Stable weather systems associated with cold winter weather result in very little wind. But as I recorded previously, over the whole of 2011, wind power contributed more than 5% of UK demand – roughly [...]