Wrote the following piece just before I went to Singapore two weeks ago but forgot to post it.
Since then, there has been a bit of an outcry, to say the least, about the decision to build the Gwynt y Mor windfarm. So I thought I would repost it to give my opinion on this new development.
Recently, the controversial Gwynt y Mor development was approved by the UK Government. Lying just ten miles off the coast of Llandudno, opponents have consistently argued that it will have a serious negative impact on tourism along the North Wales coast whilst supporters have welcomed its contribution to sustainable energy targets.
Having read the socio-economic impact report produced by the developers, I have yet to be convinced that it will have any significant economic benefit. Indeed, for a major infrastructure project that is estimated to cost over £1 billion, the economic arguments remain weak.
In exchange for blighting the landscape for the foreseeable future, North Wales will not be guaranteed any new jobs (which may well go to North West England). Whilst the tourism industry will get viewing posts to look at the turbines and boat trips out into Llandudno Bay, that will be little comfort to hoteliers and the other businesses when those tourists who currently come to the area for its magnificent coastal scenery choose to holiday elsewhere.
Worse of all, it would seem that the support for windpower remains based on narrow ideology rather than encouraging other types of renewable energy sources such as biofuels, solar and tidal. As many have pointed out, Wales could be a global leader in tidal power if only some of our politicians were not obsessed with windfarms as the solution to global warming.
I also wonder how many of the 650,000 houses its developers claims Gwynt y Mor will power have proper insulation, low-emission lightbulbs, low e-glass on double glazing and other energy efficiency measures in place?
Those calling for massive wind farms to be built around our coastlines are the same who object to large tidal power schemes - such as the Severn Barrage - on the grounds that they will directly affect local wildlife.
This is despite the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds stating that windfarms can harm birds through disturbance, habitat loss or damage and collision. Not surprisingly, some wildlife groups have already expressed concern that many thousands of migrating birds may well fly through the Gwynt-y-Mor windfarm area in the spring and the autumn, and one can only imagine the potential devastation once these turbines are operational.
Even if we ignore the arguments about the economy, renewable energy and the effect on wildlife, this decision remains an insult to democracy here in Wales. As Assembly members Darren Millar and Gareth Jones have rightly said, this decision is not only questionable for energy reasons, but goes against the democratically elected wishes of the vast majority of the population along the North Wales coast.
Worst of all, it would seem that the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, has ignored the concerns of the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, who gave a commitment to hold a full public inquiry into Gwynt Y Mor last year. One can only hope that in the light of this decision that the First Minister will inform Mr Miliband that Wales is not a laboratory for UK Government energy experiments and that he should reconsider his opinion and hold a public inquiry immediately.
If devolution is to work in Wales, then we must have a right as a democracy to examine the effect of such a large development on our nation, positively and negatively, and to give both supporters and opponents the opportunity to give their opinions on what is described as the second largest wind farm in the world.
If we do not, then many will question whether it is worth having a devolved administration in Wales where the opinions of our elected representatives are just brushed aside in favour of the lobbying power of large energy firms.
Since then, there has been a bit of an outcry, to say the least, about the decision to build the Gwynt y Mor windfarm. So I thought I would repost it to give my opinion on this new development.
Recently, the controversial Gwynt y Mor development was approved by the UK Government. Lying just ten miles off the coast of Llandudno, opponents have consistently argued that it will have a serious negative impact on tourism along the North Wales coast whilst supporters have welcomed its contribution to sustainable energy targets.
Having read the socio-economic impact report produced by the developers, I have yet to be convinced that it will have any significant economic benefit. Indeed, for a major infrastructure project that is estimated to cost over £1 billion, the economic arguments remain weak.
In exchange for blighting the landscape for the foreseeable future, North Wales will not be guaranteed any new jobs (which may well go to North West England). Whilst the tourism industry will get viewing posts to look at the turbines and boat trips out into Llandudno Bay, that will be little comfort to hoteliers and the other businesses when those tourists who currently come to the area for its magnificent coastal scenery choose to holiday elsewhere.
Worse of all, it would seem that the support for windpower remains based on narrow ideology rather than encouraging other types of renewable energy sources such as biofuels, solar and tidal. As many have pointed out, Wales could be a global leader in tidal power if only some of our politicians were not obsessed with windfarms as the solution to global warming.
I also wonder how many of the 650,000 houses its developers claims Gwynt y Mor will power have proper insulation, low-emission lightbulbs, low e-glass on double glazing and other energy efficiency measures in place?
Those calling for massive wind farms to be built around our coastlines are the same who object to large tidal power schemes - such as the Severn Barrage - on the grounds that they will directly affect local wildlife.
This is despite the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds stating that windfarms can harm birds through disturbance, habitat loss or damage and collision. Not surprisingly, some wildlife groups have already expressed concern that many thousands of migrating birds may well fly through the Gwynt-y-Mor windfarm area in the spring and the autumn, and one can only imagine the potential devastation once these turbines are operational.
Even if we ignore the arguments about the economy, renewable energy and the effect on wildlife, this decision remains an insult to democracy here in Wales. As Assembly members Darren Millar and Gareth Jones have rightly said, this decision is not only questionable for energy reasons, but goes against the democratically elected wishes of the vast majority of the population along the North Wales coast.
Worst of all, it would seem that the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, has ignored the concerns of the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, who gave a commitment to hold a full public inquiry into Gwynt Y Mor last year. One can only hope that in the light of this decision that the First Minister will inform Mr Miliband that Wales is not a laboratory for UK Government energy experiments and that he should reconsider his opinion and hold a public inquiry immediately.
If devolution is to work in Wales, then we must have a right as a democracy to examine the effect of such a large development on our nation, positively and negatively, and to give both supporters and opponents the opportunity to give their opinions on what is described as the second largest wind farm in the world.
If we do not, then many will question whether it is worth having a devolved administration in Wales where the opinions of our elected representatives are just brushed aside in favour of the lobbying power of large energy firms.
Comments
All are opposed to it up here.
No one wants it.
Knowing what we know now.
Even RSPB have concerns!
Red supporters will want it though!
I have two concerns in relation to how this scheme was handled. The first was the London Government ignoring the wishes of WAG and the second the visual impact.
Speaking as a Civil Engineer who has looked in some detail at the facts about windfarms, I have yet to agree with the criticisms aimed at this development outside these two issues. I am a strong supporter of all viable forms of renewable energy as well as a far greater committment to energy conservation. However, what I cannot abide is cherry picking forms of viable renewables. We need a wide combination and leaving out wind is just not an option. There are actually not that many viable offshore sites around Wales or the UK and so if you write off all onshore sites because of visual impact, where does that leave us?
Without getting into too much detail, the costs of constructing offshore windfarms over the horizon in deeper water are massively more than the current proposals and in terms of technology are probably beyond us at this stage.
I have to say that I find the over-delevopment of static caravan sites along the North coastline as far more visually obtrusive than an offshore windfarm.
The democracy issue is one that does concern me as, I can absolutely assure you having campaigned in the region for eighteen months, there is little appetite for the windfarm.
In terms of viable offshore sites across the UK, then that should be a matter for the UK Govt if they are sited off England, and for the Scottish Parliament if in Scotland. Devolution is here to stay and this should be a matter for the Assembly, especially if the decision will affect the main industry of the region. Can you imagine the howls of protest if a new nuclear power station was approved for Wales without any input from WAG?
You are right about cherrypicking - WAG's renewable energy strategy has focused solely on windfarms. Indeed, if I remember Plaid's strategy for the last election, their approach was for a mixed approach. Unfortunately, since being in government, this approach has been largely abandoned.
Ironically, WAG has the opportunity to bring in a brand new technology which can revolutionise energy in Wales(and I met the engineers in Singapore last week). The question is whether they will take advantage of this opportunity or not.
It is also worth remembering that the group opposing the wind farm ( Save Our Scenery ) were found to have used misleading materials by the ASA in a bid to gain support for their campaign, a ruling they said they would ignore !
Like in or not, wind power, both on and offshore must and will play a key role in our energy mix !
I suppose the irony for those supporting offshore windfarms is that npower are just about to build a second nuclear power station on Anglesey, making the development largely superfluous.