Alternative Options

We are not opposed to renewable energy or to wind farming – so long as it is located in the right place. We also believe that a ‘diverse’ and fair approach needs to be adopted with regards to energy – not a fantastical one that sets unrealistic targets years ahead in the future that have no real meaning. Wind power is not the only available source of renewable energy.

Solar, Hydro and Biomass Energy

Solar, hydro and biomass can offer alternatives for community schemes. A biomass digester, for example, uses residues and materials that would be left to rot, is available most of the time and can produce electricity as and when it is needed. Solar power simply works in daylight, without the need for extremely bright sunshine. Solar cells are totally silent and unobtrusive because they lie flat and, excluding production, transport and installation, they are CO2 neutral. They also require very little upkeep, unlike turbines, due to the absence of moving parts.

Wind power is only available for intermittent periods and often not when it is coldest - when we need electricity most.

Denmark abandons onshore wind farms

In September 2010, Denmark's giant state-owned power company, DONG Energy announced it was abandoning future onshore wind farms in Denmark, due to growing public criticism. Future wind farm plans will be for offshore developments. Except with hydropower, electricity cannot be stored in large quantities. The power companies have to generate it at the moment you need to use it. But wind's key disadvantage – in Denmark, as elsewhere – is its unpredictability and uncontrollability. Most of the time, the wind does not blow at the right speeds to generate electricity. And even when it does, that is often at times when little electricity is needed – in the middle of the night, for instance.