PORTHCAWL WIND FARMS
"These Windfarms are Rape Farms" WRC Spokesperson- Rev.Christopher Trefor Davies
"In Porthcawl this October (2004) plans to build 30 wind turbines each with a greater wing span than the London eye were given the go ahead. I urge everyone who gets the chance to read this to contact their AM and voice their disgust at the decision.
These turbines will kill off the economy of Porthcawl by destroying the wonderful natural secenry that exists there now. The original plan aims to build 30 turbines however plans are already in place to increase this number to 90. They will be built just 3 miles from the shoreline making them the closest to land and largest turbines in the world. Ask yourself is this development really worth it? These turbines will involve the dumping of hundreds of tonnes of concrete in Bristol Channel and for what. Porthcawl's economy that relies predominately on tourism will be destroyed whilst only at most 30 jobs will be created. The turbines are vastly inefficient - wind energy cannot be stored and so at peak times ordinary coal generators will be relied on. The turbines also require the construction of a disiel power station to act as back up. The plan is being developed by the english for the english. The power created will go to homes in Bristol with their inhabitants benefiting from cheaper power rather than the welsh homes whom the power station will blight. All the costs are being paid by the welsh whilst the english reap all the benefits.
I am not anti green to the contarary I openly support it. However in this case the alternative is far more inviting. A tidal lagoon mostly out of sight built on the sea floor harnessing the worlds second largest tidal current. The tide without doubt turns twice a day this guarantees a power supply. Furthermore the scheme boosts ocean bio diversity by creating coral reefs.
There have been so many articles written on this topic I simply couldn't decide which to pick and which to leave out. This scheme was rejected by the welsh assembly's planning comissioner but then passed by four AM's who by their own admission had never visited Porthcawl. Please look at the facts and you will see that this scheme simply isnt worth it from an environmental and welsh perspective so please please contact your AM and complain." From Weshman202
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"If you want to find out what's happening on our doorstep, please refer to the following sites and attend their meetings:
" United Utilities is intending to develop one of the UK's largest offshore wind farms off the South Wales coast. The site is one of 18 around the UK coastline made available by the Crown Estate as an important step in helping the Government achieve its target of providing 10 per cent of the UK's energy from renewable sources by 2010."" From Rhisiant Ifans
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WRC Statement-
"WRC believes in the progressive use of 'greener' forms of technology such as the utilisation of hydro-electric current. Windfarms are Rape Farms- they hide under the cloak of green politics- but are nothing of the sort. For far too long Cymru has been looted and ravaged by those who motives are mere profit. Further, the Crown Estate has no moral claim or title to Cymru's coastline and cannot therefore 'give' our land to the English government.
WRC calls for action against Porthcawl Rape Farms."
A little research reveals that wind power does not in fact live up to the claims made by its advocates [ see part I ], that its impact on the environment and people's lives is far from benign [ see part II ], and that with such a dismal record the money spent on it could be much more effectively directed [ see part III .]
