Wind Turbines Royally Snubbed

The use of wind turbines, and the green technology itself, has taken an interesting hit this week, finding itself royally snubbed by England’s Prince Phillip, who has labelled the wind farms “absolutely useless”, “a disgrace” and “a very bad idea”, with supports akin to believing in a fairy tale.

The normally blunt royal still managed to shock with his drastic point of view, which is a complete contradiction to current Government green technology policies. Although the comments were made in a private manner to Esbjorn Wilmar, head of wind turbine manufacturer and operator Infinergy, they show a trending nature in Britain.

That is, that Prince Phillip is not alone in his refuting of wind power and its reliance upon subsidies, with a growing number in the UK agreeing with his opinion of the green energy solution.

There are currently 3,421 turbines in the UK (with less than a thousand off the coast), with a further 4,500 set to be constructed under the latest government policies. That is if the opposition does not grow out of control.

Latest reports show that wind turbines dotting the coasts and country-sides have been greeted by some, including the prince, with remarks that they are unsightly, ruining the character of the countryside with noise levels growing out of control.

While the first is a matter of opinion, the second is proving to hold slightly more sway, with reports of 269 noise complaints regarding noise pollution from the wind turbines over the last three years. Herein lies the very real issue with this renewable energy source.

The noise of the turbines exceeds appropriate noise levels during high winds, causing owners to slow down the turbines, or simply switch them off. The issue is that during the times of high winds, incredible amounts of energy is able to be produced, so the wind farms are not being used in their greatest capacity, and if switched off, not being used at all.

While those in opposition will take the royal’s word as paramount, his opinion is to be taken with a grain of salt. At the end of the day the Prince is known for his outlandish candour and controversial remarks, in any account, not the highest authority when it comes to green measures. What he does highlight however, is a growing movement in his country, which may pose a great challenge for sustainable builders and planners to overcome.