so what is the general consensus re wind turbines??

I always thought they were a good resource, and I have driven past some near to Scarborough that looked quite nice....

But some have been erected near a road I regularly drive down to and from work etc, and to be honest, I don't like them!! They make me feel really uncomfortable and I can't figure out why!! They are about 500 yards from the highway i think, and all I can think of is War of the Worlds!!!! They really do spook me, I feel like such a wuss!!

does anyone else have any bizarre reactions like this???  

No :)

I think they are a good thing, personally I'd rather put up wind turbines than power stations polluting the planet

I hate them too - they terrify me. And very inefficient- they have to be turned off in high wind, and don't generate anything in calm conditions that we often have inland. If they were offshore they'd be more efficient.

don't get me wrong, I agree that they are so much better for the environment, it's just that the sheer physicality of them totally freaks me out when I drive past them....I can't look at them, and the drivers in front annoy me as they all slow down to get a good look!! I dare say when the novelty wears off that won't be an issue. I guess I'm just surprised at my reaction, especially as I support their use!!!

oh well, I shall go away and feel silly quietly!!

I would love one at home and would happily make the investment if I knew how long I would be living here.  I'm in the right spot with regular sea breezes.
I think that they look beautiful and elegant.  So much nicer than Hinkley Point at the other side of the water.  It's the only blot on the landscape down here. :(

They are mostly useless a red herring and totally uneconomical

My friend has one and it generates as much electricity in one year as her small solar panel does in one week.

The government has to be seen to be doing it's bit and they are big big business, my friend owns a wind farm,
about 30 of them, they generate millions of pounds, not from the electricity they produce but from subsidies
and grants. 

They (being London Government) have  approved a wind turbine farm out on the Rhyl flats, none of the locals want
these monsters, they have campaigned relentelessly to stop them being approved, it isn't even the Welsh people that will benefit from the small amount of electricity that they will produce, in my opinion they will destroy the tranquility and view from all the beaches from Rhyl to Ynys Mon.

Major blow really it is. Another case of peoples opinions being ignored by the big wigs.

I would much prefer to have solar panels, i don't think they are as unsightly and can be placed onto walls, roofs etc.
Is solar much more expensive than wind turbines?

My husband works for the Bristol Port Company, they have erected 3 x 280' wind turbines, the electricity is generated and sold back to the National Grid, they then get back free electricity for their lighting.  They are planning to erect two more, I think they are a great idea!

Me too I think we should have more of them.  As for eye sore argument, they can't be worse than the electricity pylons and radio masts.

Pylons and radio masts don't move, continually attracting your attention.

We have a wind farm off the coast where I live. I think they look really majestic and very graceful. There were many objections before they were erected but now they rarely get a mention other than as a tourist attraction - you can take a boat trip out to view them from close quarters. They are located in the vacinity of the Maunsell Forts that were erected during the war and became the home of pirate radio in the 60's.  They are far more attractive to look at than the nuclear power station on the south coast.

You can see them here http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2006/07/25/wind_farms_feature.shtml

And for those interested in the forts

The Maunsell forts http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/maunsell_towers.htm

>you can take a boat trip out to view them from close quarters.

I'd rather have tarantulas crawl over me. I'm really phobic about windfarms. :-( If one was built near me I'd have to move.

I quite like them - but up close they ARE a bit weird in a sort of giant futuristic freaky way... I can see why some people find them creepy or even scary.

If i had to pick to live next door to a wind farm or a 'less green' alternative... the wind farm wins every time!

I like them and the ones in Dundee are a good point of reference if you are lost i.e are the turbines to your left or right and you can work out where you are. :)

I'd rather have solar panels.  I understand the turbines can have a detrimental effect on birds.

But I would rather have turbines than nuclear power.

They can have an affect on birds but apparently it's not a major issue if they are sited correctly.  The RSPB have recently changed their position on wind turbines saying they are a good thing and that they will only object to new farms if there are real concerns about the affect on birds.  According to their website they object to about 7% of the current planning applications.

they remind of the scene from planet of the apes when charlton heston gets off the space ship and notices lots of crosses erected along the top of a hill.

and for that reason, I.................

.............love them!!!!

 

I think they have an eerie sort of beauty. Living near the coast I would love to be able to afford one in my garden-if only to p*** off the guy who lives at the bottom of the garden who held a very noisy party all day yesterday & into the night ! Time for a garden bonfire I think

Thanks for that information Shadbolt!  It's good to keep up to date with the latest research on this - we will need to move to more environmentally-friendly means of harnessing power.

They might look graceful and majestic but they are mostly worthless when it comes to generating electricity

> Pylons and radio masts don't move, continually attracting your attention

The arms turn pretty slowly so not exactly distracting, rather majestic.  for some reason reminds me of ship sails.

>The arms turn pretty slowly so not exactly distracting, rather majestic.

Or threatening, like an aggressive ogre brandishing long knives ....

When people get out of helicopters they always duck down and scuttle from under the still-turning rotor, even though it's at least 6 feet above their heads and can't possibly hit them. The turning blades of the turbines on a windfarm give me that same irrational feeling of fear, even from miles away.

i dont see the point. All studies have shown they are ineffective and cost more to build/maintain than they generate in electricity and are complete white elephants. They are just put up to meet targets, and have no value to the environment atall.

I find them rather hypnotic and relaxing a bit like watching fish in an aquarium. They have an off shore farm near here and a few in the docks, I love the docks with the big ships and all the weird things that are waiting to be shipped! and the wind turbines I'm probably the one slowing down in the car to have a good nose:-o. Also if you go down to the beach you can see Anthony Gormley's Iron Men staring out to sea at the wind farm sureal! makes me smile.

>All studies have shown they are ineffective and cost more to build/maintain than they generate in electricity and are complete white elephants. They are just put up to meet targets, and have no value to the environment atall.

That's not what my Dutch friends tell me, they have them & solar panels & don't need any external power sources at all, their whole way of life is eco friendly & has been for a very long time

We have a national wind week coming up :-)

[url=]http://www.embracewind.com/myths.html[/url

Edited to add Whoops - just noticed it has been and gone :-)

> I would much prefer to have solar panels, i don't think they are as unsightly and can be placed onto walls, roofs etc.
> Is solar much more expensive than wind turbines?

solar panels are very very rare is the problem i think, there are not enough of them to power much

> That's not what my Dutch friends tell me, they have them & solar panels & don't need any external power sources at all, their whole way of life is eco friendly & has been for a very long time

i don;t think we could use jus tturbines but if combined with solar (when enough panels get made) and wave which we certainly don;t lack, then why not? sounds good to me!