National Park criticised in windfarm support letter

Friends of the Earth Cymru is calling for Carmarthenshire County Council to approve a proposal to extend Parc Cynog windfarm at Pendine.

The environmental organisation has written to the County Council urging it to accept the planning application to add six wind turbines to the five that already exist. According to the group, the larger windfarm would make a valuable contribution to locally generated clean energy and would comply with both planning and energy policy.

It is estimated that the extended windfarm would generate enough electricity to meet the annual needs of around 6,000 homes.

In their letter, Friends of the Earth has also strongly criticised the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority for stating that the application should be rejected as it would spoil the view from Tenby.

Friends of the Earth spokesperson, Gordon James, said:

"Wind power is one of the cleanest forms of energy available. The fuel is free, abundant and inexhaustible, and no carbon dioxide or waste is produced when energy is being generated. It is technologically the most advanced of the renewable sources of energy and one of the most cost-effective. It has a great deal to offer in a world that needs all the clean energy it can get if it is to overcome the growing threat posed by climate change.

"Almost every week, we hear of fresh scientific evidence that shows that the impacts of climate change are worse, and are happening sooner, than anticipated. We are seeing evidence of the human suffering and economic cost of extremes of weather in Britain and many other parts of the world at the moment. This will get far worse unless we start cutting emissions of climate changing gases, such as carbon dioxide, very soon.

"We are pleased that the new Welsh Assembly Government environment minister, Jane Davidson, has given such a high priority to tackling climate change and backed the role of wind energy in helping to reduce emissions. We estimate that Wales could generate a quarter of its electricity from a combination of onshore and offshore wind within a few years[1]."

The response of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has come in for swingeing criticism.

Gordon James continued:

"The National Park Authority's main reason for objecting is that the wind turbines would be visible from parts of Tenby, which is approximately 14 kilometres away, and then, it seems, only on clear days.

"We find it bizarre that an authority that is meant to protect the natural environment should object to turbines that will help to reduce the impacts of climate change, and which lie well outside of its boundary, while it has not objected to the far greater visual impact of the LNG facilities, which will emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide, within and adjacent to the National Park at Milford Haven.

"Despite the frightening evidence that is now emerging about climate change, the National Park Authority appears to be willing to give the green light to large fossil fuel developments whilst fussing negatively about the lesser landscape impacts of renewable energy systems."

Friends of the Earth Cymru believes that the Parc Cynog planning application should be approved as it complies with Welsh Assembly Government policy, 'Planning for Renewable Energy', and also with Carmarthenshire County Council policy as outlined in its Unitary Development Plan.

The group has also submitted with its letter to the county council a briefing, 'Wind Power: Ten Myths Explained', that refutes arguments put forward by opponents of wind energy.

Notes

1. Friends of the Earth Cymru has calculated that present proposals for onshore and offshore wind farms could result in Wales obtaining as much as 27 per cent of its electricity demand from wind energy within a few years; this would be sooner than a new nuclear power station could be built.

The calculations are as follows:

• Wales electricity demand = 20 TWhrs/yr
• Onshore wind capacity = 200 MW (already built) plus 800 MW additional target by 2010. At 30% load factor this = 300 MW average annual output
• Offshore wind capacity = North Hoyle 60 MW plus Scarweather 100 MW plus Gwynt y Mor 750 MW = 900 MW in total
  35% load factor = 315 MW average annual output
• In all, 615 MW from both onshore and offshore wind farms.
• In one year, 615 MW average would generate 0.615 x 8.76 = 5.39 TWhrs/yr or 27% of current demand in Wales. This would supply 810,000 people in Wales.