Wind turbines of change

Nicky Stocks

01 November 2011

Miraculous. A group of once hardened anti wind farm protesters have come out in support of the wind farm they fought against. Now that the turbines are up and turning, the Leicestershire residents support - and take comfort from - the new energy supply on their doorstep.
 
I read about their turnaround this morning. For me the miracle wasn't their dramatic conversion to wind appreciation. It's the fact that it made the news.
 
I'm used to newspapers blaming wind turbines for everything from hamsters being eaten to aliens being interfered with.  

I also know the reality behind the hysterical headlines - the vast majority of people strongly support wind farms and are happy for them to be built near their house.
 
Reading this story made me wonder why we don't hear more about the clean energy happy ever after - and the strong, if quiet, support for wind, wave and sun power most people feel. 

I decided there are lots of reasons: 
 
-    Good news rarely makes the news. Journalists like to sniff out trouble and conflict because, apparently, that's what we all like to hear about.

-    Change can be scary. As John, who lives a mile from the new wind farm, says: "People don't like change until it actually happens and they get used to it."

-    Most people don't like saying they got something wrong - I know I don't. The Leicestershire residents deserve a massive gold - or maybe green - star for their honest reflections.

-    It's all too changeable. The Government claims to want a clean energy future but this week announced plans that will kill off our newly thriving solar energy industry.

But the biggie for me is the fact that there are megabucks in the current set up. The Big Six energy firms - and the oil and gas industries - make billions from dirty fuels. Why wouldn't they resist change - and encourage others to do the same? That's why our Final Demand campaign is calling for an investigation into their muddying influence so we can see our way to a clean energy future.

Nicky Stocks, Communications and Media Team