Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 11/19/2011 2:34:29 PM PST by Steelfish
Wind Farms Are Useless, Says Duke The Duke of Edinburgh has made a fierce attack on wind farms, describing them as “absolutely useless”.
The Duke's views are politically charged, as they put him at odds with the Government’s policy
Jonathan Wynne-Jones 19 Nov 2011
In a withering assault on the onshore wind turbine industry, the Duke said the farms were “a disgrace”.
He also criticised the industry’s reliance on subsidies from electricity customers, claimed wind farms would “never work” and accused people who support them of believing in a “fairy tale”.
The Duke’s comments will be seized upon by the burgeoning lobby who say wind farms are ruining the countryside and forcing up energy bills.
Criticism of their effect on the environment has mounted, with The Sunday Telegraph disclosing today that turbines are being switched off during strong winds following complaints about their noise.
The Duke’s views are politically charged, as they put him at odds with the Government’s policy significantly to increase the amount of electricity generated by wind turbines.
The country has 3,421 turbines — 2,941 of them onshore — with another 4,500 expected to be built under plans for wind power to play a more important role in providing Britain’s energy.
Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, last month called opponents of the plans “curmudgeons and fault-finders” and described turbines as “elegant” and “beautiful”.
The Duke’s attack on the turbines, believed to be the first public insight into his views on the matter, came in a conversation with the managing director of a leading wind farm company.
When Esbjorn Wilmar, of Infinergy, which builds and operates turbines, introduced himself to the Duke at a reception in London, he found himself on the end of an outspoken attack on his industry.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I think if there were anyone who understood the issue of uselessness, The Duke of Edinburgh would be the man for the job.
And invariably, they end up breaking it!
CA....
Well they are talking about putting them out in the Gulf of Maine too.
About 20 years the greens in Maine strongly supported wind energy. Now that they are being built, placed on mountain
tops, killing birds, and destroying scenic views, the greens are strongly against wind energy.
It’s easy to be irascible when your position in life is so high that you literally do not give a rat’s a$$ if anyone likes your opinion or not.
He can’t be fired. He’s not going to be “deposed”. The Queen is not going to divorce him.
He can say whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and all anyone else in Britain can do is smile and take it.
The difference is that Philip is clear thinking and intelligent and Charles is a twit.
That, sir, is the funniest post I have seen on FR. Top job!
Sounds like the Duke is of stong mind.
I like him.
He didn’t blame government policy for anything?
aka - rational conservatives.
“He is a free-thinking, freedom-loving, fearless man with a clear mind and a very American mentality.”
Too bad he did not pass these traits on to his imbecilic son
I've seen them, several times. The Coachella Valley is my favorite spot on the planet. They do clutter up the landscape. Do they actually produce enough power to be worthwhile?
I could see them on a farm but that's about it.
The Duke is correct. “Green energy” is a corrupt racket that recycles money from productive enterprises into destructive ones, and harms the very wilderness they’re supposed to protect. These charlatans are up here in the Angeles national forest, sucking up government subsidies, loan guarantees and grants, and bribing the local town councils to go along with their rape of the environment. It would be funny if it weren’t so outrageously evil.
With him being at odds with Prince Charlie, bet royal dinner conversations can get a bit testy.
Yeah, but what does Prince Chuckles have to say about it?
Nevermind, I think I know....
Maybe this Nobility thing has some advantages—They do not have to appease lobbies and PC crowd of Liberal Media Types who will crank up their “anger”. He’s right—he’s the first to say its all a fairy tale.
Small scale wind power is very useful in remote areas that are far from a grid. It keeps banks of batteries charged that are then used for modern conveniences like lighting, well pumps and power sockets.
It is pretty common in remote ranches and schools in Africa and South America. Even some places in the USA.
Denmark, the world's most wind-intensive nation, with more than 6,000 turbines generating 19% of its electricity, has yet to close a single fossil-fuel plant. It requires 50% more coal-generated electricity to cover wind power's unpredictability, and pollution and carbon dioxide emissions have risen (by 36% in 2006 alone).
The original National Post link has been taken down. I am sure it is because they were hounded into it.
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