Wind power is all hot air

Before the National Grid in 1927, local industries sold on subscription their surplus electricity generated by coal, local natural gas or coke. It cost the tax-payer nothing.

I support energy reduction, self-sufficiency and micro-generation (horses for courses) but, for good reason, windmill owners turned to steam and you need very deep pockets for reliance on domestic photo-voltaic (with high capacity storage batteries) or wind generation, geothermal or solar heating.

Each apparatus earns huge profits for foreign manufacturers, retailers and installers, yet Chris deeply resents importing/exporting surplus electricity through Dungeness to reduce energy prices, and energy and petrol companies reporting modest 4% profits! He must be incandescent (more man-made global warming!) at the respective 15% and 65% government ‘profits’ (taxes and eco-levies on businesses and consumers) to subsidise wind-farms, feed-in tariffs to wealthy householders and payments to wind-farms to stop generating!

EU Renewable Obligations require supply companies to buy renewable energy first, but the facts are: wind rarely blows when energy is needed most in winter anticyclones; turbines are feathered for safety in strong winds; there is no PV generation at night when many industries and hospitals work.

Consequently, reliable on-demand generation (fossil/methane/biomass, hydro- or nuclear) is needed “24/7”... or the lights go out. When that last happened in New York, its population rose!

Rother Environmental Group has received ‘generous’ grants from subsidised local Wind-farm Fund ‘profits’. In May I asked, through the Rye Observer, that Dominic Manning record Cheyne Court’s 26-turbine operational status to vindicate his and REG’s blind faith in wind-power: he remains silent!

My observations in 2009 recorded an average 14-17 turbines operating. Output data today shows an average 28% operating capacity, generating only enough energy for 600 kettles per turbine, against a theoretical maximum 2,000. No wonder Lib-Dems demand more wind-farms!

Will Chris tell us how he proposes running his home, business, car (or Rye’s 2,500 homes) from ‘local’ generation without stand-by candles, Camping Gaz, fossil or biomass energy. And at what cost?

Barry M Jones

Bixley Lane, Beckley