THE proposed wind turbines at Sheephouse Heights above Stocksbridge are an urgent necessity, given the pressing need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and prevent catastrophic climate change.
Unfortunately, like every other issue, there are lots of crackpot theories littering the internet that spread lies about turbines' lack of efficiency, noise impact etc. In fact, every reliable scientific inquiry has rubbished these criticisms of turb
ines and concluded they are one of the essential tools in the battle against climate change.
I will be able to see the turbines from where I live. But at the end of the day, visual intrusion is utterly trivial compared to the real suffering, environmental destruction and mass extinctions threatened by climate change. The cost of failing to act now will be disastrous and irreversible.
In opposing the turbines, Angela Smith MP and the rival Tory candidate for Stocksbridge are sacrificing the future of the planet for short-term political gain. It is just that type of NIMBY attitude and misguided selfishness that has got us in this mess in the first place.
Coun Dan Lyons PhD, Green Party Town Councillor, StocksbridgeA recent letter to The Star commented that in Denmark after 30 years of experience with onshore wind turbines, they have decided to build off-shore turbines due to noise pollution.
That is only part of the reason. A major factor in this decision is that onshore wind turbines are inefficient. The wind does not blow inland at a rate that makes them economically viable both in output of generated electricity, or in monetary terms, which of course is a secondary consideration.
Two recently-installed turbines in the Sheffield/ Rotherham area are quoted with an out put of 14 per cent on an annual basis - not much for such a large investment in both monetary and energy used to manufacture them.
We should be spending our time and energies on the insulation of buildings and saving power.
Perhaps central government will rethink this ill-thought-out policy of onshore wind turbines, because we read they have opted out of the decision on the Harthill project, leaving it up to the local authority to decide. One wonders if the central government will take the same detached approach if the local decision says no to an on-shore wind farm.
Les Seaman, CrosspoolREAD MOREMain news indexYour letters.
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