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By Glyn Davies MP - 11th August 2011
Glyn Davies MP says plans to build hundreds of onshore wind turbines in mid Wales will makes "no economic or 'climate change' sense whatsoever".
I was born in mid Wales, on an upland farm, which I still own. I live about one mile away from it today. I love the region, and can contemplate living nowhere else. It is a truly beautiful place, which underpins the largest part of the local economy, tourism. It can be no surprise that I, and almost all of the 'disinterested' population are horrified that 'the state' in its various forms in intent on destroying this place by industrialising our uplands, and desecrating our valleys with hideous cables and pylons.
I should begin by outlining just what the proposal is. 'The state' intends to grant permission for 600-800 new huge onshore turbines, beyond those which currently exist, and those that have planning approval, a 20 acre electricity sub-station, and about 100 miles of new cable, much of it carried on steel towers 150’ high. It is scarcely believable. Not even the enemies of Britain, over the centuries, have wrought such wanton destruction on this part of the United Kingdom.
Since the local population grasped quite what desecration was planned for them, there has been an uprising of anger and protest, the like of which I have never seen before. At one meeting I called in Welshpool, at short notice and with minimal advertisement, around 2,000 people turned up. If the National Assembly for Wales had been sitting at the time, and not involved in an election, all of them would have descended on Cardiff Bay to ensure that the politicians, who have designed this outrage, are fully aware of the scale of anger. This protest will still take place. I will arrange it.
We have to ensure that these politicians, in years to come cannot disclaim responsibility for the environmental vandalism for which they will be responsible. In decades to come they will be remembered with total condemnation, as those who were responsible for drowning the Tryweryn Valley are remembered today, half a century later. We must ensure they know that in mid Wales, their names will be remembered as part of the roll call responsible for splitting the Welsh nation asunder.
The people of mid Wales are a reasonable people. Should it be necessary to destroy our environment for some overwhelming greater good, we would be deeply upset but accept it. But what we have here is a form of state inspired 'madness. Our region is to be sacrificed at the altar of a false god. To erect 800 new turbines in mid Wales, 30/50 miles away from any connection to the existing National Grid makes no economic or 'climate change' sense whatsoever. The carbon impact of this development will never be balanced by any carbon benefit. Even worse, the deliberate conflation of the term 'on shore wind' with the term 'renewable energy' has done huge damage to public support for the latter. Just as bad, the massive levels of public subsidy and blind refusal to consider opportunity cost, has swallowed up resource which could have done so much to advance the cause of renewable energy.
The policy which drives this economic and environment catastrophe is the Assembly Government's advice to planning authorities on renewable energy, popularly known as TAN 8. We know that in the end 'the state' has the power to crush popular protest, but the people of mid Wales will fight to the last ditch to defend their inheritance, and the legacy that they leave to the next generation.
Glyn Davies MP has been Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire, Wales since 2010.
Throughout recess, ePolitix.com will be focusing on a different policy theme each week. This week we are featuring articles with a focus the green agenda.
This article was first featured on May 10 2011, ahead of Glyn Davies MP's Westminster Hall debate on onshore wind turbines.
Article Comments
If you want non renewable landscapes try the one's around Chernobyl or maybe Fukushima.
Turbines do not pollute the envioroment it is purely visual and that is only a matter of opinion.
john
4th Jun 2011 at 6:43 pm
Renewable energy at the expense of a non-renewable landscape is not an option. The flagrant ignorance of eco-campaigners in this regard is alarming.
Leading environmental thinkers recognise that actions such as wind-farms that will destroy Wales' unique and irreplaceable land are too little, too late. Once again the profits of the few and the idealistic and sentimental ignorance of the distant will challenge the thoughts and lives of the local people.
Stand fast against on-shore wind farms !!!!
Sarn Bradshaw
31st May 2011 at 2:56 pm
Wind farms are great.
Glyn Davies would rather have Mid Wales as a nuclear dump.
Ah well. MP talks rubbish. What a shock!!!
Yozzer
25th May 2011 at 10:19 pm
Reply to Marion Pearce.
There will always be wind as long as planet earth survives and what's more it is FREE. It is only the equipment to capture it that costs. It has not rained much for the last three months but we still have water in the tap so it does not have to rain every day, because it has been stored! The Spanish are well ahead of many with wind power, they are building dams to store water to provide power when the wind does not blow. When the wind blows, water can be pumped back into the dams. In fact last year they exported wind power electric to France a country highly dependant on Nuclear Power. Fourteen of France's 19 nuclear power stations are located inland and use river water rather than seawater for cooling. When water temperatures rise, EDF is forced to shut down the reactors to prevent their casings from exceeding 50C.
Also they were shut down to prevent the fish dying in the river. Another idea that is being tested is for us all to have backup batteries in our houses and linked to the grid and we get paid for the power supplied back into the grid or when we have Electric Cars they can be linked also into the grid.Its no good looking back to what we have had this is a time of opportunity and for innovation.
Sorry Glyn, you are backing the wrong horse. I thought the Tory view was renewable energy. So Glyn it looks like you are not with David C your boss on this one.What would you do if you employed someone and he did not obey your instructions? Remember a house divided against itself will fall. Pylons are no more a blot on the landscape than all the Towns in the Severn and other valleys.P.S Don't lead young Russel astray.
john
24th May 2011 at 10:23 pm
How can wind be the way forward, when no one knows when it will blow, or indeed be switched of because it's blowing to much.
It needs conventional back up and in the the worst weather turbines did not produce any power at all switched because of fear of frost.
It is only 19% efficient in this area. Time to re evaluate, wind is not the saviour first thought to be. just think about the concrete bases 5meters deep size of olympic swimming pool required Green = NO
Well done Glyn
Marion Pearce
21st May 2011 at 5:59 pm
I'm afraid when I hear a politician spluttering in this way I feel they are appealing to the lowest level of support. To make outrageously inaccurate staements about the economic case for wind turbines is the worst sort demagoguery. I'm sure if someone proposed a coalmine, or a nuclear reactor, Mr Davies would be against that as well. Not exactly responsible behaviour, is it?!
Brian Spratt
11th May 2011 at 11:33 am
Well said. Let's get this message out.
Felicity Bevan
11th May 2011 at 10:31 am
Very ignorant,
climate change is not a "false god" but a very real problem.
"To erect 800 new turbines in mid Wales, 30/50 miles away from any connection to the existing National Grid makes no economic or "climate change" sense whatsoever".
Wind farms financially pay back in 5 to 6 years, this includes grid connection costs. In 20 years they would be a fantastic investment, approx 12% AER equivilant.
"The carbon impact of this development will never be balanced by any carbon benefit."
Wind turbines pay back their energy investment in 6-7 months.
They cause less landscape damage and local disruption than coal mining (the alternative)
They massively reduce carbon emissions.
What's the alternative then Glyn? No electricty?
Obviously the visual impact, and local disruptions to residents is not positive but as you say "for some overwhelming greater good, we would be deeply upset but accept it".
Climate change is set to wreek havoc on the globe, some sacrifices need to be made. Perhaps you could suggest an altenative less harmful way to provide 10% of the national grid's energy demands without contributing carbon emissions to the atmosphere.
Peter Jeffries
11th May 2011 at 10:03 am
You have the whole county with you, Glyn
Myfanwy Alexander
11th May 2011 at 9:21 am
Well done Glyn -we will fight with you
jane vaughan gronow
10th May 2011 at 9:22 pm
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