1

Just Me

Just remember the enviromental impact of digging up the raw materials and manufacture and installation of these turbines. Then don’t forget how much electricity wind farms consume from the grid when there is no wind or to little wind or to much wind.

I assume some of you realised they do consume electricity. They use heaters when cold, and pumps for lubrication.

And finally the maintenance costs of service/repair (higher at sea)

Massive cost for little return imho. Yes what electricity you get is CO2 free, but the cost to get it is to high and I am not talking financially.

Report abuse

3

Jay

We have to better control the energy we use. Ideally we use less by using more efficiently but we have to seek out alternative sources as either through polution (coal) dwindling resources (oil) or safety fears (nuclear) our options are runnning out.
I am surprised that wind power seems to be the answer for Guernsey. I am writing this with a fair breeze blowing but that is not always the case.
One guaranteed resource is tidal power and, as I believe Guernsey sees some of the biggest tides in the world, this would seem the logical choice. The added benefit that it is mostly underwater and therefore out of sight is a big plus compared with wind turbines on the horizon.
If wind power is so great why are the old windmills not in use? Why is there a wind turbine boat rusting in the marina? I can only assume there are better options. I appreciate my argument could be applied to watermills but tide power is somewhat different.
Perhaps the powers to be do not own/have shares in companies invetigating tidal power, just wind turbines.

Report abuse

5

Jeff

Wind turbines are one of the cheapest forms of renewable energy but will still cost 5 to 7 times the amount per mega watt as it cost Guernsey electricity to generate electricity and even less using the french cable network.
Would love to see the reaction of the people pushing for this technology in guernsey when it cost them £5 to boil the kettle. People love the sound of green energy but on small scale like guernsey the technology just isn’t there to be cost effective for the customer just yet.

These turbines also need a shallow sea bed for they’re foundations so expect them to be within 2 miles of our north coast as the sea bed gets very deep quickly after that.

Report abuse

7

Dave

Even after all the debate over renewable energy, I am still amazed that harnessing the energy from the sea is overlooked. We have some of the biggest tides in the world which contain an enormous amount of energy and are driven by the gravitational effects of the sun and the moon (ie are not dependant on whether there is any wind). Surely the CI should be concentrating on becoming one of the leading experts on harnessing tidal power, rather than having a bunch of rather ugly windturbines spoiling the view from our headlands?

Report abuse

9

BRIAN SHEPHERD

These wind turbines are ugly and offensive they blight the uk landscape from north to south. They supposedly have a 25year life span, its proven fact that when you cost it out from the sourcing of the metals,to manufacure then the actual construction include transport of turbines to site factories are not exactly local to Guernsey,then maintain for their lifespan of 25 years as pointed out more expensive offshore. then the impact of conecting to a main cable system maintain said cables during their lifetime. Wind turbines are no more effective nor enviroment friendly than power production methods already employed. We need wave power there are always waves around the island. More solar power and heat and power capture from within the earth. Please do not allow these horrible ineffective monsters on your wonderfull island.

Report abuse

11

Guern abroad

Tidal power would appear to be a much better option to go and I still feel suprised that nothing has been installed in this area for Guernsey.

Report abuse

13

Captain Oveur

When I last spoke to someone connected with ARE they were still having development issues with their turbines.

So all those who are simply saying “use tidal power”, there is great opportunity for you and your “expertise” to go and show them how to solve their problems.

Report abuse

15

Islander

Well Neil;

So you might ask;
I’ve said for many years that to be tied to some medieval law, such as ruling monarchs, is to my way of thinking so childish as in fairy tales and the all that Cod’s wallop.

If they want their monarchs OK,

Why should we be lumbered with them?

The amount of money donated to their being could help poorer families, Guernsey families.
They didn’t give a monkeys’s for five years.

When they did sit up and notice it was to demand more money.

Time that the modern world got into action.

Report abuse

17

R B Bougourd

Guern abroad, how would a tidal power impellor/turbine cope with masses of weed and discarded fishing nets and ropes after every gale?

Maybe that’s just one reason why there aren’t many around?

Report abuse

19

SF

The reality is that all “alternatives” are currently more expensive than more traditional energy generation methods. A recent conversation with an executive from a prominent mobile power producer reititerated earlier comments about wind turbines representing possibly the least effective means of generation. That said, as traditional methods become more expensive the cost gap will narrow. It is therefore a question of timing. A gradual build up of centrally co-ordinated multiple source alternative capability to augment the current oil/nuclear supply, combined with individual household generation would go some way to reduce our carbon footprint.
This will of course need vision and leadership. Something not evident with the current crop of policy makers. Environment for instance. They need to understand that household generation should be a right, not a priviledge. After all, how many properties had garages 100 years ago? Personal generation (and feeding excess generation into the local grid) should be encouraged, not hindered.

Report abuse