Windmills - Blotting the Landscape

[Kiraude]

I've recently been informed that the Haute Vallee in Aude is going to have 1000 more sites - from Bugarach to Bouisse and beyond, right across the Corbieres.

I'm all for natural energy, to have a nuclear power plant on your doorstep would be horrendous but a few windmills is fine. What is now of concern, however, is the big 'blots' on the landscape, the 'old' variety of windmill (a lot of them) at at 60m, the new ones are 121m.

It appears that EDF/GDF do not own the windmills but a company in Montpellier and EDF/GDF are by law, forced to buy this energy. France has so much energy that they're selling it abroad at cheaper rates than we pay in France.

These 'big blots' could stem our growing tourism industry, how many tourists can you see getting out of cars to take photo's of the beautiful surroundings with a whacking great pole in the middle of their view finder - not many!

What I would like to know, are any of you biology/wildlife experts? - Rouvenac recently managed to stop this company putting up windmills because 2 very rare species of plants were found which the mairie agreed was enough of a case to stop them going up. Interestingly, a well-known Professor of Energy from Toulouse University lives there and is 'anti' them - in so far as much to say that there are many types of energy that can be resourced without blotting the landscape (when the sun DOES shine - I'm sure we could have solar energy!).

Each landowner receives approx 6000 per annum PER windmill, so I can understand why so many farmers allow it - there's also apparently some Taxe Professionale let off if you have windmills (as well as all the EU subsidies they receive!).

If anyone on this forum can help with any types of biology/wildlife knowledge (ie. The Pyrenean Bear) they might have - please type away ... we need to curb this (not stop it entirely - but keep Aude as beautiful as it always has been).


Kira

PS. Quillan/Chris - could you find a rare mole???!!!!

[Will]

It's an interesting subject - how wind power has long been regarded as 'green' energy, but now the visual and noise pollution associated with the generators have been recognised. Solar power is another point. To produce anything like enough energy for even a small commune would involve such a large area of solar panels that it would be difficult to imagine anybody accepting these. Of course, if more individual households installed their own panels on the roof that would be something different altogether, but people expect electricity to be readily and cheaply on tap.

There is a power source that is renewable and sustainable, produces no atmospheric pollution, is quiet and can be visually unobtrusive - which was mentioned in the original posting. That's nuclear power, so maybe the French aren't so stupid? Of course, it's not without its very large problems - namely what happens when things go wrong, what happens with the spent fuel (buried in granite or made into weapons) and decomissioning closed-down plants.

Will (50)

[Piprob]

Kira, do you happen to know roughly the location of the proposed sites?
Rob

[Teamedup]

Are you sure that the EDF don't own them. Strangely enough on the coast of the NE of England a company called EDF are putting windmills into the sea just off the coast, seems strange to me that a company with this name would be producing electrickery.

If by chance it is 'the' EDF then they wouldn't be allowed to do it here would they? aren't french 'litoral' protected.

Let's face it they are putting these things everywhere. My first holiday in Denmark was the first time I'd seen these things en masse. We had a great holiday and it didn't spoil anything for us. Since then we have seen them all over europe and haven't frankly been bothered by them.

[Washy]

It is not only the windmills themselves that are dsruptive and an eyesore, it is also the pylons. The pylons are needed to transport the electricity, mainly to Spain from this area. Also, before the pylons can be installed great swathes of land are cleared to make roads to be able to transport the parts of the pylons to the sites.

At a local meeting I attended the company proposing to install the windmills said they would return the site to its existing quality should the project fail????? How could they possibly repair the damage, and disruption to wildlife caused by blasting enormous holes in the mountains to take the windmills, making new roads, and putting up new pylons??? It seems there are many people in our area against these eoliens but as many people are "for" them because of financial gains to be made.

We will need to keep aware of any public meetings and campaigns if we are to do anything about them.

[Westoncromwell]

I think that the current oil crisis underlines the need to seek out alternative supplies of energy.
However, I too feel that they do tend to be a 'blot' on the landscape and especially to site them in areas of outstanding beauty such as Corbieres or Cotswolds is indeed folly.

They need to be situated in secondary sites. Whenever we visit Cyprus there seem to be alot there but where they are situated in groups near industrial zones seems to be a good compromise.

[Quillan]

I was sitting here thinking, mostly I just sit, being a man my wife tells me its not my job to think (dont let them (men) think its dangerous) so dont let on.

I dont know what I really think about windmills and nuclear power but I know both dont let of gass that affect my asthma. I dont think there is much wrong with nuclear power, there has only been one big accident and that was with very old technology. We use to have the trains carrying the waste pass not to far away from us in London and there were no problems.

The truth of the matter is we all need electricity for lighting through cooking/heating to using our PCs to talk to each other, the telephone as well. We strive to find clean ways to make it but every way you turn there is an objection of some kind. Are we getting a bit NIMBY in our attitude? I noted the other day that more nuclear power stations are being built in France based on US technology and what with all the wind farms springing up it makes you wonder why we pay so much.

I guess, like most, I wouldnt want a wind generator or a nuclear power station at the bottom of (or even in) my garden but given the choice of having to have one or no electricity I would prefer the electricity.

Perhaps we could have more hydro plants but this would mean new lakes/reservoirs and great areas of land would go under water so which ever road you take somebody is going to get upset.

I also wondered if we are going down the do gooders route, them that want clean/green power at any cost. There is however always a price to pay. Perhaps people could come up with other ideas to create the large quantities of power we need without having to blot the landscape.

Anyway I cant help with the mole but we do have very rare tail less salamanders in our garden mind you the three cats might give the game away on that one.

Chris

http://www.chambresdhote.com