Nice one Chris. Have cut and pasted that in an email to the BBC Today
programme following David Bellamy's mendacious assertions this morning that
wind turbines do not displace carbon generation at all. Presented as an
environmental campaigner, Bellamy has moved quickly from being a denier that
climate change matters, or can even happen, to denying that mitigation
measures can make any difference. Makes me wonder ...
D
David Ballard
Alexander, Ballard & Associates
Strategy and human change for environmental sustainability
05600 433801 - work
01672 520561 - home
07840 544226 - mobile
Skype: ballardd
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: www.alexanderballard.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for the Crisis Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Keene
Sent: 18 November 2005 00:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Independent:Windpower survey blows away myths from opponents
Windpower survey blows away myths from opponents
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Published: 14 November 2005
Windpower survey blows away myths from opponents Windpower survey blows
away myths from opponents
Wind power supporters have received a boost from a study that shows
Britain has the best wind in Europe because it blows all year round and
peaks when there is greatest demand for electricity.
The first methodical investigation of Britain's wind resources has found
that, despite claims to the contrary, there has never been a time over
the past 35 years when the entire country has been "becalmed".
The study also found that the wind tends to blow more strongly during
the day and the winter months when energy demands from the national grid
are greatest.
Proponents of wind energy said the findings undermined one of the main
arguments against wind turbines - that the power generated from them is
intermittent and unreliable.
The government-commissioned study assessed national wind patterns and
how they might affect the output of a network of windfarms by collecting
the hourly windspeed records of 66 meteorological stations since 1970.
Graham Sinden of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University
said the results showed wind patterns in Britain were not randomly
distributed but were clearly concentrated at certain times of the day
and year.
"Wind power on average is delivering more energy when electricity demand
is at its highest, which is during the winter and the day," Dr Sinden said.
"By examining such extensive wind records from throughout the UK, we can
be very confident the study identified both long-term trends and the
most extreme wind conditions the UK will experience," he said.
The study found that, during the past 35 years, the wind has always
blown strongly enough - faster than 4 metres per second - to generate
electricity in some parts of Britain.
"Met Office records show that, while low wind speed conditions can be
extensive, there was not a single hour during the study period where
wind speeds at every location across the UK were below 4 metres per
second," the study says.
"On average, there is about one hour per year when more than 90 per cent
of the UK experiences low wind speed conditions with those events being
far more likely in summer.
"Low wind speed conditions extending across 90 per cent or more of the
UK during winter occur about one hour every five years," the study says.
The findings come at an important moment for the Government because of
its manifesto commitment to wind power as the prime source of Britain's
renewable energy. Wind is expected to generate three-quarters of the 10
per cent of electricity produced by renewables by 2010.
Malcolm Wicks, the Energy minister, said the study provided valuable
insight for a sensible debate over wind power. He said:"This new
research is a nail in the coffin of some of the exaggerated myths
peddled by opponents of wind power."
Windpower survey blows away myths from opponents Windpower survey blows
away myths from opponents
Wind power supporters have received a boost from a study that shows
Britain has the best wind in Europe because it blows all year round and
peaks when there is greatest demand for electricity.
The first methodical investigation of Britain's wind resources has found
that, despite claims to the contrary, there has never been a time over
the past 35 years when the entire country has been "becalmed".
The study also found that the wind tends to blow more strongly during
the day and the winter months when energy demands from the national grid
are greatest.
Proponents of wind energy said the findings undermined one of the main
arguments against wind turbines - that the power generated from them is
intermittent and unreliable.
The government-commissioned study assessed national wind patterns and
how they might affect the output of a network of windfarms by collecting
the hourly windspeed records of 66 meteorological stations since 1970.
Graham Sinden of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University
said the results showed wind patterns in Britain were not randomly
distributed but were clearly concentrated at certain times of the day
and year.
"Wind power on average is delivering more energy when electricity demand
is at its highest, which is during the winter and the day," Dr Sinden said.
"By examining such extensive wind records from throughout the UK, we can
be very confident the study identified both long-term trends and the
most extreme wind conditions the UK will experience," he said.
The study found that, during the past 35 years, the wind has always
blown strongly enough - faster than 4 metres per second - to generate
electricity in some parts of Britain.
"Met Office records show that, while low wind speed conditions can be
extensive, there was not a single hour during the study period where
wind speeds at every location across the UK were below 4 metres per
second," the study says.
"On average, there is about one hour per year when more than 90 per cent
of the UK experiences low wind speed conditions with those events being
far more likely in summer.
"Low wind speed conditions extending across 90 per cent or more of the
UK during winter occur about one hour every five years," the study says.
The findings come at an important moment for the Government because of
its manifesto commitment to wind power as the prime source of Britain's
renewable energy. Wind is expected to generate three-quarters of the 10
per cent of electricity produced by renewables by 2010.
Malcolm Wicks, the Energy minister, said the study provided valuable
insight for a sensible debate over wind power. He said:"This new
research is a nail in the coffin of some of the exaggerated myths
peddled by opponents of wind power."
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