Glad to see that yesterday my esteemed colleagues at Norfolk County Council gave the bum's rush to the ridicuous plans for a wind turbine development at Guestwick. Sadly theirs is not the final decision. It goes to Broadland District Council Planners on March 23rd. But even then that's not the end of the story. It is a deeply worrying development that if a local council turns down an application it is then invariably overturned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. We all know how much his Toni-ness loves wind power. He loves it so much he got a wind development in his own constituency turned down. All in the interests of reducing CO2 emissions of course...
County Councillor Derke Baxter hit the nail on the head yesterday when he said that he would be totally in favour of wind turbines if they actually produced realistic power. Instead, they will lead to expensive electricity to the deteriment of those who live vear them. The people of Hindloveston will have been cheering.
17 comments:
Iain
Do you have any idea, at all, of the true long term cost of fossilised fuel power. I genuinely fear that my grandchildren's grandchildren will face decimation unless we come to terms with global warming. The cost of wind power will fall with time - it is one of many alternatives that we must grasp. This is where you need to learn political maturity - which people respect - and stop being a populist issue carpetbagger.
Robb
Robb,
I very much doubt that your grandchildrens offspring will be in existance, you seem to have such a manic habit of stalking Iain via these message boards. that I doubt you will have time to spawn any future generations.
Iain, your doing a grand job, I wish that my Conservative PPC was as active as you (and I live in a target seat). You know that you have the Libdems on the backfoot when they feel they have to resort to such tactics.
yours,
carlislecookiemonster
Iain
Is "carlisecookiemonster" your cousin or is he a cousin of Mr Howard and what is a "carlisecookiemonster"? Can you get a "Cromercooiemonster?
Carlislecookiemonster
Iain has a Blog site in which he invites comments - I am a kind hearted individual who likes to help. If you look at Iain's first postings, nobody bothered to comment. Now I know they were very narcissistic and boring but it must be very discouraging to be totaly ignored - The lovely lady from Finchley recognised that and threw in the odd comment, and someone called James used to comment, but he seems to have lost interest. How do you define a stalker - it sounds a bit nasty to me. I'm just a Norfolk County boy.
I often used to stay at Ingleton and frequently traveled on the Carlise railway - does it still run? Iain spent a day at Fakenham races just a few days before a really important by election in one of the safest Tory District Council seats but he is quietly confident. He must be very confident. You have to admire someone that cool. I expect that he will decimate the Lib Dem share of the vote [14%] last time [according to another contributor].
One problem with Iain is that on his Blogg site he never gives a straight answer to a straight question.
Robb
Robb
Robb, Apart from the question on windpower above I don't actually recall you asking any questions, merely posting vaguely insulting rants.
On wind power, Germany and Denmark have invested huge amounts in windpower and both countries are now retreating from it as it has not achieved what was hoped. So why is Blair now putting all his renewable energy eggs into one basket? Not a single power station has ever been closed due to wind power. If it worked, I'd be all in favour of it. I don't see how you can call me a populist (or a carpetbagger come to that) as I have made a stand on an issue which will not be universally popular. My opponent, needless to say, won't tell us what he thinks about it. At least I've given you my viewpoint even if you don't happen to like it.
we should invest heavily in nuclear power and also put more money into hyrdogen and nuclear fusion. These produce far more power and are far more efficent that wind turbines.
Iain
Sorry mate - but I have raised lots of questions with you and I don't rant - I just tell it how it is. Look at the contrast between YOUR reply which was negative and in which you couldn't resist having a sly dig at your opponents, and the constructive advice offered by the next annonymous contributor. Now I may not agree with his/her advice but I will certainly consider it. If I want to know what Mr Agnew or Mr Lamb think about the issue I will ask them - I don't need it second hand from you. Wind Power, Wave Power and other types of power are not political issues, they are matters for mature and considered debates for the sake of future generations. I have children and grandchildren, that I love very much, and for me it is a matter of heavy responsibility that we leave them a world that is sustainable into the future.
Robb
Wind turbines are like 60s tower blocks. They seem a good idea at the time, but turn out to be planning disasters. Well done, Iain, for showing that rare quality in politicians - foresight.
Clem [Are you one of the Atlee's?]
What evidence do you have to offer that contradicts the scientific consensus that fossilised fuels and co2 in general are destroying our planet. What clean alternatives can you offer. I'm afraid Iain hasn't developed his arguments beyond his dislike of wind power. I'm ready with facts and figures when he is. Fusion does seem to have possibilities but so does developing and refining the wind power techniques. Every source of power [particularly solar, sea and wind] should be explored and refined until it produces a ready, safe and sustainable source of energy. It's not a political issue its just common sense and a legacy that we will leave our children's children.
Robb
Robb, I'm not actually disagreeing with you about the need to develop alternatives to fossil fuels. I'm all in favour of trying new things. But all the evidence I have seen points to the fact that wind power is not a long term answer, as Germany and Denmark are finding. Wind power has not led to a reduction in the burning of fossil fuels or CO2 emissions and therefore has failed as a relaistic long term alternative.
Iain
Fair enough -all I'm saying is that we have to continue to develop altenatives. We can only learn from experimentation. Think how far we've come with mobile phones in the last 3 years - How do you know that we won't do that with wind power? It is definately more expensive in the short or even medium term but when we talk in macro economic terms of the well being of the only planet that we have or are likely to have then we have to think of the whole bio system and its sustainability. We can agree on that can't we?
Robb
Indeed we can agree on this. Hurrah! I have no objection to windpower being developed if it can be sustainable. All I am saying is that the experience of other countries tends to prove it isn't. I would rather we looked at other forms of renewable energy rather than put all our eggs in this particular basket, as Tony Blair has done. I know why he has done it - because it means he meets one of his targets.
Iain
How can we experiment to try to improve the efficience of wind power unless we develop it? It currently meets a very small part of our energy needs but one day..... who knows? You must know that North Sea Gas has a finite life? Some major suppliers will not explore there now because the economics arguments for doing so are increasingly weak. One day we could be dependent on foreign gas -then the economic arguments for wind power will change.
Robb
We don't need to experiment further because other countries have already done it and found wind power wanting. We would be throwing good money after bad. I would rather see reearch money invested in looking into other forms of renewable energy.
Iain
Straight answer to a straight question - just how much do you know about North Sea oil and Gas reserves. How long will that source last? Where will our energy come from when that source is no longer viable? What other options do we have?
Robb
I am by no means and expert on these matters and make no pretence of being. I do think renewable energy is part of the answer, but it will only ever be part of it.
Iain
That is very fair of you. Can I suggest that before you take up campaigns attacking wind power you research the whole picture so that you are at least a BIT of an expert. Shouting off when you don't really understand the whole picture can make you and the Conservative Party look silly.
Robb
A bit of an expert is a contradiction in terms. Either one is an expert or not. I am not. But I know enough about wind power to have a view on it. I said I was not an expert on North Sea oil and gas reserves. If you have expert information to impart, please feel free to do so.
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