YOUR features concerning the 'dumping of wind farms in Tyrone' - in both the TyroneHerald and UlsterHerald last month - raise a number of points worthy of consideration.
Make no mistake, Northern Ireland has a role to play in the reduction of greenhouse gases and minimising our energy dependence on fossil fuels. In this part of the world, we do not have the resources of many other countries but what we do have is wind and rain. In fact, Northern Ireland has some of the best wind resources and has among the most excellent growing conditions in Europe. To an extent, therefore, we are in the enviable position of having the potential to provide a large percentage of our energy requirements from the wind and our heat/energy needs from biomass.
'Transition Town Omagh' (TTO) acknowledges that we live in an oil-dependent world and that we need to plan for a time when oil supply will not be so plentiful and to combat Global Warning, much of it caused by the burning of fossil fuels. TTO is comprised of local people, very aware of the requirement to develop alternative energy sources, to reduce the demand for energy and to combat Global Warming. There must be a balanced approach to the development of renewable energy in Tyrone and elsewhere in Northern Ireland. This should include the suitable siting of wind farms and the effective utilisation of all the resources at our disposal. It is vital that all impacts on the environment fully consider the communities upon which they impinge.
For the most-part, Tyrone is elevated on areas of high ground and the regularity of strong winds is usually reliable: It would be uneconomic for wind farm developers to locate at lower altitudes where, for many weeks of the year, winds might not blow with adequate force!
Because the wind does not always blow, however, wind turbines will only supply a fraction of the overall energy mix, but nevertheless an important part. It is, however, essential to ensure that affected communities benefit from this intrusion into their landscape.
In Northern Ireland, it is important to realise the full potential of the wind opportunity. 'Baywind' in Cumbria is a shining example of what is possible: The community has developed the first community wind farm and due to the level of interest, in 2002, it founded its own company 'Energy4All'.
Overall, in whatever part of the UK, wind farms contribute towards UK Government targets for Renewable Energy production and its Kyoto Treaty obligations. Globally, over time the reduction in carbon emissions and savings in fossil fuel use will become significant, setting an example to emerging economies. Even now, China and India are joining the growing band of nations embracing wind power, while most European countries have wind farm programmes, with Germany, Denmark and Spain deriving significant power generation from the wind.
In conclusion, yes we do have a large number of wind turbines and they do intrude on the landscape but they are vitally necessary to provide us with a clean source of electricity for a power-hungry society.
There are ways for communities - within which wind farms are sited - to derive benefit from having to suffer wind turbines near-at-hand and no doubt there will be a fairer deal, when permission for wind farms is granted, in the future.
Malcolm Lake
Transition Town Omagh
