Comment: Wind Power remains the icon for renewable energies. It's just a tragedy that it is uneconomic, has dangerous health effects and a corporate green-washing exercise to make as much money as possible. And I passionately support green issues and the search for genuine alternative forms of sustainable energy. But I know when environmentalism has been co-opted for corporatism and wind farms are, I'm afraid a prime example.
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Turbines up to 180m (590ft) tall - half the height of the Empire State Building - are cropping up as part of a drive to meet EU green energy targets and generate 40% of Ireland's electricity from wind. Revenue, too, will flow by exporting power to Britain under inter-governmental plans.
Some have joined forces with groups opposing planned new electricity pylons to upgrade the national power grid. Wind energy companies say they follow strict Irish planning
guidelines, now under review due to new larger turbines and local
opposition.
'Ruined landscape'
A country pub in County Laois is packed on a Monday night for a meeting of the Laois Energy Awareness Group. Ray Conroy helped set it up, he says, after energy companies suddenly appeared, doing deals with some locals for turbine sites.
"The first we knew was when our local authorities and government announces 'wey hey - wind farms are coming, and it's a boom for everyone'. It's nonsense," he says.
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Ireland is short of money but not wind, which now forms a central plank of its energy policy.
But plans to develop wind power and export it to Britain are
sparking a rural revolt, with local protest groups uniting through
social media. Some claim Ireland will become a wind farm for Britain. Turbines up to 180m (590ft) tall - half the height of the Empire State Building - are cropping up as part of a drive to meet EU green energy targets and generate 40% of Ireland's electricity from wind. Revenue, too, will flow by exporting power to Britain under inter-governmental plans.
More than 100 opposition groups
have sprung up against new wind farms - all in rural areas - claiming
the turbines will ruin the landscape, with noise and shadows blighting
homes nearby.
'Ruined landscape'
A country pub in County Laois is packed on a Monday night for a meeting of the Laois Energy Awareness Group. Ray Conroy helped set it up, he says, after energy companies suddenly appeared, doing deals with some locals for turbine sites.
"The first we knew was when our local authorities and government announces 'wey hey - wind farms are coming, and it's a boom for everyone'. It's nonsense," he says.
Read more
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