Farmer dismayed at eco-energy opposition (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Farmer dismayed at eco-energy opposition
1:50pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in News
Adam Twine at Westmill Farm
THE farmer behind the largest solar farm in the country has expressed his dismay at the actions of 100 MPs who lobbied David Cameron over wind energy subsidies.
Adam Twine, who launched Westmill Farm, in Watchfield, last summer, said the MPs who were calling for a dramatic cut in subsidies to onshore wind farms and to give more influence for local people who want to stop them being built were extremely short-sighted.
The MPs had expressed serious concerns over the level of taxpayers’ money going to the sector.
Adam, who is part of the local Westmill Wind Farm Co-op, said: “If we are to address the very real problems of climate change, then we must understand that we’re all in this together.
“Communities, not industrial lobbyists, exert their influence over energy production and demand.
“There is no reason I can see why local businesses don’t generate and purchase local energy to express their social and environmental commitment.
“Look at how Germany has embraced renewable technologies.
“As an island with so many natural energy resources, the UK could dwarf Germany’s endeavours – onshore wind and solar builds resilience into communities, offshore wind, wave and tidal energy will do the rest.”
The Westmill Solar Co-operative, which manages the Westmill Solar Farm, will be launching a share issue in the coming weeks.
Residents from the neighbouring communities will be encouraged to invest and take part ownership of the scheme, which is the only scheme and offer of its kind in the country.
The 30 acre site is home to more than 20,000 polycrystalline solar panels and produces 4.4GWh per year.
Adam, 51, who has farmed for more than 20 years, said: “The share issue will enable local people, businesses and civic organisations to take ownership of the newly built 5MW solar farm.
“Fortunately it was built in time to take advantage of the feed-in tariff before it was so abruptly slashed by the coalition.
“As a consequence it is now extremely unlikely that other parts of the country will be given the opportunity to offer their communities the chance to empower themselves in the same way.
“Under this Government there is a real danger that the COAL, in COALition, and the UK, in nUKe, represent the energy ambitions that will drive this country.
“And, unless we see a significant change in direction, all of the evidence suggests that this is the dark future we’re leaving to our children.
“Community-owned renewable energy is a viable alternative that should be recognised and embraced today.”
Comments(30)
Mr_Spunk
says...
2:28pm Tue 14 Feb 12
You gotta love the Adver's effort on Photos.
Anger = Arms crossed and a frown touching knees.
Dismay = Hands in pocket and a face like a smacked bottom.
itsamess
says...
3:31pm Tue 14 Feb 12
How much damage do these farmers do at our expense. Field after field filled with solar panels or other fields turned over to growing bio fuels. Fact--we could not generate sufficient power from these sources to keep homes and industry running. We still have the finest record of nuclear power and lead the world in new technology in the field whilst other countries forge ahead--we are reliant on power we have to buy from other countries at high cost
itsamess
says...
3:36pm Tue 14 Feb 12
Hmmmf
says...
4:05pm Tue 14 Feb 12
itsamess wrote:Because feed-in tariffs are a much more profitable cash crop. Unlike traditional crops, they require no effort at all. Indeed, all a subsidy-farmer has to do to reap a rich harvest is stand around with his hands in his pockets while the money rolls in.
Leave farmland for what it is there for--to grow food and graze animals for milk and foodstuffs which are in short supply--why import when we can grow?
itsamess
says...
4:54pm Tue 14 Feb 12
Yes which everyone else is paying for.
Robfm
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6:19pm Tue 14 Feb 12
itsamess
says...
7:29pm Tue 14 Feb 12
I am not overlooking any factor right down to some very minor details. It is one of the reasons govt is looking very closely at these kind of projects as they have proved to be quite a drain on the public purse. With new technologies coming through the giant windmills will become obsolete-all from a very simple idea by a very young man.
The Patrician
says...
8:48pm Tue 14 Feb 12
Antonio Lorusso
says...
11:26pm Tue 14 Feb 12
If you can't make it work without government handouts, you're not a "community-owned" anything, you're just another extension of the Government with delusions of independence.
Robfm
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7:32am Wed 15 Feb 12
Ian13
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8:07am Wed 15 Feb 12
Turbines no - horrible things that don't work most of the time due to too much or too little wind.
Nuclear power required to fill in the large gaps solar and wind don't fufil.
Robfm
says...
8:17am Wed 15 Feb 12
I agree re Wind Turbines but if a business wants a combination of the renewables to meet the ridiculous targets HMG have signed up to then they should be allowed to.
Ian13
says...
8:32am Wed 15 Feb 12
A reactor of the type in a nuclear submarine could power several small towns.
Robfm
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8:47am Wed 15 Feb 12
hostuniversal
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9:20am Wed 15 Feb 12
The also technologies become cheaper and more efficient over time. Whereas the real cost of nuclear are hidden with a carbon floor price and a stockpile of waste that no one yet knows what to do with. In these times of financial crisis and a lack of trust in purely profit driven multinationals with no roots or loyalty to local people and communities, it's vital that projects like Adam's come to fruition and demonstrate there is a way for more people to enjoy the security and independence that local energy farms can deliver.
daveyates3
says...
10:11am Wed 15 Feb 12
It's true that renewables are subsidised,but not to the extent of fossil fuels and nuclear.This imposses a high environmental cost on the community in the form of pollution,that has to be met by the taxpaer.The cost of decomissiong nuclear power stations alone will be £70~90bn and rising.
Nuclear's not even low carbon,it has the same overall footprint as a gas fired power station,once the mining,enrichment and disposal of the fuel is accounted for.
Wind farms have been subjected to lies and myths about their operation,which are peddled by a vocal,out of touch minority.
Community renewables work.
Hmmmf
says...
10:35am Wed 15 Feb 12
.
Yes, at everybody else's expense. Those profits only exist because of Miliband's obscene feed-in tariffs.
.
"Community renewables work."
Except that not one single conventional or nuclear power station has ever been shut down or decomissioned in spite of the plethora of subsidy farms that sprouted under Labour's great carbon con. And likely never will be for as long as people want electricity 24/7.
Robfm
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10:41am Wed 15 Feb 12
The lights are due to go out in 2015 so we are told by the 'experts', what do you suggest in the interim.
AlbanThurston
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12:45pm Wed 15 Feb 12
Robfm
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12:58pm Wed 15 Feb 12
Although I wouldn't disagree with your general points.
hostuniversal
says...
3:14pm Wed 15 Feb 12
hostuniversal
says...
3:29pm Wed 15 Feb 12
itsamess
says...
7:57pm Wed 15 Feb 12
France has the highest % of any country generating nuclear power and EdF are the biggest exporters of energy to other countries which include germany.They also own 30% of Guandong nuclear.
China worked closely with UK scientists to produce dual magnetic fields making fusion easier to achieve. As opposed to the ITERs single field which could explain why the ITER programme has changed direction. Fusion reactors as opposed to fission. 1 plant in France opens in 2016 with 4 reactors feeding the grid. The location has not been disclosed as yet. China has had 4 plants up and running for 3 years and are already building the second generation reactors. The more modern Fission reactors have since changing and recycling fuels have lower costs and less radiation factors. That means less waste to dispose of.
Over inflated decommissioning costs mean very little these days due to more efficient recycling and better build materials.
Germany are only producing about 30% of their energy needs despite having one of the highest rates of wind turbines and report very poor results.
Alban
You are well known for your efforts into green projects of a wide variety. Mostly connected to foods etc. You also promote Solar Panels --i do understand for cooperatives 'not for profit'.
I do wonder what your views are as to the fields being turned over to solar panels and bio fuel crops as your interest in foods is so strong?
I have always advocated Solar panels on buildings and houses as on a good day the figures can be quite good. Field trials are taking place with a new wind catching device which can be mounted in a roof space with minimal noise--shielded with new materials. A compact version is being tested on numerous cars (electric) which will charge the batteries in the move increasing the range. So yes technology is moving on rapidly.
Robfm
says...
8:42am Thu 16 Feb 12
So exactly when did they harness the technology Walter given that every single scientific journal says Fusion is still a minimum of 50 years off as a via source of electricity.
Robfm
says...
9:00am Thu 16 Feb 12
s/s/0/40d16bd4-362b-
11e1-9f98-00144feabd
c0.html#axzz1mX8GaC1
A
itsamess
says...
2:47pm Thu 16 Feb 12
eyond your understanding.
Robfm
says...
5:53pm Thu 16 Feb 12
http://www.world-nuc
lear.org/info/inf40.
html
itsamess
says...
7:02pm Thu 16 Feb 12
There have indeed been many safety issues in many nuclear plants--more were ordered as a result if fukishima--none of which directly impact the reactors.
I should reiterate links you supply do not supply all the current information and indeed rarely official bodies with a great deal of inaccuracies. Do note that type designations and output does not identify the fuel and designation. As you have nothing close to a science degree and no experience in reactor rooms it is safe to say you rely on flawed information. If you study hard enough the clues are all there. However you actually claimed Harwell never had reactors that supplied the grid--despite the fact the records are very clear--but there you prefer information that suits your agenda.
Robfm
says...
6:13pm Fri 17 Feb 12
If I could be bothered I would idg out the posts. Hopefully AG will read this and comment. He ripped you to pieces on those threads.
Hmmmf says...
2:02pm Tue 14 Feb 12
Fortunately it was built just in time for subsidy farmer Adam, 51, to screw the public to the max before the feed-in tariff was slashed. The fact that it is extremely unlikely that other parts of the country will bother now the tariffs have been reduced merely proves that subsidy farming is about money and greed, and nothing whatever to do with 'green energy'.