wind turbines

[Askew]

I saw an article in today's Architecture page in The Independent [uk version] about wind turbines, and how Foster Assoicates have now developed a totally silent version by eliminating the gearbox. Each windmill can power 1500 homes. Do you think that the advance of silence will make them more attractive for ruaul Ireland?

[Peter Fitz]

The silence factor is definitely an improvement, but i think people were more concerned with their physical impact on the landscape.

[ringo]

Am I the only person who thinks wind turbines look beautiful on the landscape. They're elegant and graceful, not to mention 'eco-friendly'.

[TPG]

You're not the only one, ringo.

[MG]

I agree completely with you. I was recently at some turbines in Co. Fermanagh and they're awesome.

[Felix Strauß]

I´m terribly sorry, but they are an ecologic Problem. Not only does the sound desturb enviroment, even the movement of the wings is influencing nature. Luckily, The irish geographie is not as flat as the continental north-sea coast, but go to Frisia and look at those "windparks" with dozends of turbines. And think of the economic impact. They are much too expensive to be build without govermental aid. And at last, imagin The hills of Kerry topped by those things, where should the shy irish sheeps produce the famous irish wool and where will shy conntinental tourists go?

[Peter Fitz]

Regardless of how people think they look, in the long run they are here to stay. Obviously there are certain locations where they should not be put but we cannot continue distroying the earth the way we are.
I heard recently that they are now being built just offshore on some kind of special platforms on the sea, does anyone else know anything about this?

[Paul Clerkin]

They're now starting to build windfarms off shore. I read about a proposal for the Kish bank in the Irish sea, really a much better spot for them.

If you're interested:
Irish Landscape Institute: Power in the Landscape
Weds March 1st 6pm, RIAI, 8 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

[owen]

Apparently wind turbines aren't particularly eco-friendly as they have a massive embodied energy in their construction (measured in carbon emissions).

Yer Bio-energy is what you want (burning short rotation coppice wood or organic waste).