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Thursday, January 29, 2015
Melancthon Wind Farm
Half an hour south of us here in the valley, there's a large wind farm, in fact one of the first and largest in Canada, with 133 of those huge windmills dominating the skyline around you. It's an area of somewhat less than average productive farmland, and when farmers started being offered money for allowing windmills they spread quickly.
The windmills were silhouetted against the developing sunset as we drove home from a trip to a certain fabric store, but I had to wait for a safe place to pull over to take pictures. And the exposure on these was tricky with the strong light of the sun!
The dark gray skies were advancing rapidly, changing the picture every mile we drove. It is really something to see, and it's even spookier at night when all you see are flashing red lights at the top of every tower in the dark.
There is a lot of conflict over windmills like these. Although the province has promoted renewable energy, and given companies guaranteed prices to encourage investment, many people argue against them. To be honest, I'm not sure where I stand because I'm in favour of renewable energy, and I find them rather attractive - but then I don't live there.
I think a lot of the conflict is based on misunderstanding the nature of science, both by citizens and by politicians. Consultants can do a survey and 'prove' there is no health risk to living near these windmills, but science typically uses a 95% statistical significance rule, not 100%. So if you survey 100 people and find only 4 who say they are suffering ill health because of these, you have in effect 'proven' that there are no health effects - 95 time out of 100 there is no health effect.
That does not mean the other 4 are not suffering ill health. It makes perfect sense to me that there is a small proportion of the population who are sensitive either to the vibration or noise of these windmills, and their concerns should not be dismissed. I have no easy answer, but in the meantime, these are a growing feature of our rural landscape.
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We have these windmills near where I live and I love seeing them go round and round. I find them mesmerizing.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit torn about them- I get the need for them, but having had been around them and rendered nauseous by the turning of the blades, I can feel for those who live near them.
ReplyDeleteWe have windmills a ways from us too.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
I don't think I'd want one on the hill behind us at all. I like the moody skies in these photos.
ReplyDeleteBut on the other side of the issue is the damage that conventional power plants - coal and nuclear - as well as damming up rivers for water supplied power all have their downside too - side effects and huge environmental effects. As long as we need electricity we have to make choices.
ReplyDeleteThere are several now on and near the farm where I grew up, my brother still farms there. They say there is little notice of them.
ReplyDeleteNice pics of the wind turbines. We have tons of these wind farms in the Columbia River Gorge. I have mixed feelings about them. I'm all for renewable energy, but I know these windmills kill birds, and they clutter up the beautiful Gorge landscape.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on your views about windfarms, I think there could be advantages to them but conflict here also with many people, lovely photos though
ReplyDeleteIn England we have huge numbers of these offshore along the east coast. More expensive to construct but well away from people and there's a lot more wind out there. We have some on land too.
ReplyDeleteThere are always contradiction to anything and everything that anyone does. Be it governmental or non-governmental actions. I used to analyze and take sides in many issues but I guess I got tired. Today you may be right, tomorrow you realize you were not.
ReplyDeleteSkies are however beautiful. There such a bit of a creepy mood on the second shot but it all calmed down on the last one.
Great shots. I tend to agree with your views on wind farms . I feel that we should have more of them here in Australia rather than relying on coal.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they mar the landscape any more than hydro/cable wires, cell-phone towers, myriad shopping mall and housing developments...and all the things we think we need to live happily. However, I do feel bad for people who are bothered by them. But then some people are bothered by tingle current, traffic noise, trains blasting through intersections, ambulance sirens, planes flying overhead....
ReplyDeleteMy hubs works with the manufactures and sales people for these huge wind turbines with in his steel company . We have hundreds down here to all over the north shores of lake Erie . Amaranth Wind Farm in Ontario is the largest and first in Canada . I love the country scenery with them in we see big trucks a lot hauling parts of new ones a lot down here . Wonderful photos and info thanks for sharing , Have a good weekend !
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for the people who live them them and for the birds.. I am all for alternative energy sources as long as they are placed in the best spot.. Great post and photos.. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteLots of ongoing lawsuits here. Noise, flicker and setbacks are the big issues.
ReplyDeleteOh... and do yours blink in unison? That is the creepiest.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! I saw thousands of these at one time when I was in China. They stretched into infinity. I find them rather beautiful, although I understand they are also hard on the bird population.
ReplyDeleteThere is no free lunch nor electricity without impacts. Anyone who has never seen a strip mine for coal may be opposed to wind turbines, but once you've visited a strip mine I believe you'll change your mind. Turbines may kill birds, but strip mines destroy the habitat of more birds than the turbines will kill over their useful life
ReplyDeleteA wonderful sky! The second one is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteGuess everything has a trade off as such. Check out Houston oil refineries photos or other such refinery photos. Not too landscape nor even air aroma friendly. Either way, I so enjoy my lights, heat and automobile freedom.
ReplyDelete