Bucks Lacks Enough Wind

What is the benefit of this wind farm?

Wind energy is often heralded as a way to offset carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.
A wind turbine saves about 88kg of cardon dioxide (CO₂) an hour – but to put that into perspective, a single heavy goods vehicle (or 8 cars) travelling at 56mph emits around 125kg of CO₂ an hour [source: Renewable Energy Foundation].

Based on 7 turbines working for 25% of the time and an HGV being driven for 8 hours a day, that means that the effect of the Emberton wind farm would less than the effect of removing four heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from the road (and that doesn’t take into account the environmental cost of constructing the wind farm).

It has also been calculated that the same effect would occur if every person in Milton Keynes was to drive just 30 fewer miles each year in their car.

A commercial wind farm in this area could be expected to cost the UK consumer £2.35 million a year in subsidies to save 0.00008% of the UK’s total CO₂ emissions [source: Renewable Energy Foundation].

It appears that the main reason that the Petsoe Manor Farm site has been selected is financial gain.

The main financial beneficiaries of the development are:

• The landowner (who can expect to be paid a substantial rent for the wind farm site);
• The developer (who will be subsidised through the UK Government’s renewables obligation certificate scheme). These subsidies could well end up in an offshore tax haven.

What are renewable obligation certificates?

Introduced in April 2002 (and currently under review), the renewables obligation is the UK Government’s main mechanism for supporting renewable energy, subsidising electricity companies for the difference between the cost of generating electricity from renewable sources and the market price of electricity.

The obligation ensures that electricity suppliers buy a proportion of their power from renewable sources and renewable obligation certificates (ROCs) are used as proof of purchase for this “green” power. Unfortunately, the ROC system is complex and open to abuse.

Because the scheme makes no distinction between high and low value technologies it is actually leading to companies making money from ROCs in areas where there is no economic case for a wind farm.

Where will the ROC subsidies go?

Your Energy Ltd, the developers behind the Petsoe Manor wind farm, claim to be “an independent UK-based renewable energy company[,] established in 2001 and owned by Mistral Invest Ltd, the wind sector investment vehicle of an international shipping company” [source: Your Energy].

Platina Finance Ltd (based in London and Paris) is a private equity firm which manages the Mistral Windfarms private equity fund and advises Platina LP on wind energy investments [source: Platina Finance].

CNC Investment Corporation (CIC) is registered in the Bahamas and is the investment arm of the international shipping group CNC - the main sponsor of Platina LP and Mistral Windfarms (who are the asset ownership division of Mistral Invest) [source: Mistral Windfarms].

CNC primarily owns and operates tankers, bulk and specialised tonnage carriers [source: Platina Finance] and is registered in the Marshall Islands.

The Bahamas and the Marshall Islands are both considered to be tax havens.

It remains to been seen whether Your Energy are serious about operating wind farms in the UK; however, based on past performance, their business appears to be built on obtaining planning permission for wind farms and then selling them on at a lucrative profit - a severe exploitation of the ROC scheme.

Are wind turbines noisy?

The sound of a wind turbine has also been likened to the threshing noise of some farm machinery. Vibration and low frequency noise are noticeable from established wind farms more than 2 kilometres away.

One correspondent described the noise from the Burton Wold Wind Farm as follows:

“There was a very wide spectrum of noise including:

• General low frequency ’swooshing’ wind noise from the blades themselves.
• A medium frequency ‘gearbox like’ humming sound similar to a distant passenger jet aircraft.
• A fairly loud medium frequency noise coming from the vibrating tower itself at its base.”

Not much is known about the long-term heath effects of this noise; however, the DVD which we how have available about the experiences of people affected by wind turbines in the USA described local residents having their sleep patterns disturbed by the noise from the turbines.

I’ve heard about something called shadow flicker. What is it?

On sunny days, shadows produced by the wind turbine will move, creating a flicker as the blades rotate. This causes a strobe-light effect, with serious consequences for drivers in the nearby vicinity, particularly the busy A509 and A422 routes.

Will the wind farm affect the value of my house?

A survey undertaken by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 2004 showed that 60% of home-owners experienced a negative effect on house prices during the time of the planning application and the construction period of the wind farm.

If we don’t have wind energy, what’s the alternative?

In our region, biomass crops are a reliable, “firm” alternative. The process of growing and such burning crops is very clean. Renewable energy is produced because the growing process absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than is produced during the combustion phase. The growth of biomass crops would also help to preserve our rural landscape.

Other technologies that we should consider include offshore wind and tidal electricity generation; use of biofuel for transport; and greater use of domestic renewable energy such as solar thermal. These should be combined with initiatives to promote better use of energy within our homes, workplaces and public facilities - everyone can reduce their personal greenhouse emissions.

But we have to do something to prevent global warming!

Absolutely. Unfortunately the proposed wind farms will have little effect on reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and slowing down the change in our climate. Whilst the UK does account for 2.3% of the world’s CO₂ emissions (550 million tonnes each year), meeting the government’s target of producing 10% of our electricity (33.6TWh) from renewable sources by 2010 would save just 9.2 million tonnes of CO₂ at a cost of £1 billion each year. Putting that another way, we would reduce our impact on global emissions by just 0.0004% [source: Renewable Energy Foundation].

Meanwhile, China’s energy needs are expected to grow over 600% from 1800TWh in 2003 to 11000TWh in 2020, commissioning a new power station every week to meet that demand [source: Renewable Energy Foundation]. Other developing nations are experiencing similar growth in demand for energy and so even if the UK had no CO₂ emissions at all, climate change would continue.

“As a means of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, [ROCs are] several times more expensive than other measures…” [source:UK National Audit Office]

That doesn’t mean that the UK can sit back and do nothing - we can lead by example through developing economically compelling examples of renewable electricity generation and revising the renewable obligation certificate scheme to favour firm renewables, concentrating on quality not quantity.

On a personal level, each one of us can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by making a few simple adjustments to our lifestyle.

It seems pretty windy to me - surely we can use some of that wind to good effect?

However windy it sometimes seems, the simple fact is that this area experiences some of the lowest wind levels in the UK.

Normally, wind speeds under 7 metres/second are not considered suitable for wind turbines and for optimum power generation wind speeds would need to be around 14 metres/second - rarely reached inland in the UK (that’s why the turbines have to be so tall).

Official figures show that the Petsoe Manor Farm site has wind speeds of around 6.4-6.5 metres/second [source: DTI windspeed database], which would produce about one eighth of the maximum power (because of the “cube law” power curve of the turbine).

We are fortunate enough to have a local company that keeps accurate weather data for the area, updated every 15 minutes [source: Great Escape Ballooning]. Note that this weather data shows wind speeds in knots (1 metre/second = 2 knots) so, for optimum power generation, a 28 knot wind (about 30mph) would be required at turbine height.

What’s so special about Olney, Emberton and the Petsoe Manor Farm site?

The parish of Emberton is actually made up of three villages that were annexed together for ecclesiastical purposes in 1650: Petsoe; Ekeney; and Emberton. Today nothing remains of Ekeney and Petsoe only exists as a hamlet called Petsoe End.

Besides being positioned partly within (and towering over) the Ouse Valley area of attractive landscape, the proposed wind farm is situated at the 13th Century site of the smallest Chapel in England and the lost hamlet of Ekeney. There are six sites of historic interest or scheduled ancient monuments situated either on or close to the proposed wind farm site.

As for Olney, it’s an attractive market town, set in a rural landscape, dominated by the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, adjacent to the River Great Ouse. Famous for its annual pancake race (run since 1445), the town was first mentioned in the Domesday Book and has a history as a lace-making centre as well as bing the place where the Olney Hymns were written. John Newton, reformed slave-trader and author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, was curate of Olney and is buried there as well as having the Cowper and Newton museum dedicated to him in the town. Olney has also won various awards in recent years including Buckinghamshire Best Kept Village (as has nearby Weston Underwood) and the Thames and Chilterns Country in Bloom – Small Town Cup for five years running [source: Olney Town Council].

None of this should stop local residents from taking steps to be more energy-efficient and even participating in renewable energy schemes, but is surrounding us with 23 huge wind turbines really the answer?

What can I do to reduce my impact on the environment?

There are many things that we can each do to reduce our individual impact on the environment. A recent article in New Scientist magazine featured some practical advice on steps that you can take to reduce your personal greenhouse gas emissions. Interestingly, our homes and workplaces account for 77% of all greenhouse gas emissions:

• Dress appropriately for the weather. Rather than turning up the heating or the air conditioning, add or remove a layer of clothing.
• Change your driving habits. Cars running on bioethanol offer a 100% reduction in CO₂ emissions (compared with between 20 and 40% for a petrol-electricity hybrid car) and major manufacturers such as Saab are starting to embrace biofuels.
• Compost your kitchen and garden waste.
• Fly less. Taking the train instead of flying short-haul (e.g. Manchester, Edinburgh, Paris) can make huge savings in emissions - it’s often faster too, once you take into account the time it takes to get to the airport, park and check-in.
• Think about your food. Aside from the obvious (if unsavoury) effect of our own methane emissions through flatulence, much of our food has been air-freighted from remote parts of the globe. Buy seasonal products and shop locally.
• The 3 Rs - reduce, reuse, recycle. Use less packaging, reuse where possible (e.g. re-using carrier bags at the supermarket), and recycle waste (including the things that the Council doesn’t collect, like aluminium foil - the Waste and Resources Action Programme offers advice with this through its RecycleNow campaign).
• Be more energy-efficient. Turn off the lights when you leave a room, don’t leave household devices on standby, and turn off your PC when it’s not in use (running a PC for 50 hours a week instead of 24 hours a day can save a significant amount of electricity and about £45 a year).

Some emissions are inevitable and organisations such as Climate Care can help offset CO₂ emissions by funding sustainable energy and reforestation projects.

How can I formally object to the proposals?

The planning application may be inspected in the Civic Offices (address below). The planning authorities (in this case, Milton Keynes Council) are required to take into account local opinions on the scheme; however anyobjections need to be recorded formally and must meet certain criteria.

Writing is by far the most effective method and if you wish tooppose the application, you should write to:

Development Control
Environment Directorate
Milton Keynes Council
Civic Offices
1 Saxon Gate East
Central Milton Keynes
MK9 3ZL

or alternatively, send e-mail to peter.joel@milton-keynes.gov.uk (make sure you include your full postal address in the e-mail text).

• Write your name and address clearly – illegible letters will be discounted.
• Include the planning number 06/01349/FULEIS
• Keep a copy of the letter that you write – you may need it again later.
• The more letters received the better, so all residents should write,regardless of whether or not someone else in their home has already written.

You should also write to your town/parish council and to your local ward councillor (e.g. Debbie Brock/Steve Clark for Olney ward or Sam Potts for Sherington Ward). Unfortunately, because this is a local planning issue, there is little point in writing to our MP (Mark Lancaster), unless you are trying to influence government policy.

What are the valid reasons for objecting to the planning application?

It’s important that you write any objections in your own words, but it’s also important to adhere to valid planning objections.

Here are some valid grounds for opposing the application:

• Adverse visual impact – you may enjoy walking, bird-watching, cycling, fishing, horse-riding or another activity and appreciate the tranquillity and natural beauty of the area. You may be concerned that the turbines will disturb this peace and tranquillity and intrude into the Ouse Valley area of attractive landscape, particularly with the cumulative effect of the various proposed schemes.
• Public amenity – you may be concerned that there are a number of footpaths and bridleways crossing the site and the turbines could present a danger to passers by with “blade throw” and other items thrown from the blades and “shadow flicker” affecting walkers and horses.
• Construction and site access – you may be concerned about the hundreds of heavy goods vehicle movements that will necessitate the widening of country lanes and cause problems for local businesses, commuters, school runs and emergency services, or that access to the site will be gained from a junction that has already seen two fatalities in the last two years (and will necessitate the temporary removal of some of the safety features installed recently).
• Archaeological interest – you may be concerned about the proximity of the wind farm site to the ancient lost hamlet of Ekeney (the site includes various sites of archeological importance including a scheduled ancient monument).
• Noise - you may be concerned about the low-frequency noise created by the turbines (about which little is known of the long-term health effects).
• Wildlife – your concerns may be for the migratory and resident birds that make this area their home and the potential destruction of their natural habitat.
• European landscape convention – this recognises landscape as legally constituting an essential component of people’s lives. It is therefore your right to oppose if you feel that the turbines will affect your enjoyment of your surroundings.

In addition, the financial model which supports the wind farm developers raises many important questions for which Milton Keynes Council and local residents should seek answers:

• Will the wind farm at Petsoe Manor Farm be owned and constructed by Your Energy or is it the intention to sub-contract the ownership and/or construction to another party?
• In the event of planning permission being gained, does Your Energy have any intention of selling the permission to a third party or will it be transferred to Mistral Invest?
• Who will be responsible for on-going maintenance and support during the lifetime of the wind farm?
• In the event of a problem with the wind farm, to whom are the nearby residents going to address their issues?
• Should there be any concern that it appears that the funding parties behind the proposal are incorporated in the Bahamas (Mistral Invest) and the Marshall Islands (CNC Investment Corporation)?
• Is the Council confident that, in the event of having to pursue a legal matter, that such an action can be successful?

Why does BLEW need to raise funds?

We aim to fight the planning application for the wind farm at Petsoe Manor in a professional, thorough and legal manner but, in order to mount a campaign against the wind farm proposals, it is necessary to raise funds. Even though many people have donated their time and resources to the campaign, inevitably there are costs to cover, specifically in relation to raising public awareness and combatting the planning application once it is submitted to Milton Keynes Council. Particularly expensive will be the need to enlist expert help to form a rebuttal case and to this end we need to embark on fund raising.

We hope that you will be able to support us by contributing to our cause - even a small amount will go towards our print and publicity costs.

Cheques should be made payable to B.L.E.W. and sent to BLEW, c/o Debbie Brock, 126 High Street, Olney, MK46 4BE.

In the event that no planning application is submitted, any remaining proceeds will be returned on a pro-rata basis to donors of over £10.

Of course, whilst financial support is critical, it’s not just monetary contributions that are of value - if you have specific skills that you would be prepared to offer (e.g. commercial print facilities, legal expertise, marketing and presentation skills, or just some spare time to distribute information to local residents) then we would be pleased to hear from you.