Wind can now be accurately forecast up to a week ahead across the UK. By having a range of locations across the country and at sea wind is likely to be generating power in some locations and not others at most times. Wind is part of the energy solution for the future as are gas powerstations that will rely increasingly on imported gas.

A turbine should last for 20 - 25 years.

The sound of a wind turbine generating electricity varies depending on a number of factors, most turbines produce minimal noise from 200 metres away. Often the noise of the wind itself is louder. No one living near our turbine will be affected.

Slow moving sails, in wind instillations similar to ours, especially at single turbine installations, as ours will be, rarely kill birds. The small chopping fast moving blades of historic turbines are more likely to have bird casualties.

Wind turbines can cast long shadows when the sun is low in the sky. When the sun is specifically positioned in the sky with respect to a turbine and the window of a neighbouring dwelling, this shadow may pass through the window of the room; which comes and goes with each pass of a blade. This potential effect is most commonly referred to as ‘shadow flicker’.

 

As no properties (other than the landowners own) fall within 10 rotor diameters of the turbine, a Shadow flicker assessment was not undertaken. The proposed turbine has a rotor diameter of 56m, and all neighbouring properties are substantially further away than 560m from the wind turbine. In pre-application discussions with North Norfolk District Council they accepted this and agreed that no shadow flicker assessment is required.

Consultation has not revealed any objections from microwave link operators. Terrestrial television reception may be affected locally. However, the area has switched to a terrestrial digital signal which is less susceptible to interference. Nonetheless, standard mitigation measures can be employed to ensure that any loss of reception quality is rectified at the cost of the project, including pre-and post-construction signal reception surveys and engineers visits if any dwellings experience loss of reception quality. It is stated that such mitigation measures can be controlled by the imposition of a planning condition.

The construction of the wind turbine requires the delivery of the main components to the site including turbine blades, tower and nacelle. A total of 145 deliveries to site would be required to construct the track, turbine and substation, including the crane to erect the turbine. This would occur over the 4 month construction period. To deliver the turbine blades, the delivery lorry would need to mount the cross the signed triangle between Selbrigg Road and Church Road in Bodham. It is proposed to remove the island temporarily for the day when the turbine is delivered, and reinstate it immediately afterwards.

Wind turbines can have an impact on aviation operations, either as a result of being a physical hazard during the landing or take off of aircraft by interrupting an aerodromes ‘protected airspace’, or as a result of being visible on a radar used for the guidance of aircraft when in flight. Consultation with the aviation industry and a radar analysis found that no objections are anticipated to the project.

Crowd funding is a way of people who share the same ethos becoming involved. Examples of crowd funded projects are available at abundancegeneration  and a full explaination of the risks and possible rewards is also detailed there.

Some fear that my turbine will open the flood gates for many more. There are two reasons I don’t think this will happen- The Ministry of Defence will only permit 10 turbines within a 10 Square Nautical Mile radius – There are 8 of varying sizes already recorded and built. Mine would be the 10th the difference being the ‘slot’ for the possible turbine at Pond Farm. Secondly the National Grid locally is reaching capacity, without major capital investment no further major Solar or Wind installations will get sufficient connection to the grid. Should any proposal overcome the first hurdle the second is likely to make any business case uneconomic.

Whilst there will be an infer-red light mounted on the hub, because this is not visible to the naked eye, it provides protection (and is a requirement of the MOD) but does not appear illumunated.