News / WSG statement in full
A FEW hours after Shetland News published the ‘Viking Energy: the human impact’ feature, Chris Bunyan issued the following statement on behalf of the Windfarm Supporters Group (WSG). We publish it in full:
It is important people seek independent authoritative views on the issues that concern them. The available authoritative research shows there are no health concerns regarding flicker effect, low-frequency infrasound and epilepsy, for example. The evidence is that property prices may be affected in the short term, partly because of negative publicity, but they recover once a windfarm is operating. There are 50 conditions placed on Viking Energy including strict noise limits. If the noise limits are broken action has to be taken including, if necessary, shutting the turbine(s) down. The turbines must be able to be to be controlled, or cut-out, at specific wind speeds and directions if this is necessary to keep within noise limits.
In no way do I mean to disparage the concerns of residents who live nearer to the turbines, but the question of the visual effect of turbines is very subjective depending upon whether you see windmills as graceful and peaceful machines, or monsters that scar the landscape.
I strongly recommend people read the Centre for Sustainable Energy’s publication, ‘Common Concerns About Windfarms’, published last year.
(www.cse.org.uk/downloads/file/common_concerns_about_wind_power.pdf).
The publication draws heavily on academic peer-reviewed research and expert studies. It is a relatively short (40-page) report and fairly easy to read.There is a vast amount of detailed planning that now has to be agreed about every aspect of the windfarm. We can either close our eyes to what has already started to happen or see how we can try and influence the plans to ensure Shetland gets the best possible deal, in every meaning, with the least possible problems.
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