Wind Farms

[jack]

People constantly refer to "unsightly" wind farms. The expected response is that they may be necessary. But simply saying "unsightly" bullies me into conceding the underlying premise, that they are ugly, and the choice is between beauty and necessity.

But now I question that. I certainly understand that if there's existing landscape which is really beautiful, you may not want large industrial changes. Especially if they're loud.

But are wind farms ugly? I think they're really pretty. I certainly think they're prettier than any other form of power generation I can think of. The best alternatives I can think of are some reservoirs. And I can imagine solar panels _could_ be pretty, but I've never really seen them used artistically.

If I had to dot the landscape with something, I think wind farms would be a good candidate. Big, graceful, elegant, white, like large benevolent tripods or triffids.

After all, deforestation, stone walls, hedgerows and windmills were all driven by necessity, not artistry, but now are seen as a quintessential part of the landscape. Even pylons, if never pretty, are commonly accepted.

The other question, is why was I embarrassed to say this? I think because "wind farms are ugly" is such a common part of the dialogue, but seemed so wrong to me, I assumed there must be something important I was missing, not that I might legitimately disagree.

Comments

[gerald_duck]

I detest wind farms. They're stark and utilitarian and I dislike them in the same way I dislike pylons. But the problem with wind turbines is worse for me in at least six respects:

• Unlike with pylon lines, there are realistic alternatives.
  
• They have to be sited in exposed areas, increasing their obtrusiveness.
  
• They're taller than pylons.
  
• They move. Moving things catch the eye more than stationary ones.
  
• Pylons, in the main, are a fait accompli, whereas wind farms are happening now.
  
• The amount of electricity they generate is negligible.

[kaberett]

Yep, I agree that they're pretty.

[damerell]

I don't know about "pretty", but they're not inherently unsightly to me.

[catyak]

The really unsightly aspect of wind turbines is hidden away in China, where the environment around the rare-earth processing plants is completely trashed.

They're not good for small aircraft or gliders, a wind turbine generates a wake vortex capable of flipping anything caught in it - this came to light because a glider club was in the news trying to stop a wind farm a couple of miles from their landing field.

I also oppose them because their output is highly unpredictable in the longer term, the UK wind output can vary from 10MW to about 3GW. It's currently running at 1.8GW (about 500MW more than originally forecast) but is predicted to be down to about 350MW by the end of tomorrow. To cope with this, the backup capacity is either idling or running at less than optimum efficiency, so the net benefit of a wind turbine is reduced. Plus we're paying for the backup capacity anyway.

On balance I've decided I don't like the sight of them. The moving ones attract the eye, unlike stationary objects, so they're more intrusive than other man-made eye-sores.

D

[rmc28]

I think they're lovely, and I'm always happy to see them.

[ceb]

Wind turbines are beautiful and graceful (and break up the boring fens wonderfully).

If we just built them, in 20 years everyone would be used to having them in the environment, like pylons...

[sunflowerinrain]

I don't think they are particularly ugly, and the offshore turbines at Great Yarmouth are beautiful, especially in a clear dawn.

I'm curious though - do the people who think they are ugly also think old-style windmills are ugly?

[ciphergoth]

I also find wind farms beautiful.