Gone to the Wind

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that a new Government row over wind farms is blocking a report that could provide official confirmation that the controversial turbines can harm rural areas.  Sources have said that the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) — run by Ed Davey, a Liberal Democrat — wants to stop Owen Paterson, the Conservative Environment Secretary, publishing a major report that he has commissioned on renewable energy and the rural economy.
Mr Paterson, a known opponent of onshore wind farms, is understood to be furious at the attempts to stifle his department and is said to be “determined” to publish the findings. In June, he said that onshore turbines were often regarded as a “complete scam”.
Opponents of wind farms claim that they are unsightly and are an inefficient method of energy generation.
Sources in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) tonight claimed that figures in Mr Davey’s department were more concerned about “ideology” than scientific evidence. “This is our department,” a source said. “We are doing this report. It is part of our remit.”

Whilst police now struggle with protesters against drilling in Balcombe, West Sussex, issues are being sidetracked by ignorance and ancient paranoia. Today we have a collective hate subject to rival and supersede the lunatic support of CND, pacifism against German Nazi expansion, child molesting priests, Labours illegal war in Iraq and every other subject where emotional fear over-rides facts. Even without any company action, the masses of hysteria are gathering to blame them for things that are probably occurring naturally.  The company in Balcombe is drilling for oil as has happened and continues to happen in sites across the South of England; the country is dependent on imported fuels, both oil and gas, yet we are denied by the loud mouths of even debating the matters.  In the North West concerned citizen created enough noise so that much needed supplies of natural gas cannot be stored in the salt-mines on the Fylde Coast.
In Balcombe some residents are blaming the drilling company for events close to the village with no forensic evidence that they are involved.  Stephen Nolan tried to interview one resident but she could provided not a scintilla of evidence that her concerns are justified.  Waffle replaced logic and evidence and sentimental poverty will banish economic necessity.
With the hideously ineffective, overly expensive wind farms there is reason for protest.  Not only are they an ugly carbuncle, they will never ever be economically viable.  Not just that, but when they are at the end of their life the countryside will be infested with thousands of concrete blocks that will be expensive to remove.  Again we are addressed with a situation we cannot honestly confront because of Parliament and vested interests of an industry that only wants our money.  Meanwhile ignorance reigns in the non-debate on the countries fuel requirements.