Exploring the Myths of Wind Farms
‘Wind Power is Cheap’ or ‘Wind is Free’
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Electricity in Ireland is the third most expensive in Europe. Domestic electricity is 42% over
the EU average, (Eurostat – excl. taxes weighted average 42% above EU-28).
The cost of electricity in Ireland continues to rise.
Wind farms are a major reason for the high cost of electricity.
Wind generated electricity is recognised as being one of the most expensive forms of
renewable energy, (ESB National Grid 2004, Irish Academy of Engineering 2011, Colm
McCarthy 2014).
Freebies for the Wind Farm Companies:
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The PSO Levy was increased by 50% to €73.06 (inc VAT) Oct 1st 2014. Renewable energy
companies, mostly wind farms, receive €94m from the levy.
Wind farms are given subsidies, curtailment fees and constraint fees.
At current rates, is estimated that DunoAir could make more than €1 million per annum
from these subsidies.
Wind farms do not pay to use the national grid.
DunoAir is guaranteed the sale of electricity for 15 years above market price.
Further Costs to the Energy Consumer:
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Construction of conventional power stations to back up the wind farms.
It is likely that the Grid Link project and Grid 25, consisting of pylons carrying 400 kV
overhead cables will go ahead. Construction of Grid Link, (€550m), part of Grid 25, (€3.2b).
Property devaluation and unsaleable property.
It Will Create Local Employment
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Transport and construction of the turbines will be undertaken by specialist firms.
The only possible local jobs will be in road construction, site clearance and security. This
depends on which companies they subcontract the work to.
Evidence from other projects shows that the Wind Power Generation industry employs
companies from outside the local area, such as security firms from Dublin.
The maintenance of the Wind Power Generation Plant will take very few man hours.
DunoAir claim it will create one job.
This is likely to be a maintainance engineer responsible for multiple sites who is unlikely to
be based here or be employed locally.
The wind farm will be remotely operated, possibly even from a different country.
DunoAir claims project will provide much needed employment in the local community.
However the company has admitted there is no employment whatsoever for locals as the
work is specialised.
‘It’s Green Energy’
Manufacture and Construction
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The manufacture of wind turbines entails large use of rare earth materials and
petrochemicals.
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The turbines are transported long distances on huge trucks.
Local roads must be widened.
Much of the forestry will be cleared.
The construction will entail large concrete foundations. Each turbine will be supported by
foundations containing 1000s tonnes of concrete.
The turbines are backed up by fossil fuel plants which are ramped up and down, creating
even more carbon emissions than normal.
A Lasting Effect on the Local Environment
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Visual amenity: An industrial landscape above the communities of Faugheen, Ballyneale and
Ahenny.
Visual amenity: Slievenamon and its foothills, and the Suir Valley.
It is unlikely that much forestry will be left because it will cause wind turbulence around the
turbines, and it cannot be replanted for the lifetime of the wind park.
Wide forest tracks must be built. Some of it will be hard surface. DunoAir have not stated
how much will be hard surface.
DunoAir will lease most of the forestry so will have the right to fell any trees they want.
Loss of local biodiversity and local wildlife.
‘Locally Generated Electricity for Local Use’
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Unless the turbines are directly connected to a local grid feeding local houses and
businesses, the electricity will go wherever it is needed on the National Grid. It is for
nationwide use, not local use.
This electricity is not specifically for homes in South Tipperary as has been implied. We are
not directly plugged into the turbines. It goes to the grid to serve the whole country.
There is, to our knowledge, nowhere in Ireland where a commercial Wind Power Generation
company has provided free electricity to a community.
‘It Will Generate Enough Power for 15,000 Homes’
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If the wind farm runs at 100% efficiency 100% of the time it will provide enough power for
the equivalent of 15,000 homes. This is an impossibility.
At best, wind turbines only work for about 1/3 of the time.
Using the most reliable method of estimating how much electricity this development will
provide, (Eirgrid’s formula for Capacity Credit), this development will generate enough
power for 2,450 homes. That’s about 16% of what DunoAir claim.
‘I’d rather a wind farm than pylons’
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It is not a choice between the two.
They are separate developments and will go through different planning processes.
Free Electricity for the Lifetime of the WPG Plant as Part of Community Gain
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Free electricity is not part of the deal.
This has never happened in Ireland and is unlikely to ever happen.
Free Electricity is a myth.
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DunoAir Carrigadoon Wind Park
The Wind Power Generation Plant
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DunoAir plan to build 8 wind turbines on Carrigadoon Hill and Curraghdobbin Hill.
The life span of the project is 30 years.
The turbines will be connected to the substation at Ballydine by underground cables.
The turbines will be 126.5 metres tall and are located near the tops of both hills.
They will tower over the tops of the two hills and will be seen for miles around from all
angles. (Curraghdobbin and Carrigadoon Hills are approximately 200 - 240m above Faugheen
Village, Ballinurra and Lissadobber).
History of the Site
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WEOM proposed a wind farm on the other side of Carrigadoon Hill in 2006.
The Ahenny Action Group had the land rezoned as Unsuitable for Wind Energy Development
in the South Tipperary County Council Development Plan 2009-2015. One of the main
reasons for this was Knockroe Passage Tomb.
The new proposal places turbines within 100 metres of that zone.
The project manager of the DunoAir Carrigadoon Wind Park was involved in the WEOM
proposal so they know the area very well.
Construction
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The site entrance will be next to Newtown Upper National School. All construction traffic
and all parts will be transported on tracks up the steep hill directly behind the school.
The construction of the wind farm will necessitate the widening, straightening and
reinforcement of roads and forest tracks.
The turbines will arrive in 40 metre sections on 50m trucks.
The construction equipment will include huge, heavy duty cranes and diggers.
Large amounts of concrete will be needed for the massive foundation works for the
turbines. The foundation for each turbine will consist of a hole big enough to fit two double
decker buses, filled with concrete.
There will be approximately 550 trucks of rockfill 300 loads of readymix concrete.
Much of the forestry will be cut down and cannot be replanted for the lifetime of the
project.
Community Gain and the Community Turbine
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The figure of €25,000 is not confirmed.
This is not a Coillte project: they would be leasing the land to DunoAir, so Coillte do not
offer ‘community gain’.
There is no information on who controls that money or where it is likely to go, if anywhere.
DunoAir has a history of selling large stakes in their windfarms to private equity firms. They
recently sold a 90% stake in one of their projects to Ampere Equity Fund. DunoAir’s owner,
Arjen Ploeg, has stated that he wants to specialise in the development and sale of wind
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farms so it is likely that DunoAir will sell a large stake in Carrigadoon Wind Park to an equity
fund. What happens to community gain then?
Pim de Ridder from DunoAir has stated there will be 12,000 shares in a turbine available to
local residents at €500 per share. This comes to €6 million that DunoAir want us to invest in
the turbine. He also stated that the turbine would cost DunoAir €3 million. This equates to a
100% gross profit that DunoAir wants to make from the local community under the guise
of an investment opportunity. If successful, they would make that profit before they even
turn on a single turbine.
Pim de Ridder also stated that if successful, they would consider selling shares in a second
turbine. When DunoAir look at us all they see are Euro Signs.
The ‘Community Turbine’ would yield 4 – 5% per annum ‘guaranteed’ for investors,
depending on how close they live to the turbine. This equates to €20 – 25 per annum. To
make any real gain an investor would need to buy many shares. There are much better
investment opportunities out there for those who wish to invest their money for such long
periods of time.
Nothing has been set in stone. DunoAir have told different people different things.
The Reality of Community Gain
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The concept of ‘Community Gain’ is vague and there is no concrete information.
There is no standard or proper regulation for ‘Community Gain’.
How much is it? €25,000 is not confirmed.
Who administers it? Where does it go?
What does DunoAir consider to be local? How many households fall within the local
community according to DunoAir?
It is estimated that DunoAir could make between €6,000,000 and €7,000,000 per annum from
Carrigadoon Wind Park. That’s between €180,000,000 and €210,000,000 over 30 years.
Their unconfirmed offer of community gain equates to between 0.36% and 0.42% of what they
stand to make from us.
Points to Consider: Future Impact
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Biodiversity and Wildlife
Heritage Sites
Local Amenity, Activities and
recreation
Tourism
Local Economy and Employment
Safety concerns – Fire and Ice
Noise levels
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Infrasound
Flicker and reflected flicker
Health issues, mental and physical
The impact on Newtown Upper
National School
Animal health
Legacy forced on the community and
the landscape
If we don’t act now to protect our landscape and our community, we could easily end up
surrounded by pylons and turbines for generations to come. What legacy do we want to leave?
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Useful Links:
www.faugheenagainstpylons.wordpress.com
www.carrigadoonwindpark.ie
www.windawareireland.com
www.rethinkpylons.org
Facebook:
Faugheen Against Pylons
Ballyneale Environmental Action Group
Ahenny Action Group
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