Plans for wind farm in the Mourne Mountains

[admin]

It is not surprising that suggestions for a series of wind farms in the Mournes area have provoked outrage. This is one of the most beautiful parts of Northern Ireland, and even the very idea of placing wind farms amidst this outstanding scenery is bound to be controversial.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/editors-viewpoint/wind-plans-will-whip-up-a-storm-29657012.html

and

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/could-this-scene-in-the-heart-of-the-mournes-be-one-day-forested-with-wind-turbines-29656924.html

[Rusty Madra]

I'm not usually a Eco activist but wind turbines are a terrible idea in the mournes: besides theres so many other out of the way spots that'd be less intrusive.

We could have some craic scaring the contractors putting them up tho with a pair of night vision goggles and a ghilie suit

[Redknight]

I'm not usually a Eco activist but wind turbines are a terrible idea in the mournes: besides theres so many other out of the way spots that'd be less intrusive.

We could have some craic scaring the contractors putting them up tho with a pair of night vision goggles and a ghilie suit

You've played too many computer games

[whoRya]

It's not just wind farms, single wind turbines will have a massive effect on the landscape.

Single turbines map

Wind farms map

[Rich.H]

Can see this will quickly garner a huge following on both sides but I wonder how many of them actually look at the real issues at hand. I have walked and camped at a few spots with windfarms and single/few turbines and yes it's not the most pleasant of places with them whizzing about. Also the technology for them still is up for debate on how efficient they are and how well they store what they produce.

But the simple harsh reality is demand and the elephant is always down to population numbers. Folks whine all the time at energy companies for upping prices and then complain equally when their tribe of five kids can't all use every electrical appliance at once without shorts etc. No one wants them isn't totally true as can easily been seen by most statements, what is true is that no one wants them "in their local area". Folks are happy to use the electricity provided by windfarms hundreds of miles away as it doesn't spoil their own nature spots.

Until people are willing to both think three times before having that fourth child and also cut back on energy usage where not needed then the fact of the future is wind farms and other unsightly energy sources are here to stay and that means Mournes/Sperrins/etc etc.

[phil_b]

Agree with what Rich says, no one wants them in their own back yard but we are going to need them somewhere down the line. I recently installed a 6.5kw solar panel system, a wind turbine is next on mx list. Can't wait to see what the neighbours will say.