Action for Renewables FAQ

7/27/2019 Action for Renewables FAQ

1/10

Frequently

AskedQuestions

aboutWind Power

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2/10

We rely on energy for almost

everything we do, and as a

country we are using more

and more electricity in our

daily lives. At the moment most

of our electricity is generated

from fossil fuels such as gas

and oil. Not only are they

bad for the environment,

causing pollution and carbon

emissions that contribute to

global warming, we have to

rely on them to be shipped

in from abroad which is

expensive.

Why are we

building wind

farms?

Do people

actually like

wind energy?

Wind power helps us to

cut down on the fossil

fuel we import, without

causing pollution.

An Ipsos MORI poll taken in

2012 showed that 67% of

the public are in favour of

wind and 28% are strongly in

favour.1 A YouGov poll for The

Sunday Times found much the

same, that 69% of the BritishPublic wanted the current level

of wind energy increased or

maintained.2

Surveys regularly nd

that most people in the

UK agree with using

wind power.

Did you know?

One turn of anaverage turbine

generates enough

electricity to drive anelectric car for 3

miles.

Sources:

1http://www.renewableuk.com/en/news/

press-releases.cfm/2012-04-23-new-ipsos-

mori-survey-uk-public-supports-wind-energy-

because-it-reduces-dependence-on-energy-

imports-and-cuts-carbon-emissions

2http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/

document/ic8lcj9svf/YG-Archives-Pol-ST-

results%20-%20121019.pdf
http://www.renewableuk.com/en/news/press-releases.cfm/2012http://www.renewableuk.com/en/news/press-releases.cfm/2012http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/ic8lcj9svf/YGhttp://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/ic8lcj9svf/YGhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/20121019.pdfhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/20121019.pdfhttp://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/ic8lcj9svf/YGhttp://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/ic8lcj9svf/YGhttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/news/press-releases.cfm/2012http://www.renewableuk.com/en/news/press-releases.cfm/2012


3/10

Tourism is a vital industry in the

UK so its important for Wind

Power to work in harmony

with our natural landscapes.

While it might seem as though

a wind farm would make a

destination less pretty, 80%

of UK residents wouldnt be

put off holidaying in the UK

by wind farms, and 40%

would like to visit a wind farm

on holiday according to a

recent VisitScotland report.1 In

fact 35,000 people take trips

to Scroby Sands Windfarm in

Great Yarmouth each year2,

and nearly 250,000 peoplehave visited Whitelee Wind

Farm near Glasgow since it

opened in September 2009.3

Will wind

farms scare

tourists

away?

Are wind

farms bad

for your

health?

Sources:

1http://www.visitscotland.org/default.

aspx?page=2371

2https://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/

our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/

wind/offshore/scroby-sands

3http://www.whiteleewindfarm.co.uk/

Sources:

1http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.

aspx?ItemNumber=4627

2http://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/

meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/

onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspx

On the whole, no.

In fact, wind farms

themselves are actually

becoming tourist

attractions.

No. Wind farms are not

bad for your health.

They do not emit polluting

gases like nitrogen and

sulphur oxides, and do not

cause health problems

through noise. In 2009, an

expert panel from the UK,

US, Canada and Denmark

wrote a review entitled "Wind

Turbine Sound and Health

Effects" concluding "there is no

evidence that the audible or

sub-audible sounds emitted by

wind turbines have any direct

physiological effects"1 and The

Department of Energy and

Climate Change (DECC) have

concluded that properly sitedwind farms have no direct

effect on public health.2
http://www.visitscotland.org/default.aspx?page=2371http://www.visitscotland.org/default.aspx?page=2371http://www.visitscotland.org/default.aspx?page=2371https://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttps://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttps://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttps://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttp://www.whiteleewindfarm.co.uk/http://www.whiteleewindfarm.co.uk/http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=4627http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=4627http://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspxhttp://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspxhttp://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspxhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/Wind%20Turbine%20Sound%20and%20Health%20Effects%22http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/Wind%20Turbine%20Sound%20and%20Health%20Effects%22http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/Wind%20Turbine%20Sound%20and%20Health%20Effects%22http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/Wind%20Turbine%20Sound%20and%20Health%20Effects%22http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/Wind%20Turbine%20Sound%20and%20Health%20Effects%22http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/Wind%20Turbine%20Sound%20and%20Health%20Effects%22http://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspxhttp://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspxhttp://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/wind/onshore/questions/onshorewind_q4/onshorewind_q4.aspxhttp://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=4627http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=4627http://www.whiteleewindfarm.co.uk/https://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttps://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttps://www.eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/wind/offshore/scrobyhttp://www.visitscotland.org/default.aspx?page=2371http://www.visitscotland.org/default.aspx?page=2371


4/10

Wind farm developers stick to

very strict laws and guidelines

that make sure turbines

are properly designed and

maintained with safety in mind.

In 2012, the Health and Safety

Executive (HSE) concludedthat no member of the public

had ever been injured by

a wind turbine; a fact that

remains true to this day.

Its a bit like having a tumble

drier and a washing line to

wdry clothes. If its breezy

outside (and not raining) you

can hang clothes up to dry

without needing to switch

on the tumble dryer, savingsome electricity and money.

But if its raining you can just

use the drier. In the same way,

as the windiest country in

Europe each year the savings

from wind power mount up.

Wind power currently saves

10, 498,138 tonnes of CO2

per year,1 a little less than

the carbon footprint of thepopulation of Lancashire.

Are wind

farms safe?

What

happens

when its not

windy?

We cant turn the wind

on and off, but when its

blowing we can use it

to reduce the fossil fuels

we normally burn.

Modern wind turbines

are very safe, and the

wind industry takes

health and safety very

seriously.

Sources:

1http://www.renewableuk.com/en/renew-

able-energy/wind-energy/uk-wind-energy-

database/
http://www.renewableuk.com/en/renewable-energy/wind-energy/ukhttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/renewable-energy/wind-energy/ukhttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/renewable-energy/wind-energy/ukhttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/renewable-energy/wind-energy/uk


5/10

They believe climate change

to be the biggest threat to

birds and wildlife a threat

that wind turbines are

designed to help combat.

Like buildings, cars and otherman-made objects, birds can

sometimes collide with wind

turbines, but the wind industry

makes every effort to keep it

to the very minimum possible

Are wind

farms safe

for birds and

wildlife?

Environmental and

conservation groups

strongly support wind

power.

and to protect all forms of

wildlife. Developers work closely

with conservation groups

and carry out rigorous

Environmental Impact

Assessments (EIAs)1 before

any work begins Windfarms must often make

special arrangements

for wildlife in order to

be given permission to

build, such as the 'Bat

Bunker' and reptile

enhancement area

at the Stanford Hill

Wind Energy

Park2.

Did you know?

The wind only needs

to blow at aboutjogging speed (7mph)

for a wind turbine tostart turning

1https://www.gov.uk/environmental-impact-

assessments

2http://www.pfr.co.uk/pfr/news/233/MP-Gor-

don-Henderson-ofcially-%20%20%20opens-Standford-Hill-Wind-Energy-Park/
https://www.gov.uk/environmentalhttp://www.pfr.co.uk/pfr/news/233/MPhttp://www.pfr.co.uk/pfr/news/233/MPhttps://www.gov.uk/environmental


6/10

The UK Climate Change Act

2008 1 set legally binding

targets for the UK to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions

by 34% by 2020, and 80% by

2050 (from 1990 levels). The

Fourth UK Carbon Budget(2011) 2, which covers 2023

to 2027 - a milestone on the

way to 2050 - legally commits

the UK to a 50% reduction in

emissions (from 1990 levels). In

addition, the EU Renewable

Energy Directive 2009 sets a

target of 15% of UK electricity,

heat and transport from

renewable sources by 2020.The UK's relatively low level

of heat and transport from

renewable sources means

that approximately 30% of

electricity will need to be

renewable to reach the overall

target.

Governments across the

world recognise that

all countries need to

do their part in cuttingdown on CO2 emissions.

Like any other building work,

some people worry that it will

affect the value of their homes.

At the moment it is too early

to tell whether the effect will

be a small change which

goes away over time or not,

and house prices can be

changed by many different,

complicated reasons. At the

moment there is no conclusive

evidence one way or the other

that wind farms affect house

prices. However amongst the

conclusions of a 2007 RICS

Research report, "What is the

Impact of Wind Farms onHouse Prices"1 it was suggested

that there were other factors

"more signicant than the

presence of a wind farm" and

that estate agents thought

"proximity to a wind farm simply

was not an issue."

What are

the UK and

EU Energy

and Emissions

Targets?

Do wind

farms affect

house

prices?

Wind farms do represent

a change in the

landscape, but its

difcult to tell if there isan impact or not.

Sources:

1

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/estates/kenly-farm/images/RICS%20Property%20

report.pdf

Sources:

1

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-the-uk-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-80-by-2050

2http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1603/pdfs/uk-

siem_20111603_en.pdf
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/estates/kenly-farm/images/RICShttp://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/estates/kenly-farm/images/RICShttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/20report.pdfhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/20report.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducinghttps://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducinghttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1603/pdfs/uksiem_20111603_en.pdfhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1603/pdfs/uksiem_20111603_en.pdfhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1603/pdfs/uksiem_20111603_en.pdfhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1603/pdfs/uksiem_20111603_en.pdfhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1603/pdfs/uksiem_20111603_en.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducinghttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/20report.pdfhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_6/20report.pdfhttp://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/estates/kenly-farm/images/RICShttp://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/estates/kenly-farm/images/RICS


7/10

Too much or too little power on

the national grid can cause

problems, so National Grid has

to make sure that the amount

of electricity it buys from places

like gas red power stations

and wind farms matches

whats needed to power the

country. When we have more

power on the grid than we

need we either have to export

it to other countries, or tellsome power stations to stop

generating.

When this happens National

Grid pays generators

compensation for loss of

earnings and running costs. 1

All power stations are paid to

turn off from time to time and

most payments are for other

technologies than wind.Its not a perfect solution

We pay all forms of

generation to switch

off from time to time, to

make sure our electricitygrid isnt dangerously

overloaded, but

the vast majority of

payments are for other

technologies than wind.

Why do we

pay wind

farms to

switch off?

though and new upgrades

over the next few years should

reduce the need considerably.

1http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/

Balancing/

The National Grid website has

detailed information about

balancing electricity needs.
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Balancinghttp://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Balancinghttp://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Balancinghttp://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Balancing


8/10

Whilst there are large scale

turbine manufacturers based

outside the UK, there are a

number of supply chaincompanies based across the

UK that make parts for turbines,

and also small wind turbine

manufacturers. In addition

further employment comes

from maintenance contracts.

Current estimates suggest

that there are 32000 people

employed directly andindirectly in the UK in wind

wave and tidal technologies.

By 2020, that number could

grow to around 70,000.

How many

people are

employed in

wind in the UK?

Many wind farms pay rent,

maintain and refurbish

local roads and employ

local businesses during

construction. Almost all wind

farms provide benet funds

that local communities can

spend as they choose. Little

Cheyne Court Wind Farm

in Kent will invest 1.2 into

the local economy over its

lifetime and has supported

community buildings such

as churches, day centres,

memorial halls and visitor

centres and funded Country

Fayres, open-air concerts andcharities that support older

and vulnerable people,

and young people

get into employment,

education or training.

Some schemes also

offer cheaper energy

bills or insulation to local

people.

Most wind farms provide

signicant benets to

their local communities

in ways that local

people can control.

Around 12,000 people

work directly in UK wind

power, around the

same as UK Fishing,

and a further 20,000

rely on wind power

through areas like

manufacturing.

Do local

communities

benet from

wind farms?

Sources:

http://www.renewableuk.com/en/publica-

tions/index.cfm/working-green-britain

Sources:

http://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/

rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-

kingdom/in-operation/local-community/
http://www.renewableuk.com/en/publications/index.cfm/workinghttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/publications/index.cfm/workinghttp://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-kingdom/in-operation/localhttp://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-kingdom/in-operation/localhttp://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-kingdom/in-operation/localhttp://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-kingdom/in-operation/localhttp://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-kingdom/in-operation/localhttp://www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/310506/rwe-innogy/sites/wind-onshore/united-kingdom/in-operation/localhttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/publications/index.cfm/workinghttp://www.renewableuk.com/en/publications/index.cfm/working


9/10

Our energy bills are made up

of lots of different elements,

such as the costs of distributing

and transmitting electricity,

building and maintaining the

Environmental costs make up

around 6% of the average gas

bill, and 11% of the average

electricity bill.

By far the biggest cost is the

wholesale cost of gas and

electricity, which is often

imported in from places like

Norway and Qatar. If the price

goes up, its added to your bill.

Wind power could protect us

in the future from these price

rises. As the wind is free, the

more we can capture the less

gas and electricity well need

to import in future.

Most of your energy bill

is made up of importing

energy. Wind power

costs around 22p per

day and can protect

against future price

rises.

Is wind

power

responsible for

rising energy

bills?

Sources:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/

ofgem-publications/64006/

householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.

pdf
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdfhttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/64006/householdenergybillsexplainedudjuly2013web.pdf


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