| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Concern in Kerry at wind farms
Credit: By Donal Hickey, Irish Examiner, www.irishexaminer.com 9 May 2011 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Despite concerns by An Taisce about the erection of wind farms in scenic areas of Kerry, official policy is to encourage the continuing development of wind-generated electricity.
Turbines now dominate large sections of elevated and hilly areas of Kerry, especially in the southern, eastern and northern areas of the county.
The rapid pace of wind energy development in Kerry is underlined by the granting of planning permission for 41 wind farms, including 350 turbines, by Kerry County Council in the past two years.
About 50% of all permitted wind turbines have been constructed, generating 345MW of electricity, according to an up-to-date report by council director of planning Michael McMahon.
The council had been “very proactive’’ in facilitating the growth of wind energy, he said. The planning department is currently working on a new wind and renewable energy policy, which will later be put out for public consultation.
“This will ensure that the harnessing of wind and renewable energy will occur in a manner, or area, most appropriate,’’ Mr McMahon said.
But An Taisce has warned that wind farms could blight the scenic mountainous landscape, especially along the Cork/Kerry border and in the Dingle Peninsula.
The heritage group, while welcoming wind farms as a source of renewable energy, has criticised the designation of certain areas as “open for consideration” for wind farms in the Kerry County Development Plan 2009 to 2015.
It has been strongly critical of moves to erect turbines in the Dingle Peninsula, in sight of two major tourist routes, the Tralee to An Daingean road and the Conor Pass road.
Surveys show that up to 90% of tourists come to Kerry because of the scenery but wind farms in some locations can have a severe visual impact.
Meanwhile, plans for a 48-turbine wind farm in south Kerry have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála.
Initial plans for the development in Mastergeehy, Waterville by Laune Energy Ltd are at the pre-application consultation stage. The turbines would have a 144 megawatt output.
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, May 09, 2011
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=48670 ]
