Boralex Opens the Largest Wind Farm in France
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 10.28.05
Boralex, a Canadian company, has inaugurated its new wind-farm in Haute-Loire, France. The 26 turbines are 122 meters high (400 feet, about 40 stories) and, with a capacity of 39 megawatts (MW), the new wind-farm is the largest in France. It is also the sixth by Boralex in the country, for a total of 80 MW, enough for a city of 80,000 people. "Currently, the total installed wind power capacity in France is about 500 MW. By the end of 2005 it will be about 700 MW. The goal for 2010, according to the stated objectives of the French government, is to have 7000 to 10000 MW generated by wind turbines on land and sea." Can you feel the wind of change? Or, as the French would say, les vents sont favorables. ::Boralex Press Release, ::Boralex inaugure le plus grand parc d'éoliennes de France (French)
While I compliment the use of wind power to generate electricity, and the fact that said electricity if (relatively) free of greenhouse emmissions, one must address the visual and other environmental effects of the windfarms.
The windfarms proposed for the great ocean road in victoria, australia will prove to be a blight on the landscape for what must be one of the best roadways in the world. I cannot imagine that even "The Terminator" governor would allow for the consturction of wind generators on the Big Sur. I am located near a set of wind farms in vistoria, and the number of airborne wildlife that I have had to put right and accommodate, or unfortunately had to dispatch is rather distressing.
Lets check ourselves. Wind power may be an alternative, and for countries counting their carbon credits, a good thing. But just how good is it?
I think windfarms look good. I have seen a few in person and felt the slow spinning of the blades was a pleasing.
Bird and wildlife death? Thats HOGWASH. More birds die running into buildings and natural objects by a more then 100x in areas with wind farms. How many birds die from pollution from coal and oil fired plants?? The new larger slower moving wind turbines have almost no bird death, it was the earlier smaller higher speed ones that could have caused a problem.
LordZuul: do you like looking at huge coal/oil/nuclear-fired power stations?
I would much rather look at a windfarm or a solar array than a nuclear or coal plant spewing smoke/steam into the air.
I would definitely rather see a row of turbines in the distance from a seashore, than an oil rig, or a bunch of cheesy hotels obscuring the shore.
A friend of mine has developed cylindrical turbines that are being discretely built into urban architecture, and the design allows the 'blades' to be screened, keeping birds out.