No worry on redundant wind turbines

Decommissioning redundant wind turbines is one thing rural dwellers won’t have to worry about, according to Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Jan O’Sullivan.

She said the recycling value of components, particularly copper and steel, should more than adequately cover the financial costs of the decommissioning.

And decommissioning — or long-term bonds to finance it — are therefore not a big issue during the current targeted review of wind energy development guidelines, which are focused instead on noise, proximity and shadow flicker.