Truth about wind turbines will out

I WISH to clarify for both Mr McLay and Mr McGrath (Irish Examiner letters, January 1) that the wind industry in Germany is indeed a failure and this has been well documented.

I also recently spoke to Frank Dohmen, the author of an article on the issue in the respected German news magazine Spiegel, who confirmed his report was factual and has never been discredited.

The minimal energy contribution of Germany’s approximately 18,000 wind farms will never justify the astronomical costs involved in the manufacture and construction of wind turbines (€4-€5 million per turbine), nor will it ever justify the irreparable damage this industry has caused to the environment and to the quality of people’s lives.

A recent study by the Renewable Energy Foundation shows that England and Wales are not windy enough to allow their turbines to work efficiently.

Intelligent research will show this to be true for many other countries.

The following questions must be asked: Why is an industry, which is already becoming redundant in other countries, arriving in Ireland now? Is it because developers, who re the only winners in this industry (due to huge subsidies and carbon credits), are under pressure to find new “virgin” markets?

What better target than an island nation, which is largely uninformed/misinformed about the wind industry, with a Government under severe pressure (because of the Kyoto agreement) and ready to introduce panic measures to be seen to be green, and a farming community whose livelihood has been taken away and is now desperate to find new ways to earn a living.

We are not mugs and we must not stand by and let developers destroy our countryside and our quality of life for their own private gain.

Our research shows that turbines do indeed affect people’s health. Living near a turbine can cause headaches, anxiety, depression and can even induce epileptic fits.

We in KLADEA and many other people around Ireland have undertaken an immense amount of work and research to find out the truth about wind turbines. Eventually, our work will be valued — hopefully, not too late.

Brigitte Schorn

KLADEA

Meeleen

Knockraha

Co Cork.