Environment and Sustainability Committee
Inquiry into Energy Policy and Planning in Wales

EPP 212 – Jiri George Novak

To the members of the above committee:

This short note is aimed to look at the current motivation and trends in support for wind generated energy.

                As we now have a lot of hard evidence showing how wind farms work or do not work it is high time we narrow down the real reasons for the inexplicably strong support wind farms enjoyed in the high political circles so far and why this support is disappearing fast.

                Why inexplicable? Because all the evidence gathered so far shows the wind energy not to be capable of serving as a major source of electricity/energy needs for Britain nor any other country.

It is intermittent, unstable, and requires hugely expensive network for transmitting to the required target areas. It is now clear that if we require stable and reliable supply of energy the wind power must be recognised as a minor, expensive and unreliable source. We must find and develop alternative way of matching our demands for energy by sufficient supply.

And it is here that the problem lies. It is the reluctance of the politicians to tackle this need for real and better solution to our energy needs that must be examined.

                There are broadly three different ways we can tackle the energy problem:

                                - increase the supply in line with rising demand by finding alternatives to coal, oil and gas,

                                - decrease the demand to match existing supply which is threatened by limited resources of coal, oil and gas

                                - combination of the both of the above.

                Our politicians, although talking loudly about all three ways, in practice chose the first and put all their eggs into the wind energy basket. There is little sign of any other serious effort on developing other sources of energy such is water power, energy potential of tidal forces, wave energy, nuclear energy (very hot potato although we are happy to import energy from France which relies heavily on nuclear power).

                As to the decreasing of the demand - that is in the politician's radar so unpopular that up till recently very few real moves have been made there either.

                But those that did were taken up by the public very readily - scheme to promote insulating houses, installing photo voltaic systems in homes - and this acceptance and welcome of these schemes proved that a change in public perception of our situation is happening and happening fast. This change is also reflected in our choice of latest intake of politicians - it is no accident that the new faces in our Powys politics are strongly active in re-ajusting our energy goals away from tackling wind energy only. Even Carwyn Jones, co-creator of ill thought out TAN8, has recognised that the situation is changing and he, being ultra sensitive to public opinion, is acknowledging the change through creating more smoke and mirrors about his stand.

                It is now, when the public opinion is strongly in favour of real action, that the opportunity to lead, opportunity to create political and economic ground for real, quick and effective progress, exists in the wide public acceptance of our situation. So, please, get hold of this feeling and lead! Do not hesitate nor allow other pressure groups to prevent a real move towards solving our energy problems. Stop hiding behind creation of thousands of acres of wind factories that benefit only the land owners and steel producers but not the public, and start building a real answer to our energy situation on all three fronts. Enough talk.

Yours waiting for action

Jiri George Novak