While many see the UK as one of the leading European countries embracing wind power, there are dissenters in Parliament.

Christopher hope is the member of Parliament for Christchurch and he has shared his vision for curtailing wind power in the UK. He considers that wind farms off the England and Wales coast should face legal restrictions on height, numbers, location and taxpayer subsidies.

Here are the details: He proposes that offshore turbines would have to be smaller than 100 metres (328 feet), be in groups of no more than 100 and could not be built within 15 miles of the coast nor 20 miles of any world heritage site. There’s more; taxpayer-funded payments for electricity generated by the offshore renewable source should be limited to the wholesale price of electricity.

He told MPs offshore wind farms were guaranteed £155 per megawatt hour, which is three times the current wholesale price of electricity and 60% more than what onshore turbine projects receive. Mr Chope added it was “far in excess” of the the £92.50 strike price available for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant. Nuclear power? Have you forgotten Fukushima Mr Cope?

UK MP Proposes Restrictions on Wind Farms

He is proposing a Bill to Parliament that he hopes would become law. Could there be any “NIMBY” (Not In My Back Yard) element to his proposals? Of course. His constituents in Christchurch are “absolutely incensed” at the prospect of having the Navitus Bay wind farm set in Christchurch Bay and on a clear day within sight of the cliffs of Christchurch and Highcliffe.

“My Bill would also restrict the height of these turbines to 100 metres. At the moment they are proposing turbines in excess of 200 metres, that’s over 600 feet, which is more than the height of Beachy Head [a famous cliff near Eastbourne on the South Coast of England] and it means they will be able to be seen from tens of miles away, in the same way when one is in Calais one can see the cliffs of Dover. They would be very visible and my Bill would restrict the size and number and location of these wind turbines.”

There’s little danger of the Bill becoming law: Energy Minister Michael Fallon refused to back the Bill as he explained that the Government seeks to support a range of different renewable technologies.

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But it’s depressing that some Conservative Members of Parliament fail to see that there is merit and kudos in persuading their constituents to embrace green energy rather than complain about it. Some of us would love to gaze out to sea to look at hundreds of wind turbines signalling renewable energy coming ashore and contributing to Europe’s reduction of carbon pollution and global warming.

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