alastairq Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 And it's something that genuinely leaves me upset and depressed every time I see them. They might be a necessary evil at present but I cannot get my head around people who don't appear to understand why others dislike them. Definitely, although at least it generates a lot more electricity; if you could replace every thermal plant with a wind farm in the same location, covering the same area, they would be an improvement in every way, but you need an awful lot more than that to make a difference. Which is why we have the NIMBY syndrome? To which I have already admitted to subscribing. Drax does have families of windybines around it....[no idea what a group of windy turbines is referred to... ?] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Drax does have families of windybines around it....[no idea what a group of windy turbines is referred to... ?] A tempest? Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 Is to others though. By all means disagree but it sounds like you're in turn mocking people who disagree with you. As far as I'm concerned they're about as attractive as any other modern industrial installation, they're there and doing something we want done but make a mess of wherever they're put; they may be the least bad option we've got at present but I'd love another option to come around so we could get rid of them all. Better than on land but still a mess. I'm mocking those who complain about spoiling the view on an uninteresting piece of open sea, because they just oppose them for the sake of it, which many do. I'll agree they aren't exactly beautiful but don't see any objection to the majority of the sites used. Generally the turbines aren't placed in areas that are perceived as of outstanding natural beauty. Keith 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffield Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 I used to live a field away from a Nottinghamshire coal fired power station. Now I live not far from wind turbines. I know which I prefer. I feel that anyone who is not prepared to live within sight of a means of producing electicity should not use it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 I'm mocking those who complain about spoiling the view on an uninteresting piece of open sea, because they just oppose them for the sake of it, which many do. I'll agree they aren't exactly beautiful but don't see any objection to the majority of the sites used. Generally the turbines aren't placed in areas that are perceived as of outstanding natural beauty. Very subjective. Not that there's anything wrong with that in its own right - ultimately what's desirable and what's not boil down to subjective opinions, but whilst what you're saying is fine as a personal opinion there's no hard fact there. The unbroken seascape, the (relatively) untouched Scottish highland - heaven to some, irrelevant, wasted space that now we've got a use for to others. Clearly I'm firmly in the former camp, neither can be proved objectively wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 I used to live a field away from a Nottinghamshire coal fired power station. Now I live not far from wind turbines. I know which I prefer. I feel that anyone who is not prepared to live within sight of a means of producing electicity should not use it. Depends where you are. When I was living in a city I said I'd prefer a nearby nuclear power station to a windfarm 100 miles away. There's also the danger of using that reason for a crowded group of people in one place to try to justify making a mess of someone else's place. If you live somewhere remote you may well be happy for enough means of producing electricity in your general neighbourhood for your general neighbourhood - if people elsewhere breed like rabbits why should that give them a claim over you? "We need that land that you're not fully using" has been the cause of enough problems throughout history. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Of course, with fuel driven power stations, it's not just the generating plant itself that reduces local amenity for someone. It's not particularly pleasant to live within spit of an opencast coal mine, or its associated transport and handling facilities for example. At least with turbines, the turbine farm is, basically it. barring the obvious aerial knitting, which is the same whatever's driving the generators. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 One of the problems with wind turbines is that they have been made out to be bad, even a joke, in so many parts of the press for various reasons that people just see them for bad without really thinking about it. They think the country is being despoiled for little gain. They see wind turbines in the countryside and cry horror without even noticing the equally ugly galvanised steel pylons marching across the land alongside them. It's just the "everything new is bad" syndrome. Maybe a fancy paint job to make them blend in more? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 (the UK is a world leader in terms of offshore wind, an unheralded success that never seems to be recognised) which sort of makes smart meters for consumers look a bit yesterday IMO. Is the UK the world leader in the technology & manufacture, or in siting the fields ? I ask as most of the generators & I think turbines seem to be imported. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 (edited) Is the UK the world leader in the technology & manufacture, or in siting the fields ? I ask as most of the generators & I think turbines seem to be imported. We are 6th in the world for manufacture, although all the top ten manufacturers were non UK* We are also 6th in the world for installed capacity China is 1st, US 2nd and Germany 3rd (with 3 x the capacity of the UK) * I assume foreign firms build some in the UK Keith Edited August 12, 2018 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 12, 2018 I'm mocking those who complain about spoiling the view on an uninteresting piece of open sea, because they just oppose them for the sake of it, which many do. I'll agree they aren't exactly beautiful but don't see any objection to the majority of the sites used. Generally the turbines aren't placed in areas that are perceived as of outstanding natural beauty. Keith The one that got me fuming was when people objected to, and managed to stop, the proposed wind farm at Bullington Cross - they played the 'unspoilt countryside' card despite the fact that it was 100 yards from the junction between two major trunk roads, and the noise card despite there only being one house within earshot - and that was the farm that was selling the land, so he was in favour! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Talking about wind farms and their presence, is it just me who thinks the teletubbies may have been a kind of subliminal softening up process for having windmills everywhere?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SHMD Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 12, 2018 Talking about wind farms and their presence, is it just me who thinks the teletubbies may have been a kind of subliminal softening up process for having windmills everywhere?? ..I just love conspiracy theories... Kev. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Silver Sidelines Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 A fart? ..[no idea what a group of windy turbines is referred to... ?] Sorry Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 12, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2018 Talking about wind farms and their presence, is it just me who thinks the teletubbies may have been a kind of subliminal softening up process for having windmills everywhere?? With built in social media they were well ahead of the game. Next Belgian Bunnies everywhere? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted September 18, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 18, 2018 (edited) We have just had our meters inspected for their regular (?) safety check. It was done buy our supplier, Eon. The guy who did them recommended that the electric meter be changed, especially as the company fuses were looking a little tired, mainly the sealing around the incoming cables and said that they would normally replace both meters at the same time.. He said there would be no cost and they would be small, modern, digital display type or if you wanted you could have a smartmeter but only if you ask for one. So he has put us down for meter changes but not smartmeters! Definitely wasn't any pressure to go smart at all. Maybe all the bad publicity has put people's backs up? Keith Edited September 18, 2018 by melmerby 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted September 18, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 18, 2018 Definitely wasn't any pressure to go smart at all. Maybe all the bad publicity has put people's backs up? I thought (not sure why mind) that they'd given up trying to be pushy - when I phoned up to say "no" it was just "OK, we won't", nothing more but I'm surprised that there's a shift to defaulting to replacing with an ordinary meter unless you ask. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted September 18, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 18, 2018 I thought (not sure why mind) that they'd given up trying to be pushy - when I phoned up to say "no" it was just "OK, we won't", nothing more but I'm surprised that there's a shift to defaulting to replacing with an ordinary meter unless you ask. They seem to have forgotten that 2 years and 5 months ago I actually asked for smart meters and about 18 months ago was "still on the list to be fitted" Heard nothing since and I'm not interested in them now. Keith 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 Smart Meters - It is said that they can provide enormous benefits for the Electricity supply industry. Yet on their own, they provide little or absolutely no benefit to the consumer. However, if harnessed correctly, Smart Meters could unlock benefits for both the electricity industry and for consumers. Some useful insight contained in this video..... . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 Yet on their own, they provide little or absolutely no benefit to the consumer. About £300 saving per year from the off-peak tariff if they ever get round to fitting mine.... I had signed up to OVO's vehicle to grid trial but you need a 30kWh Leaf and mine's a 24... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted October 10, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 10, 2018 (edited) Had an "energy use review" from my supplier with tips on how to save money on electricity & gas. The biggest "possible" saving is by installing smart meters and going on to a smart meter tariff, however you must also go on to fixed monthly direct debit, which IMO is not a fair way to take money for a product. I have several other monthly direct debits and they are all variable so that the payee receives exactly what is owed and not some "plucked from the air" figure. I did once enquire about direct debit and the figure given was something like they had taken the total expected energy bills for a year and added 25%, then divided by 12 for the monthly payment! Why can't they go onto variable DD like most others? Keith Edited October 10, 2018 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenceb Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 (edited) About £300 saving per year from the off-peak tariff if they ever get round to fitting mine.... I had signed up to OVO's vehicle to grid trial but you need a 30kWh Leaf and mine's a 24... The discount will only last till they have conned enough people into signing up for smart meters then it will become a penalty on those who dont Why do you only see typos after you post? Edited October 10, 2018 by laurenceb Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 If I could find a way to ensure my daughter's turn off the lights around the house when they're not in the room, I'd save a bomb..... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold teaky Posted October 11, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2018 If I could find a way to ensure my daughter's turn off the lights around the house when they're not in the room, I'd save a bomb..... ? https://www.screwfix.com/p/elkay-columbus-pneumatic-time-delay-switch/68088 Or perhaps you've finally hit on a use for smart switches? You could turn them all off using your phone. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted November 12, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2018 It's blackmail now: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6378145/Energy-companies-charging-households-without-smart-meter-150-year.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now