mr president in these days when we are all concerned about energy security it is clearly right that we should pursue renewable energy but that renewable energy must be both environmentally and economically sustainable
in this context i am very worried about the rapid dash for wind energy especially in my own country where we have established over-optimistic and wholly unachievable targets for wind
it is not clear that wind meets those criteria it is very expensive and it is already forcing up the costs of electricity for hard-pressed families and for businesses
there is a great deal of embedded energy in the fabrication construction transportation and erection of wind turbines
there are substantial amounts of co which are emitted in the excavation of foundations infrastructure roads and cablings
but mr president my main concern today is not those questions but the impact on local communities wind farm applications are breaking out like a rash in my region leicestershire and northamptonshire the wind farms bring visual intrusion they lower property values they are blighting lives and homes and communities
we are increasingly concerned about the health effects of low-frequency sound especially at night which is disturbing the sleep patterns of local residents
the time has come for us to protect the people we represent
i believe that we should have a statutory minimum distance from new wind turbines to established dwellings of at least three kilometres
