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The Technology Context – B101

Lynch Knoll Wind Turbine Report


Lynch Knoll Turbine

Can Wind Turbines Really Make Any Difference


The Lynch Knoll turbine situated in Nympsfield, Gloucestershire is one of twelve turbines owned by Ecotricity. The turbine was constructed in 1996 after a fight for planning permission which took four years even with the great beneficial effect it could have on the environment and climate change . The type of turbine is an Enercon E40, and the structure stands 42 meters high, and each blade spans 20 meters. The Lynch Knoll produces enough electricity to power 400 nearby homes in the Stroud district. Every 20 years the turbine is capable of producing 36 million units of clean electricity, and after only six months all the energy used to manufacture, construct and prepare the site will be replaced with clean electricity. The turbine has been going strong since 1996 and has proved to be a small but great help to the environment. Not only is the electricity being produced saving many tonnes of harmful pollutants being produced, Ecotricity have also planted 20,000 trees in a field opposite the Lynch Knoll Turbine, this is one tree for each of their customers. They will continue to plant trees for their customers, so not only are they helping by not producing harmful gases, they are also helping to remove C02 from the atmosphere. The primary objective of Ecotricity and their company is to construct as many turbines as they can, resulting in the production of as much clean electricity as possible resulting in a massive help in the fight against global warming and climate change. Ecotricity as a company are growing rapidly allowing them to be competitive in the supply of electricity. They will continue to grow and keep supplying environmentally friendly electricity to its growing customer population.

Alternatives
Wind turbines are not the only way to produce eco friendly power, there are also other methods and new technologies which are always being developed. Many of which should be used more widely and these technologies would be supported by Ecotricity as their main aim is to help make the planet a greener place, and help protect the environment. It would also mean that they may decide to develop and plan to also include alternatives to wind power, thus expanding their company, making them have a larger presence, and helping protect the environment in the fight against pollution.

Some of the alternatives include solar panel, this provides a source of power by using the sun. The sun has been used to dry clothes and food for thousands of years and it is only recently that solar panels have been designed and built to enable us to use the sun to produce power. People are able to install solar panels on the roof of their home or business. It allows the customer to have a free electricity source after a high initial installation cost.

Another form of producing power from natural means includes hydro electricity. This uses a similar idea as a wind turbine, as it uses a turbine to produce the electricity but uses water to rotate the turbine as opposed to wind. After initial creation, hydro dams can produce electricity very cheaply, although it is very expensive to build dams where the generators are installed. The dams need great planning and take a long time to build due to the nature of them.

Wave power is another alternative to producing electricity. The waves created by the wind are used to spin turbines connected to generators. It is very difficult to harness the power of waves and convert it into electricity. For this reason there are not many wave power stations around, although they do exist. The use of wave power is still being developed and a company called Ocean Power Delivery are developing an offshore method of wave power collection using a floating tube called a Pelamis. When this is developed and if successful it could well take wave power to another level. There is also another company called Renewable Energy Holdings who have designed a method of using the waves with CETO which is equipment used close to the sea bed, by the coast which converts the waves into electrical power.

Financial Effects
There could be major financial effects if Ecotricity continue to grow and continue to build more turbines. If they, or other companies provide enough eco friendly electricity to supply many more homes and businesses throughout the UK, it could have a massive effect on current electricity suppliers. It could mean that current suppliers could even go out of businesses if they don't start to rethink development plan and start producing greener electricity. It would also mean that companies producing an environmentally friendly form of power would grow giving them greater profit, allowing them to develop further means of producing green electricity. The growth of green suppliers would also mean that the cost to the consumer would be lower, resulting in more and more people turning to a green power source and helping to protect the environment.

Currently Ecotricity are building five new wind parks. They can only do this because customers are buying the electricity they produce. This year another £30 million is going to be invested in building new turbines. Again this can only be done as customers are supporting the use of green electricity and buying it from Ecotricity. More money should be spent by companies in research for better use of power. There are currently companies such as B&Q which have already invested in green electricity and have secured a deal with Ecotricity, and planning permission for the construction of a turbine at B&Q's distribution site. This will save 150,000 tonnes of C02 in its life expectancy. More and more companies are willing to help make a change and are planning ways in which it can help the environment. Other companies such as WWF and the Body Shop use Ecotricity as their electricity supplier for their offices, and they also have partners such as the co-operative bank.

One the turbines has been constructed, and been up and running for some time, they pay for themselves and profit can be put back into development as Ecotricity have done and continue to do. This means that in the future when there are enough turbines to supply customers and development and construction reduces, the cost of electricity may reduce due to the main cost of the supplier being maintenance and administration.

Political Effects
There could be major political effects if wind turbine companies such as Ecotricity continue to grow. The British government fully support the use of wind farms in the UK, as do the local councils, providing it is not in their area. At the Lynch Knoll site, planning was made for another four turbines in May 2001, but this was rejected by Stroud District Council. The reason being they do not believe there is need for five turbines in the area. Many people think that the turbines are unsightly and will oppose the construction in their area. The UK is surrounded by water, so there is no reason not to produce more wind farms offshore.

Conclusion
Wind turbines can and will make a difference to the environment and help preserve fossil fuels such as gas, coal, and oil. They also help by cutting the amount of emissions being pumped into the atmosphere. They need to be more widely used and people should understand the reasons for why they are being constructed. It will help in the fight against global warming and climate change, and in the long run could provide customers with a cheaper form of electricity. More offshore wind farms should be built, making good use of the surrounding waters and the winds that can normally be found offshore.

Reference List

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