WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION CAUTIONS AGAINST CHANGING SETBACK DISTANCES

Date Published: 25-Jan-2013

The Irish Wind Energy Association has raised concerns that changing setback distances for turbines could significantly reduce the state’s land area for such development.

Protest groups from areas such as Lettermuckoo and Moycullen have held several demonstrations in recent months to voice their concern over windfarm developments in the Connemara region.

The group says that to date over 100 wind turbines have been granted permission in an 8 kilometre radius of Moycullen, some of which are as high as the spire in Dublin.

A Private Members Bill aimed at allaying fears about wind turbines by locating them further from people’s homes has been proposed by Deputy Willie Penrose.

However the Irish Wind Energy Association has raised concerns that this would leave as little as 3 percent of the State’s land area for development and could hinder EU renewable energy and climate change commitments.

Kenneth Matthew is CEO of the IWEA – he says further debate is needed to ensure national targets can be met.