2nd April 2007

Dear Sir

It's heartening to see that the Council is looking seriously into exploiting one of Sheffield's most abundant energy sources by commissioning a report into the possibility of building more wind farms in and around the city.

The Government’s Energy White Paper says every region must produce 10% of its energy from renewables by 2010. However, wind turbines are still very controversial and research suggests that for Sheffield to produce a tenth of what it now consumes though wind power alone, 30 or 40 more large turbines would have to be built.

One alternative is microgeneration – fitting smaller turbines on houses. But these are not always efficient because of the obstructions and turbulence that occur at rooftop level, and we would need a huge number of them to make a real difference. Biomass and hydro-electricity could also only produce a tiny proportion of our energy.

So the key to hitting our 10% renewable energy target is to use less energy in the first place. The council needs to look to authorities where this has been done successfully. In Kirklees, for example, Green Councillors initiated a scheme to insulate 30,000 households, both Council and private, for free. Energy efficient appliances such as low-energy lightbulbs can also have a real impact. The council can support all of these through planning guidance and promotion, and make renewable sources count for more.

Yours sincerely

Eamonn Ward
Sheffield Green Party