Berkshire's semi-urban and commuter skyline has been enhanced with the completion on 13th November, 2005 of the first major onshore wind power generator in the South East of England. Full commissioning of the turbine, which is in fact the largest in the South of the country outside Devon and Cornwall, was done a few days later. 

The 85m-high structure, a landmark in more ways than one, was developed in the Wokingham DC area by Ecotricity in conjunction with hosts GreenPark. It has stimulated much interest both locally and from drivers on the neighbouring M4 motorway. 

Anecdotal and press reactions so far have been almost exclusively positive, bearing out the results of the the TV Energy-led survey of local residents' attitudes carried out earlier in the year (see below). A steady stream of technologically and environmentally interested folk from the area, as well as renewable energy enthusiasts and the plain curious has been visiting the site and taking photos ever since construction first got under way. 

Previously the largest onshore turbines in the southern half of England (excluding the West Country and Norfolk) were those at Ford Motors at Dagenham (2× 1.800 MW), Lynch Knoll in Gloucs. (0.500 MW), and Beaufort Court in Herts. (0.225 MW). Up until the new GreenPark installation, the most significant project operating in the South East region has been the medium-scale Faccombe Estate turbine in Hampshire (0.300MW). 

You can read more information on the 70m-rotor diameter wonder in the developers' press release here. 

Turbine rises to green power challenge in Wokingham

October 2005: Later this month Prudential Property Investment Managers Ltd (PruPIM), the developers and owners of GreenPark, and wind power specialists Ecotricity, will see the coming to fruition of their joint venture in Wokingham. The completion of the turbine at GreenPark will be a huge boost for the area's renewable generation, as the 2 MW Enercon machine will generate enough electricity to power over 1,000 homes (3.5 million kWh). The first pictures of construction have been available on the web since September. 

As well as PruPIM and Ecotricity, great credit for this project must go to Wokingham District Council who decided to make a positive move in favour of green power in granting planning consent. TV Energy will continue to advocate acceptance and pro-active support by our local authorities for significant and site-appropriate renewables options similar to the GreenPark project.

Wokingham and Reading residents: YES to new Wind Turbine

A sociological study concerning the Green Park wind energy development shows that residents are not only well-versed when it comes to environmental concepts but strongly supportive of renewable energy developments in their area. Support for wind energy is especially high, with Arborfield residents (those living furthest away from the development) the most resistant and Whitley (those living closest to the development) the most in favour. 

To view the full summary of results, click here.

The study, conducted in early 2005, demonstrates that support for solar power is also high and bioenergy support is shown to be increasing compared to previous studies. Views on a local wind energy development from amongst those who had already seen a wind turbine revealed again that Whitley residents showed no resistance, but residents from Arborfield formed the most opposed group. It was in the latter ward where many respondents did not like anything about wind turbines; conversely the majority of Whitley residents could not think of anything that they specifically disliked about this technology. 

This was the general trend concerning possible problems with the Green Park development, with Arborfield envisaging greater problems and Whitley and Church showing the least concern for issues associated with the development. Once again this suggests the ward furthest away believes that they will be affected more and those closest to the development feel they will be least impinged on. The pattern is again replicated for the perceived maximum distance estimated to receive expected benefits from the wind turbine, and for the idea of a second wind turbine in the area, which not surprisingly yielded the most concern from Arborfield residents and least from Whitley and Church.

Demographically most respondents owned their own homes and most had lived in them for more than five years. Gender was fairly evenly distributed with the oldest residents living in Church and the youngest from Arborfield. This is an interesting finding, as the idea that younger people are more supportive of wind technology does not fit the opinions of Arborfield respondents. Likewise Arborfield residents have a greater proportion of younger children than other wards and this too goes against the pattern of children inspiring and educating parents about renewable energy and the environment. Finally levels of education were fairly high in comparison to the average for that ward, with the highest level in Shinfield South and lowest in Whitley. 

The general conclusions to be made are that whilst there are variations between the opinions of residents in different wards, these are most keenly demonstrated in Arborfield and Whitley offering in many cases polarised viewpoints towards the development and implementation of the Green Park wind energy turbine. Whitley residents are supportive, support the local renewable energy development and are generally unconcerned if another were to be installed in their local area. Arborfield residents on the other hand are most resistant, they tend to dislike wind turbines in general, they envisage many problems associated with this type of development, especially noise and visual appearance, and they include the youngest population. However, within this group those who have lived in their homes for longest in this group and naturally being older are most against the development. Most significantly of all, the residents of Arborfield are those living furthest away from the wind turbine site and those in Whitley closest to the site, it can be concluded that geographical distance is a major factor for acceptance of this development.

Public views sought on Berkshire's first wind turbine

Wokingham and Reading residents are currently being surveyed on the development of the Green Park wind turbine and renewable energy. The research, which commenced in early February 2005, is part of a longitudinal public consultation exercise.

The views of a sample of residents in several nearby wards across both council areas will be explored towards the construction of the first large wind turbine in their area. This research design will collect data from the same population prior to and post construction of the turbine to measure the levels of attitudinal change over time.

Key data generation include: 

• Residents' knowledge and misconceptions about wind turbines, their development and attitudinal alterations within a nine month time frame
• Motives for supporting or opposing wind turbines
• Knowledge about local and national plans for the expansion of wind generated electricity, and of the environmental reasons behind this
• Analyse/compare the above by demographic and distance criteria using statistical modelling.

The survey is being carried out for the local authorities and TV Energy by the environmental sociologist who co-produced the Reading Area Study on attitudes and knowledge on renewable energy two years earlier. 

Results are expected to be announced by mid-March, 2005.

Further details of the survey are available here (Word Doc 64KB)

You can view a copy of the questionnaire being used here (PDF 1.4MB)


Congratulatory Letter from Dr Royce Longton, West Berks Council & TV Energy

"Sunday, August 08, 2004

Dear Sir,

Congratulations to Cllr Angus Ross and his colleagues on the Wokingham District Council Planning Committee for their corageous decision to allow the application for a wind turbine at Green Park in the face of spirited opposition from local residents.

It is now clear that concerns about global climate change resulting from escalating carbon dioxide emissions have moved from speculation to reality. At the same time there is increasing unease that the United Kingdom's share of dwindling global supplies of oil and other carbon-based fuels is becoming ever more reliant on the whims of national governments whose objectives do not always match our own.

Under these circumstances there is a stark choice: either we embrace the twin goals of increasing energy efficiency and promoting renewable sources of energy or we accept increasing reliance on nuclear power stations at a time when no assured, long-term solution to the disposal of hazardous nuclear waste has yet been established.

For me, the choice is clear: we must promote energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. And, yes, on-shore wind has a role to play in that scenario, not as some sort of universal panacea but as one of many contributing factors. Nobody, and certainly not me, wants to see wind turbines erected in the most sensitive parts of our attractive local landscape, but if we are to move forward on the energy efficiency/renewables front then we must accept, and indeed welcome, the provision of wind turbines in industrial parks in areas where any concept of tranquility has already been shattered by our motorways.

Yours faithfully

Cllr Royce Longton
(Lib Dem, Burghfield)
Leader, West Berkshire Council
Chairman, Thames Valley Energy"

Planning Success for Berkshire Wind Energy

On the 28^th July, Wokingham District Council Development Control Committee voted in favour of an application for the first large wind turbine in Berkshire .

The 2MW wind turbine will be sited at Green Park Business Park near Junction 11 of the M4 motorway, and is being built specifically to supply clean electricity for local homes and businesses. It will generate 3.5 million units of green electricity every year - enough to power over 1,000 homes (2% of homes in Wokingham District), saving over 3,018 tonnes of carbon dioxide and 35 tonnes of sulphur dioxide emissions each year.

The turbine approved is an Enercon E-66 2MW three-bladed wind turbine with a hub height of 85m and a rotor diameter of 70m.

The Development Control Committee approved the application by a five to four majority. Discussions focused on concerns over highway safety and visual impact. It was agreed that there would be no significant noise impacts given the turbine's position adjacent to the M4. Visual impact was not considered a sufficient reason to reject the application, given its particular location in relation to the considerable area of business park development along the northern edge of the M4 motorway and its distance from residential properties.

The wind turbine will be of national, regional and local benefit, in helping to meet Government and South East England regional targets to increase electricity generation from renewable energy sources by the year 2010 and in supporting the Wokingham District Local Plan which aims to support locally generated renewable energy.

TV Energy's Managing Director Keith Richards is delighted by the approval. "This represents a significant step towards meeting the very challenging targets for renewable energy generation in the South East of England region, and the Thames Valley in particular. Wokingham District Council deserves praise for its vision in approving the application and supporting the generation of clean, green energy.

“Independent research from other wind turbine sites in the UK has shown that those communities living closest to the sites are the most supportive of wind turbines in their local landscape. I am sure that any local worries about this development will disappear once people see that the true impact of the turbine is much less than they fear."

Click here to see what the developer Ecotricity said about the news: [PDF 82KB]

Let the Wind Blow Free at Green Park, Reading

Ecotricity have submitted a planning application to build a new wind turbine in Reading to provide green electricity for over 1,063 local homes, which is around 2% of all households in Wokingham District.

A planning application to build an Enercon E66 2MW wind turbine at GreenPark near junction 11 of the M4 motorway, was submitted to Wokingham District Council. The turbine will stand 85m high and if given the go ahead the new development will generate 3.5 million units of green electricity and save over 3018 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. 

The site is an ideal spot in an industrial area next to a busy road. Two identical turbines have recently been erected at the Ford Motors plant in Dagenham. These too are next to a very busy main road and are on an industrial park, and they have received NO objections. 

The turbine is great looking, designed by the architect Sir Norman Foster, and will only add to the landscape as well as make a positive statement about Wokingham's commitment to the planet's future. 

Read TV Energy's letters in support of the Green Park turbine to Wokingham District Council and Reading Evening Post here.