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BWEA News - Nine out of ten people in Northern Ireland back wind farms, says new poll

BWEA Press Release

Thursday 19th May 2005

Nine out of ten people in Northern Ireland back wind farms, says new poll

Celebrities and local people call upon Northern Ireland public to support the launch of the Embrace the Revolution wind campaign

A new survey conducted by Millward Brown Ulster revealed today that nine out of ten people in Northern Ireland (87%) agree that wind farms are necessary to help meet the country's current and future energy needs.

Northern Ireland rock star Tim Wheeler from Ash added his voice to the campaign for wind power, saying: "If we don't do something now to tackle climate change we're doomed. I don't want that on my conscience, do you? Embrace wind now, it's clean, it's free and it won't mess up the planet."

BBC Northern Ireland presenter, ohn Daly, also added his support saying: "I'm proud that these positive results show that the people of Northern Ireland are backing wind. It's fantastic that we are thinking ahead and committing ourselves to using clean and renewable energy sources. By acting now we are helping to secure the future of this planet."

The popular support for wind energy was unveiled at the Northern Ireland launch of Embrace the Revolution by the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), which gives a voice to the silent majority of people who back wind power, but whose voices are rarely heard.

The poll results challenge anti-wind myths put out by a vocal minority movement against wind power.

Other findings of the poll, which interviewed 500 people in regions across Northern Ireland, revealed that:

  • Two-thirds of Northern Ireland people (66%) agreed that they would be happy to have a wind farm in their local area, rising to 73% in the West of the Province;
  • Almost two-thirds of Northern Ireland people (63%) agreed that what wind turbines look like is unimportant, rising to 70% again in the West of the Province;
  • Over half of Northern Ireland people (51%) disagreed with the statement that wind farms are ugly or a blot on the Northern Ireland landscape, with 17% saying they are neutral. Those living in the South and West of the Province were even more likely to disagree.

Tim Wheeler from Ash joined other champions for the Embrace the Revolution campaign including architect Lord Foster, TV presenters Chris Tarrant and Kevin McCloud, and ITV weather presenter Sian Lloyd.

Also pledging support are Action Renewables, a joint venture between the Department of Energy Transport and Industry (DETi) and the Viridian Group.

Dr Andy McCrea, Director of Action Renewables, said: "We are greatly encouraged by the findings of the British Wind Energy Association survey. It reinforces our own view that the majority of people in Northern Ireland are in favour of wind turbines. We are blessed with an excellent wind resource in Northern Ireland and wind, for at least the next decade, represents the most appropriate renewable energy source to support Government policy in respect of climate change, fuel security and diversity and cost to customers. We completely welcome the installation of wind farms in the most suitable locations with the support of local communities."

In addition to backing from celebrities, Embrace the Revolution has been supported by local people such as Lorraine Gardiner, Stella Rea and Roberta Alexander who live near wind farms in Northern Ireland.

Coleraine resident and Friends of the Earth campaigner, Lorraine Gardiner, said:

"Our country has lots of wind available to produce our own clean energy. By utilising this we can make ourselves more self-sufficient and less of our children will suffer from pollution-related illnesses. Clean air equals healthy kids, equals happy parents."

Glenwherry school caretaker, Stella Rea, commented:

"Climate change is going to destroy the earth and I'm 100% behind anything we can do to stop it. I have lived a couple of miles from the Elliott's Hill wind farm since it was built about 10 years ago and I find it therapeutic to look out of my window and see them turning. Renewable energy is vital to protect the environment and I think wind farms are the way forward for Northern Ireland."

Corkey resident, Roberta Alexander, agreed:

"I used to live by Elliott's Hill wind farm and when I got married I told my husband I didn't mind where we lived as long as I could see the wind turbines. I now live near Corkey wind farm and they are very graceful and peaceful, even when you are up close to them. We now have a daughter aged one and a half years and we need to do something to counteract all the damage which has already been done to our country so that it is worth passing on to future generations."

David Surplus, from B9 Energy who operate wind farms in Northern Ireland including Lendrums Bridge and Elliott's Hill, said: "The Embrace the Revolution poll results confirm what we have found working in Northern Ireland over the last decade. B9 Energy has built six wind farms in Northern Ireland and is responsible for the operation of 80% of Northern Ireland's wind farms. The wind turbines have proved to be very reliable and are generally "available" to produce energy 98% of the year. The electricity generation figures have been very impressive too, with a typical NI wind turbine producing nearly double the output of an identical machine located in Germany due to the Province's superior wind speeds. B9 Energy now employs 36 people to develop new wind farms and to carry out operation, maintenance and management of 34 wind farms throughout the UK and Ireland, a total of 503 wind turbines. We anticipate our employment growth curve to be even steeper in the coming years."

Airtricity, who earlier this year opened their first wind farm in Tappaghan, Co Fermanagh welcomed the findings of the BWEA survey and were not surprised with the results. Airtricity's Northern Ireland Chief Executive Mark Ennis, said: "Where we have wind farms in operation or in development, we've always had a very positive response from the local community. We've found that residents have had a mature and rational approach to the issue of wind farms and understand the long-term benefits of harvesting renewable resources of energy. Individuals, community groups and elected politicians have generally been supportive of the development of wind energy in Northern Ireland and that has helped us to initiate a programme of investment in NI renewable energy infrastructure of approximately £450m."

Alison Hill, Head of Communications at the British Wind Energy Association, said: "Wind power is essential for us to meet our renewable and climate targets and develop new industrial opportunities for Northern Ireland. Wind power is the most economically viable renewable energy technology available today and this opinion poll, like so many others, shows that it is being developed with the support of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland."

The Embrace the Revolution campaign is supported by a series of striking wind farm photography images, taken by the leading agency MagnumPhotos.

Northern Ireland people can pledge support for wind at www.embracewind.com. The website is also a factual source of information on wind power.

Notes to editors:

  • The poll was conducted on behalf of the British Wind Energy Association by Millward Brown Ulster. Sample size: 500. Fieldwork dates: 15-21 April 2005. Methodology: telephone interviews.
  • Interviews are available with:
    • Alison Hill, Head of Communications, British Wind Energy Association (contact directly on 020 7689 1966 or at alison@renewable-uk.com. ISDN: 020 7689 2027)
    • David Surplus, Director B9 Energy (after 4pm on the 19th)
    • Andrew McMurray, Press Officer, B9 Energy (prior to the 19th)
    • David Brown, Sales and Marketing Director, Airtricity
    • Lorraine Gardiner, local champion and Friends of the Earth campaigner
    • John Daly, BBC Northern Ireland presenter (available for telephone and radio interviews)
  • Additional documents include:
    • An information sheet on the 10 wind farms in Northern Ireland that together generate the equivalent annual electricity needs for 74,800 households. This is equal to the amount of electricity needed for every household in Fermanagh, Omagh, Strabane, Limavady and Ballymoney collectively.
    • A regional breakdown of the poll results
    • Myths and facts related to wind energy

For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Vicky Argles, The Forster Company, 020 7403 2330 or at vicky@forster.co.uk
Jenny Cowan, The Forster Company, 020 7403 2230 or at jenny@forster.co.uk

Possible locations for interviews include:

  • Rigged Hill wind farm
  • Antrim Hospital (which has its own wind turbine)

Note to picture desk:
If you are using any of the Magnum wind farm photography please provide the appropriate credit:

© Photographer's name / MagnumPhotos

i.e.
© Ian Berry / MagnumPhotos (for North Hoyle photos)
© Chris Steele-Perkins / MagnumPhotos (for 3H, Durham photos)
© Stuart Franklin / MagnumPhotos (for Ardrossan photos)
© David Hurn /MagnumPhotos (for Llangwyryfon in Ceredigion)

Also available:
Photos of Lendrum's bridge wind farm in Northern Ireland, supplied courtesy of B9 Energy.

1Ref: http://www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/financeandpersonnel/DMB/datavault/lgdtotals.xls