Windfarm Wars and a Reluctant English Hero

The third instalment concerning a bitterly contested bid to build an industrial wind turbine complex in the middle of rural Devon was on BBC2 tonight.

If you missed it WATCH IT HERE. It will only be there for the next 14 days.

Believe me, it is important. It is inspirational.

Even the bloody BBC (who would have given Hitler a good press) have difficulties showing the "good" side of the corporate windfarm carpet baggers.

( Note to BBC: - Maybe that is because the "good" side doesn't exist? )

This episode is a chance to see a true English Hero called Mike Hulme, with a group of ordinary people defend their country and homes from a ruthless corporate windfarm developer. The developer is all smiles (and crocodile tears) for the camera, but their spin and propaganda cannot hide their planned ugly profiteering at expense of the locals.

Reluctantly the locals, led by Mike Hulme mount an expensive legal challenge in the High court.  They almost won.

Mike Hulme and his wife. True English heros
They at least, made the bastards squirm.

I don't know what the final episode will bring. In this the third episode, the developers,  in  true Gaddaffi (No Mercy) style, seek to extract their pound of flesh. They slaver over the prospect of getting full legal costs and ruining Mike on the imaginary pretext that someone must be backing him.

Their ruthless quest to trample over anyone who gets in their way bodes ill for the next episode, but fits exactly with what people have found elsewhere.

At least this time the judge gave the bastards a hammering. Mike got away without having to pay their fees. Which was Oh So Sweet.

I just loved the confrontation in the coffee house after the judgement. Mike, I admire your restraint.

We all now know these corporate windfarm carpet baggers have to release their data, which they have refused to do until now.

That is thanks to Mike Hulme and the Den Brook Defence committee. We all owe them a great debt for leading the way.

Well done Mike, and your friends in Den Brook. You have my admiration and respect.


7 comments:

Fenbeagle said...

.....'TRYING TO PUZZLE THINGS OUT'

This small dog in Lincolnshire too, Bill.

Good review.

http://fenbeagleblog.wordpress.com/

BilloTheWisp said...

Fenbeagle. Your blog is amazing! I just love the graphics. You are going in my blogroll whether you like it or not.

BilloTheWisp said...

In fact Fenbeagle, I like your blog so much I'm doing a post to recommend it to the assorted nomads, weirdos and vagrants who frequent Billothewisp.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with everything you have just said here. In fact I find it rude, narrow minded and completely polorised. The BBC documentary dramatised the whole scenario (which editor/director wouldn't?)and clearly outlined the stereotypes who will oppose anything for their own selfish reasons. When you wrote this blog and probably when you reply to this, did you think of any other global issues happening around the world, or are you stuck in England only mode? Thought about the consequences of refusing cheap renewable energy?

BilloTheWisp said...

Well, it is the first time I have been criticised for being rude about a large corporation like the McAlpine Group (er... sorry I mean their subsidiary, RES)

As for siding with the likes of Mike Hulme and friends or a rich, ruthless organisation that hides its data, then I am afraid I will always side with the former. Wherever they are in the world and regardless of their social standing or wealth.

As for me refusing "cheap renewable energy" . At the risk of being even more rude I think you are indulging in dangerous wishful thinking. I could direct you to a load of posts here about how hopelessly inefficient and counter productive wind turbines are, but you obviously don't like my style.

So at least read the wind power assesment at the John Muir Trust website. (I hope you know who the John Muir Trust are!).

http://www.jmt.org/assets/pdf/wind-report.pdf

I don't know how you get on with mathematics but you could also try the Royal Academy of Engineering.

http://www.raeng.org.uk/news/publications/list/reports/Cost_Generation_Commentary.pdf

As to the BBC I would agree with you that initially their portayal of Mike Hulme and Co was a typical Nimby pastiche. But as the story developed their view turned as production team saw (were sickened?) by the antics of the developer.

If you want to defend the environment (and the people who live in it) you must look beyond the propaganda generated by large corporations and look at the real facts. Regrettibly this often involves maths and if you think Wind energy is cheap then maths is obviously not your strong point.

Of course we can always sacrifice the Den Brooks of this world. The Greedy and their unthinking zealot supporters would love us for it. But where do you stop? Who would be next? And what would you be sacrificing them for? A dismally small amount of energy? Or an expensive fashion statement?

I could go on and on. But, Dear Anonymous, I don't know if you will ever read this so I'll stop there.

Anonymous said...

lets dig more coal out and build atomic power stations, sod wind farms....

BilloTheWisp said...

Hi Anonymous,
Recently published data by (one example) John Muir Trust, show how utterly ineffective, yet massively expensive wind turbines are.

The only people gaining from them are the developers. They make their profits on the backs of the poor, more and more of whom are getting into fuel poverty.

The whole wind farm deception is simply going to impoverish people while making the rich even richer.

I'm not keen on coal, while effective, it is dirty and yesterday's solution. But modern 4th generation nuclear is both clean, highly effective, safe with minimal waste. That's the way I think we should go.