CEHG
CEHG
The Cooley Environmental And Health Group
St. Mary's Church, Lordship
THE PROPOSED WINDFARM IN DUNDALK BAY
From: Sean Crudden
To: Gerry Foley
Cc: Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 1:41 PM
Subject: Joint Submission from Greenore-Cooley Fisherman's Association and Cooley Environmental and Health Group Referring to the Foreshore Lease Application from Oriel Windfarm Limited to Construct an Offshore Windfarm in Dundalk Bay
To The Department of Transport and The Marine
Our organisations separately invited public participation in separate meetings of each of our organisations at the weekend just past to discuss this project with a view to making a submission. The public did not participate so what we are submitting is the view of our own organisations and may not reflect the view of the general public in Cooley.
We do not think that this project is unduly toxic or destructive and its overall impact on the environment will be minimal and any adverse effects are likely to be reversible within a short period.
We think the visual impact of the project at construction and at operational stage is not necessarily a negative factor. For example the wind turbine in DkIT has become an icon with local photographers and movie makers and the "Spike" in O'Connell street is accepted now and loved by all.
The "biology" content of the EIS is impressive but perhaps the "physics" of the EIS is under-elaborated.
For example we have a sneaking suspicion that the proposed dimensions of the foundations are too narrow to guarantee total stability in the event of high toppling moments on the turbine masts due to very strong winds. We wonder too if streamlining issues may arise? Perhaps the farm would be more efficient if the turbines were spread out over a wider area or if the turbines were presenting in a staggered aspect to the prevailing E-W winds? We have never received a considered answer to the question whether windfarms in general by altering the "coefficient of friction" between the earth and the atmosphere may interfere with the angular momentum of the earth and thus affect its diurnal rotation?
The logistics of the construction are rather equivocal at this stage and we wonder, in view of other proposed developments, if Greenore is too restricted to provide the necessary facilities for an on-shore base?
There are no proposals, as far as we are aware, to try to store energy gleaned from the wind here at times of peak operation. We realise this is a vexed question and there are no easy or stock answers. However it is unsatisfactory from the point of view of sustainability if gas or other fuels have to be used to iron out the peaks and the troughs in the wind-generated supply of electricity from this and other similar plant.
From a purely abstract point of view we consider that, in the future, storage capacity will have to be developed at a local level, some way, instead of at a central level. Of course other ways to solve the problem may emerge.
We have no worries about who owns the farm or how much profit it makes. We are content to leave that to others but we abjure exploitation in any shape or form and we hope justice and fairness will prevail over the lifetime of this project so that no-one, including the developers, will have any complaints and that the project will be endowed with all the resources it needs to succeed.
We are impressed at a human level by the representatives of Oriel Windfarm Limited that we have met. In our view they are open, forthright and sophisticated. This, in our view, is the most important augury pointing to the ultimate success of the project.
Your sincerely
Sean Crudden
Secretary
Greenore-Cooley Fisherman's Association
Jenkinstown
Dundalk
Co Louth
Phone +353 (0)87 9739945
and
Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes OMA PhD
Secretary
Cooley Environmental and Health Group
5 Anglesea Terrace
Greenore
Co Louth
Phone 042 9373525
To: Gerry Foley
Cc: Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 1:41 PM
Subject: Joint Submission from Greenore-Cooley Fisherman's Association and Cooley Environmental and Health Group Referring to the Foreshore Lease Application from Oriel Windfarm Limited to Construct an Offshore Windfarm in Dundalk Bay
To The Department of Transport and The Marine
Our organisations separately invited public participation in separate meetings of each of our organisations at the weekend just past to discuss this project with a view to making a submission. The public did not participate so what we are submitting is the view of our own organisations and may not reflect the view of the general public in Cooley.
We do not think that this project is unduly toxic or destructive and its overall impact on the environment will be minimal and any adverse effects are likely to be reversible within a short period.
We think the visual impact of the project at construction and at operational stage is not necessarily a negative factor. For example the wind turbine in DkIT has become an icon with local photographers and movie makers and the "Spike" in O'Connell street is accepted now and loved by all.
The "biology" content of the EIS is impressive but perhaps the "physics" of the EIS is under-elaborated.
For example we have a sneaking suspicion that the proposed dimensions of the foundations are too narrow to guarantee total stability in the event of high toppling moments on the turbine masts due to very strong winds. We wonder too if streamlining issues may arise? Perhaps the farm would be more efficient if the turbines were spread out over a wider area or if the turbines were presenting in a staggered aspect to the prevailing E-W winds? We have never received a considered answer to the question whether windfarms in general by altering the "coefficient of friction" between the earth and the atmosphere may interfere with the angular momentum of the earth and thus affect its diurnal rotation?
The logistics of the construction are rather equivocal at this stage and we wonder, in view of other proposed developments, if Greenore is too restricted to provide the necessary facilities for an on-shore base?
There are no proposals, as far as we are aware, to try to store energy gleaned from the wind here at times of peak operation. We realise this is a vexed question and there are no easy or stock answers. However it is unsatisfactory from the point of view of sustainability if gas or other fuels have to be used to iron out the peaks and the troughs in the wind-generated supply of electricity from this and other similar plant.
From a purely abstract point of view we consider that, in the future, storage capacity will have to be developed at a local level, some way, instead of at a central level. Of course other ways to solve the problem may emerge.
We have no worries about who owns the farm or how much profit it makes. We are content to leave that to others but we abjure exploitation in any shape or form and we hope justice and fairness will prevail over the lifetime of this project so that no-one, including the developers, will have any complaints and that the project will be endowed with all the resources it needs to succeed.
We are impressed at a human level by the representatives of Oriel Windfarm Limited that we have met. In our view they are open, forthright and sophisticated. This, in our view, is the most important augury pointing to the ultimate success of the project.
Your sincerely
Sean Crudden
Secretary
Greenore-Cooley Fisherman's Association
Jenkinstown
Dundalk
Co Louth
Phone +353 (0)87 9739945
and
Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes OMA PhD
Secretary
Cooley Environmental and Health Group
5 Anglesea Terrace
Greenore
Co Louth
Phone 042 9373525
END of SUBMISSION