Opinions
Turbines and spin
If other industries misrepresented facts on this scale they would rightly be criticised, but when wind power companies do so they are all too often abetted by the media. The BBC does its audience no service by its uncritical acceptance of inflated claims.
August 5, 2007
by Dr. John Etherington, Llanhowell, Pembrokeshire
in Sunday Telegraph
Sarah Mukherjee (Letters, July 29) avoided the point made by Christopher Booker in his item on wind turbines (July 22).
His charge was that BBC reporters, including her, consistently exaggerate the electricity yield of turbines.
Miss Mukherjee made no attempt to defend her broadcast statement that the 36 Gallow Rig turbines power 18,000 homes.
This may be claimed by the developers, but Ofgem's ROC register, coupled with the British Wind Energy Association's conversion factor, shows that the wind farm supplies just over half that number.
If other industries misrepresented facts on this scale they would rightly be criticised, but when wind power companies do so they are all too often abetted by the media. The BBC does its audience no service by its uncritical acceptance of inflated claims.
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