1. A previous application for this site was turned down, why are you coming back with an even larger scheme?

This is a very different application. Turbine technology is more advanced and national planning policy has changed the need for renewable energy resources is now more urgent, national and local targets for energy from renewable sources have been set. The lack of viable alternative sources has resulted in Devon being set a renewable energy target of 151MW by 2010. This new scheme would provide almost 44% of that target.

2. Will the turbines be visible from a significant distance?

A plan of the Zones of Visual Influence (ZVI) has been promised, which demonstrates that the surrounding topography will screen the wind farm from much of the areas populated coastal areas, such as Ilfracombe and Barnstaple.

3. Will you be compensating those most affected?

The local community in whose locality the wind farm scheme will be introduced should see some form of community benefit provided by the scheme. A framework will be established which will enable community benefits to be delivered where such are appropriately identified.

In other wind farms the community benefit has taken the form of the establishment of a community fund, support for local schools and other organisations and the provision of cheaper electricity or grants towards energy conservation measures.

Views on this aspect of the proposal were sought during the Fullabrook wind farm consultation process.

4. How big are the turbines? How do they compare with those installed in Cornwall?

The tower height from ground to hub is 65 metres and the three blades are each 45 metres long. The 117 turbines in Cornwall have a total installed capacity of only 47MW compared to 66 MW from the 22 turbines that are proposed at Fullabrook.

5. Why is Fullabrook the application site?

Fullabrook is within the Devon County Structure Plan area of search for wind farm developments, which excludes areas covered by landscape protection policies.

Fullabrook also has some of the most consistently high wind speeds in Devon, which makes it particularly suitable compared with the majority of the county where the wind is insufficient. It has none of the constraints of other areas, such as protected landscape, radar signal and microwave link interference, protected habitats and proximity to large concentrations of houses. It is also large enough to meet a significant proportion of Devons renewable energy requirements.

6. Did you consider any other sites?

A comprehensive assessment has been undertaken of the whole of Devon in relation to the development constraints which is set out in full in the Environmental Statement.  Read more.

Briefly there are few sites in Devon outside the two national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, where there is sufficient wind to situate a major wind farm and the Fullabrook site offers the best balance between power production and visual impact.

7. How will the generated energy be connected to the National Grid?

One of the benefits of this site is that there is a suitable place to feed into the National Grid to the north of Barnstaple. A substation will be constructed at the southern edge of the site from which electricity will be transmitted to the national grid. The electricity line connecting the wind farm to the National Grid will be installed underground.  Ecological and archaeological surveys undertaken show that the installation of the underground line will have very little impact on the natural beauty, flora and fauna and geological or physoigraphical features of special interest, sites buildings and objects of architectural, historic or archaeological interest within this area.

8. How will the noise from the turbines be minimised?

In recent years a considerable amount of development work has been directed at minimising the noise from wind turbines both the mechanical noise from the hub and that from the movement of the blades through the air. The larger turbines now being made have longer but lighter blades which rotate at between 8.6 and 18.4rpm, less than half the speed of earlier models and yet deliver more energy.

The noise level from a wind turbine is low and can be compared with everyday sounds, such as a babbling brook or rustling leaves. Standing underneath one while it is operating, you can hold a normal conversation without raising your voice. As the wind speed increases, the noise of the wind itself increases shutting out the background noise from the turbines.

Regulations have also been brought in which have effectively increased the minimum distance between the turbines and the nearest dwellings. Noise suppression units can be fitted to individual turbines, which limit their operation at sensitive wind speeds or directions.

Noise assessments in accordance with accepted DTI guidelines have been undertaken.

9. Tourism is North Devons number one industry. How will it be affected?

Research conducted in May 2004 by the University of the West of England, found that the development of a wind farm was unlikely to have a negative impact on local tourism. The survey found that of the 196 tourists and day visitors interviewed in North Devon, the vast majority were in favour of the development of renewable energy in the South West. The study also found that over 90% of tourists would not be discouraged from visiting the area if a wind farm was developed in North Devon. Over half of those questioned actually thought that a wind farm could become a tourist attraction. The results from the North Devon survey are similar to comparable surveys conducted by the same research team in Cornwall and mid-Wales during May 2004.

10. Can shadow flicker from wind turbines initiate epileptic fits and cause irritation to those living nearby?

Flickering may occur in certain light conditions and frequencies but it is dependent on the number of blades and rotation rate. This should not exceed 2.5 Hz, which for three-bladed turbines indicates a rotational speed of 50 rpm - the design speed of the 3MW turbine is less than 19 rpm. According to the Epilepsy Foundation epileptic seizures are not likely to be triggered by frequencies below 10Hz.

11. Will the turbines affect local radio and TV reception through electro-magnetic interference?

This is not considered to be an issue. However, any problems will be rectified, if and when they arise.

12. Are the turbines a danger to aircraft?

The Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defence have been consulted and have raised no objection.

13. It is claimed that wind turbines are very inefficient. How can intermittent generators help the national supply?

The turbines themselves are relatively efficient converters of wind energy into electricity but because wind is intermittent, the average productivity in the UK is 35% of installed capacity. However, they differ from most other electricity sources in that the fuel is free. By feeding into the Grid, the power they generate is used to reduce the output from coal and oil-fired power stations thus reducing CO2 emissions. Using accepted industry figures it is estimated that the proposed wind farm could save more than 185,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power stations, as well as considerable quantities of other pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide (responsible for acid rain) nitrous oxide and hydrocarbon particles.

14. Will the turbines be harmful to birds and bats?

Policy notes from the RSPB indicate that appropriately positioned wind farms do not pose a significant hazard to birds and there are few instances of bird collisions with turbines. There is no evidence in the UK to suggest wind farms are a risk to bats. These issues are covered in the Environmental Statement.

15. Will other wildlife be affected?

No. The turbines will be positioned to ensure that they and the tracks that will connect them, do not affect badgers or important habitats. The tracks have been designed to use existing gateways where possible so that the minimum amount of hedges need to be removed.

16. Can the land under the turbines be used? Are horses, cattle and livestock at risk?

The turbines themselves are anchored into large concrete bases but the remainder of the fields and the hedgerows are unaffected. The land can be farmed as normal. There is no evidence of the turbines having any effect on livestock.

The layout has been designed to conform to standards set in government policy for the protection of the public, on foot and on horseback.

17. Will the turbines attract lightning?

As with any tall structure they will be earthed and should ground the lightning safely.

18. Why not site these turbines offshore so that their visual impact is reduced?

Offshore technology is less advanced and the costs are very much greater. The North Devon coastline is not suitable for offshore turbines; the proximity of the continental shelf means that the water becomes too deep too quickly.

19. Given the need to combat global warming, why not utilise other clean means of generating electricity which do not have negative visual impact?

There are a number of new technological developments such as wave and tidal power but they are in their infancy. The Governments view is that on-shore wind power is the best solution in the short to medium term for meeting Kyoto targets.

20. What is the lifespan of a wind farm?

The turbines are designed to last 30 years although windfarms are usually decommisioned after 25 years. If they have been superseded by other technologies at that time they can be easily removed and the site immediately reinstated for agricultural use. The decommissioning costs are tiny when compared with fossil-fuel power stations, let alone nuclear ones.