Powerhouse at sea could usher in new energy era

Apr 16 2009 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

Landscape changing in Windmill City

FIRST it was its ironworks which brought Tow Law prosperity in the mid 19th century.

Then it was coal, both underground and opencast.

Now the small County Durham town is harnessing its notoriously blustery climate 1,000 feet above sea level to become the wind power capital of the North.

Within site of the A68 approaching Tow Law from Consett 30 wind turbines – some 100 metres high – can be seen on the horizon.

"Tow Law is now known as Windmill City," said resident Mary Hail.

Twelve turbines at the North East’s largest wind farm have been put up over the last few weeks.

The Tow Law site will provide enough renewable energy to power around 15,700 households, almost half the households in Derwentside, with the £30m scheme finished and running in the summer.

Rob Williams, renewables projects director at developer Banks, said: "This is a major milestone in what is an important project for Banks, and it’s exciting to finally see a visible outcome of many months of hard work by the whole team.

"Investing in renewables infrastructure like this will not only help make ‘green’ energy easily available to homes and businesses in the North East, but also helps to demonstrate the evolution of Banks as a business, from what began in Tow Law in 1976 as a surface mining company to a 350-strong organisation which operates successfully across a range of sectors and which has become a major player in the UK renewables market.

"Once operational, the West Durham Wind Farm will enable County Durham to achieve the targets for zero carbon generation they were set in the regional planning strategy.

"We are pleased to be playing a part in cementing Tow Law’s growing reputation as an energy generation centre."

But the Banks development is by no means the only wind farm in the vicinity.

There are a further six turbines at East Hedleyhope, on the Tow Law to Lanchester road, four at nearby Quebec and four more between Sunniside and Stanley Crook. Four large turbines can also be seen on the distant horizon at Burnhope.

The turbines were built despite widespread objections from individuals and organisations including the Campaign to Protect Rural England, which says the landscape around Tow Law has suffered in the past and should be saved from what it describes as an intrusive development.

The CPRE says it is concerned at the cumulative effect of the windfarms. Objectors argue there are already enough turbines in the county, that the area has already been exploited by the coal industry for many years, turbines are inefficient generators of power and ruin views.

Retired history teacher Ellen Lightfoot, who lives at Satley, less than a mile from the Banks turbines, said: "They are obtrusive, unattractive eyesores, and I for one would question their efficiency. They only work when the wind is blowing, and the wind does not blow all of the time."

Nevertheless they are here to stay – for their 25-year projected life span at least. Even the local football team is trying to join the wind-powered revolution. Tow Law Town FC hopes to install a turbine within its Ironworks Road ground to power the clubhouse. The club would sell any surplus electricity to the National Grid, using the funds to help the team.