Burnham-On-Sea News
Proposals Unveiled For Wind Turbines Off Burnham-On-Sea
January 2004
Up to 20 floating pontoons – each housing four wind turbines – could be built just off Burnham-on-Sea in Bridgwater Bay in an attempt to harness energy from wind, tide and waves.
An artist’s impression of how the turbines might look is pictured on the right.
The energy from the platforms – which would reportedly be 200 metres wide and 70 metres tall – would be converted into electricity via underground generators.
Under the proposals crosses would be anchored into the seabed with an underwater generator attached and a wind tower rising out of each from the water. As well as providing electricity for the area, the towers would act as a sea defence by serving as a buffer against waves crashing against the fragile Sedgemoor shoreline.
Burnham-On-Sea councillor Neville Jones said the towers would be an eyesore and a possible hazard to shipping. “We get a lot of people here mooring their boats and going across to Wales,” he said.
But Dr Robert Kirby, who has developed the proposals, was quoted by the BBC as saying: “The platforms would be a long way out to sea, and would merge into the landscape. And we need new sources of energy.”
He added: “We have made our initial investigations and have found nothing to lead us to think we should stop now; which is how engineering works.”
The proposals follow a £50,000 study last year into the ‘total energy extractors’. The Environment Agency has backed the idea, which now requires a further study expected to cost up to £500,000.
HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE BURNHAM WIND TURBINES PLAN…
Discuss the wind farm plans in Burnham-On-Sea’s Discussion Forum.
Opinion Poll: See how you voted on the wind turbines.
Related Links:
South West Regional Development Agency
Somerset County Council
