Walking on Minchinhampton Common recently I looked across to the hill opposite, wondering what one of the big modern wind turbines would look like.

My first thought was ‘Intrusive’. Then I looked around.

Actually if lots of the hills had big modern wind turbines on them then what would I feel? Smug! A feeling that Stroud has got it as Stroud so often does.

Not only helping save our health and climate but also making a lot of money.

The thing to decide is whether we really have a climate emergency as SDC and lots of other councils have decided we do.

At present almost 80% of all the fuel we use for all our energy needs is still derived directly or indirectly from coal, oil and gas.

Only 22% is renewable – electricity 12% and biomass 10% **.

If we do have a climate emergency then we’ve got to change our energy mix in the next thirty years and if possible sooner.

Whatever else we do – solar, nuclear, biomass - we’re going to need an awful lot of wind turbines.

If there really is an emergency and our way of life is threatened we should act and get clean local power.

The Stroud hills are well positioned to provide it.

** Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2020 – Total primary fuel consumption by final users in 2019.

Thanks

Peter Wormington

Stroud