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Wind farms are completely useless and the people who think that they are going to play a large role in the rollout of renewable energy believe in fairytales.

Or so says Prince Philip, the royal consort in the UK.

Now, whenever the good old Duke opens his mouth I am inclined to disagree with what he says on instinct. I mean, have you heard some of the things he has said in the past?

But on this occasion I think his words have to be taken rather more seriously. After all, there is a big debate going on at the moment about whether wind power has a role to play in the green energy evolution, and his comments have been celebrated and ridiculed by both sides.

What Has the Prince Got against Wind?

According to comments made to the head of Infinergy, a UK company which builds wind turbines, as reported by the Sunday Telegraph in November 2011, the Duke of Edinburgh is no fan of wind farms in the UK or anywhere else.

It seemed that the main arguments that the Duke had against wind farms in the UK were that:

- They are ugly
- They damage the countryside
- They are too reliant on subsidies

The Duke is not alone in his views. His environmentalist son, the future King of England, has his own reservations about wind farms appearing all over the English countryside.

As you can imagine, the views of this father and son team do not sleep happily alongside those of the UK government. indeed, it was only a short while ago that the Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, described anyone who doubted the government's plans to increase electricity produced from turbines as curmudgeons.

The Dilemma

As already mentioned, I was keen to dismiss the Duke's comments as soon as I heard them. After all, I quite like wind farms. I think that they do indeed look elegant, and for me a row of towering windmills lined up on top of a distant hill in the horizon looks romantic and evocative.

I also think that they are beautiful for what they represent: clean, green electricity, which does not pump out any greenhouse gasses into the air and can be used guilt free.

But the Duke's views are shared by many, many people across the UK and beyond, a lot of whom are respected environmentalists.

So I thought I'd dig deeper into the debate surrounding wind to find out why wind turbines get people so worked up.

The Arguments Against

The antis are good at getting their voices heard, and there are lots them. Here's what they have to say about wind farms:

Ugly Beasts

Contrary to my personal opinion, there are many lovers of the countryside who can think of nothing worse than thousands of mighty windmills being erected all over it.

I can certainly sympathize with this position, especially because I've never actually had a windmill put up in my back yard or in areas where I like to go for a walk.

But even when their own back yards are not the problem, many people hate the idea of wind farms being built in beautiful countryside. unfortunately, many of the windiest places are also in the most isolated and beautiful places, so if wind is ever going to take off then these areas are sure to be affected.

Harmful to Nature

The very idea behind wind farms is that they produce clean, green energy which is good for the planet. But some claim that they have a devastating effect on wildlife, meaning they are not a good enough solution to the problem of greenhouse gasses.

Too Noisy

Many people who do live near to wind farms complain about the noise which they generate. I must admit I have never heard one close up, but perhaps I would change my opinion of them if I did.

Alongside those who complain about the noise are those who say that they lead to health problems such as dizziness, stress and sleepless nights. If that's true then it's easy to see why so many people are anti wind.

Not Reliable Enough

For many, wind farms are broken even when they are new because they don't work all of the time. They are limited by the amount of wind which is available, and then they end up producing too much in sudden surges. This inconsistency means they have to be backed up by other forms of power, meaning they are not a viable option.

Expensive

For some, the cost is simply not worth it. Wind farms are very expensive to build, and once they are complete they only last for about 25 years.

Connecting wind farms to the grid is also incredibly expensive. Some say that the money would be better spent on insulation for homes instead.

There are also huge subsidies being pumped into wind farms (in the UK at least), meaning the tax payer is paying for something financially unfeasible that many don't want in the first place.

The Arguments For

It's looking like a pretty bleak picture for wind power. However, it should be remembered that there are many in favor of wind power. Their arguments include:

- It uses a free and limitless energy source
- It means the country no longer has to rely on temperamental foreign gas supplies
- Jobs are created through the construction of wind farms, which is even more important in the current economic environment
- we get to make use of clean, green energy which does not worsen climate change

So where Does That Leave us?

After what Prince Philip said, and having done a bit more research into the arguments against wind, I realize that there are some very strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

But even after all of the arguments against wind, I am still pro wind power. although I realize that it is not the ideal answer to providing green energy and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, I think that it certainly has a role to play.

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Tags: english countryside, fairytales, prince philip, royal consort