This article is from page 21 of the 2007-09-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
PLANS by an east Clare-based com- pany for a wind-turbine have come under fire.
Last month, Olympus Diagnostica lodged plans for the turbine arising from a company initiative to meet 40-50 per cent of their electrical “base load” through using alternative Noe ATA
The height of the turbine will be 200 ft high which the company says is “half the size of the industry norm’.
The company stated that it would
consume all the energy from the wind-turbine and there was no need for a grid connection. It points out that the proposal doesn’t lie within any recognised flight path of the Whooper Swan and the Greenland White Fronted Goose.
In a submission lodged with the plan, the company stated: “The ra- tionale for this project has its roots in spiralling energy costs which are set by international markets and impact severely for two reasons: the wide fluctuation in energy costs which make financial planning more difficult and the underlying trend is
upwards.”
Stressing its adherence to a “Cor- porate Social Responsibility”, Ol- ympus points out that it has already reduced its greenhouse emissions by putting in place a wood chip burner instead of oil which also creates a locally-based market for wood-chip. The company also points out that the noise emissions from the wind-tur- bine will be lower than similar sized MUD MOY ESToE
According to Olympus, the Clare County Development Plan has deemed the location “a suitable are for wind energy” and doesn’t have
any scenic or environmentally sensi- tive designations.
However, Mr and Mrs JP Murphy and family have submitted concerns in relation to the turbine.
“We are local residents in the area for the past 60 years and we feel that the decision taken by Olympus to erect the turbine in the position in- dicated on the submitted site plan is inconsiderate to the local landscape and setting of Rosslara Lake and its woodland surroundings
“As highlighted in the council’s development plan, the site for the proposed wind turbine is within an
area specifically zoned as visually vulnerable and due to the mechani- cal nature of this machine this wind turbine would not be in keeping with the development plan.
“The proposed location of this wind turbine is visually intrusive to the scenic area of Rosslara Lake and if planning is granted, it will have a negative visual impact on the sur- rounding area.
“We feel that the proposed develop- ment should be located to a less vul- nerable/scenic area.”
A decision is due on the application later this year.