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Chris Halpin
deanjpoolman
Welsh Green Dragon
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tanyamercerFiled under: Environment, Renewable Energy, Wind Energy | Tags: Aberdare, Department for Energy and Climate Change, Neath, Nuon Renewables, Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project, Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, wind farm
Nuon Renewables’ final layout for their proposed wind farm in an area of forest adjacent to Aberdare has been submitted to the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
The Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy project will be built on land which is currently owned by the Welsh Assembly Government between Aberdare and Neath and to the north of Maerdy, Treorchy and Glyncorrwg.
After extensive public consultation there have been some amendments to the initial proposals. Originally there were to be 112 turbines in total, yet this has been reduced to 84. Also some of the turbines have been sited in alternative locations to better suit the landscape and surrounding views.
Each turbine will measure 145 metres, and if developed the developers say the array could generate enough power to meet between 22 and 33% of electricity demand in the Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath/Port Talbot area.
For photomontage views of what the wind farm will look like from around the area, check out this map.
For more information visit the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy project’s website.
4 Comments so far
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Welsh Green Dragon 
awesome
Comment by Dave December 18, 2009 @ 12:53 amThis is not “an area of forest adjacent to Aberdare”. (I’m afraid such a comment reveals studied ignorance of the locality). It is the highest point of the whole coalfield plateau. It faces the Brecon Beacons. It is the finest view in Glamorgan: have you ever sat on the Rhigos? This is immensely valued by local people and visitors. It surrounds and overlooks six valleys. It covers a large area of Celtic settlements, including Craig y Llyn, one of the most important in western Europe. It has huge tourist potential. Although mostly open, virgin moorland, some land has already been vandalised by environmentally-destructive fir trees. This corporate vandalism is neither “Welsh” nor “Green”. Shame on you.
Comment by Syd Morgan January 31, 2010 @ 11:18 amForgive me, I have not visited said site but from the descriptions given in the planning application and also the google map above, there do seem to be a fair amount of woodland areas. I have never sat on the Rhigos – i’ll have to combat the ignorance and get myself up there to see what you mean.
Comment by Chris Halpin January 31, 2010 @ 1:55 pmWind farms will always divide opinion, some may not find them attractive, some may not want them in their back yard, but the fact is that they obviously need wind, and that is in abundance on the highest peaks.
I trust if you have read the other pieces about the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy project on this blog that there seems to have been a great deal of public consultation about the scheme, and in the main part this was positive.
We all need energy Syd, and in my opinion we need it to get cleaner and greener. Sorry you don’t seem to share the same view.
Chris, Thanks for the response. Good to see you will visit the Rhigos. Perhaps you will take a camera and publish the views. Look up the history of Llyn Fawr too and visit its hoard in the National Museum. The ‘woodland’ is those monstrous fir trees! I will look into the public consultation and comment further, if I may.
On ‘we all need energy’, the first priority must be energy conservation. Helps fuel poverty too. There are no plans for this. Multi-nationals want this like a hole in the head! We already produce all our energy needs. Our mountains are being used to supply other needs. That might be fair enough when I see the Cotswolds, Downs, Malverns, etc, covered with wind turbines. Until then, people will resist ruining the Rhigos. This is another rape of the fair country.
Comment by Syd Morgan February 1, 2010 @ 10:15 am