[Andy Mayhew]

A selection of the huge number of photos I took in and around the Cefn Croes wind farm in Mid Wales (south of Pumlumon) - the UK's largest onshore wind farm project - over the past 3 days.

It was officially opened June 2005 and there are 39 giant turbines generating 58.5MW scattered over 7.5km²   Some of the land on which it is built is cleared forestry and many of the roads are enlarged former forestry roads and farm tracks.

http://www.power-technology.com/projects/cefn_croes/ 

 

The view from Nant Rhys bothy where I stayed - the hum of the turbines was permanently in the background

 

 

This gives an idea of scale.  Under the base is a huge foundation of concrete. 

 

One of the giant cranes used to erect the turbines (and the reason access roads are so wide)

 

 

In addition to the roads and turbines, there's also a big electricity sub station (visible to the right of the turbines) situated at around 1500ft on what used to be open moor.  Pumlumon, the highest hill in Mid Wales and source of the Severn and Wye, is the range of hills in the background.

    

[Linda Bennett]

Great pics, Andy! I love turbines! I think they are very graceful! (But then, one man's meat is another man's poison! Or words to that effect!)

But seeing the close up of the base of one of those things just makes you appreciate how fast that turbine in the Netherlands (?) must have been going in order to explode the way it did!! [wow]

[Ed wxman]

Imagine the fumes created building those things lol! despite travelling not a million miles from there, and seeing them from a comparatively large distance, those pictures say it all but probably still don't do it justice until you actually shack up under foot.Enjoyed those and it must have been an experience to repeat i suspect.

[Howard Kirby]

Nice shots Andy.

So did you find the Jeffrey Archer Novel in the bothy?

Here's the farm in Aug 2007 

also....these weren't my shoes in the photo and there was absolutely no-one about when I took this....below:

 

[Conor]

Nice shots, I like the crane one esp for some reason.

[barkin666]

Stunning, I love these pictures
Thanks!
I really hope to see more turbines everywhere, even in my backyard! They are just so graceful. It is the future!

Can anyone get this close to them?

[Andy Mayhew]

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barkin666 - 6/3/2008 00:38 Stunning, I love these pictures Thanks! I really hope to see more turbines everywhere, even in my backyard! They are just so graceful. It is the future! Can anyone get this close to them?

Anyone can walk right up to them :)  

As for the future - that all depends on whether you like wild open moorland to be wild open moorland or covered in 2 lane highways ;)     But within existing forestry or at low level it's simply a matter of cost and efficency.

[John Mason]

I think most locals are glad there's not a nuclear power station on our doorstep instead!

Have you climbed Plynlimon from the North? It's by far the most scenic part of the mountain, with the short ascent via Llyn Llygad Rheidol, or the longer one via the remote and rocky Cwm Gwarin. Shot below is a telephoto across the northern area from the summit of Foel Fadian; Glaslyn in foreground and Plynlimon in background R - seriously wild country!

Cheers - John 

[Martinastro78]

Those are superb Andy - I like them all. Well done on a successful photo shoot.

[Ralph]

The only comments I will make are that I can applaud Andy for bringing them to the attention of some people who may not be aware of the size and scope.

They are industrial dinasours which benefit neither man nor beast, they are driven by politics, pseudo-science GW, vested interests and subsidies. They do nothing for the local economics, they act as a political smoke screen. Econoimic supply side onshore windfarms are not material to reducing energy or emissions, one should look at other alternatives, such as reducing economic demand side requirments.

[Ralph]

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barkin666 - 6/3/2008 00:38 Stunning, I love these pictures Thanks! I really hope to see more turbines everywhere, even in my backyard! They are just so graceful. It is the future! Can anyone get this close to them?

With all due respect I would consider very seriously your proposal, were there to be a conruncopia of turbines across this little Emerald Isles our tourist trade may be adversely affected and moreover your rate of tax to support the susbisidies would cause a rather large whole in your bank account

[Linda Bennett]

Quote

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Ralph - 6/3/2008 21:58

The only comments I will make are that I can applaud Andy for bringing them to the attention of some people who may not be aware of the size and scope.

They are industrial dinasours which benefit neither man nor beast, they are driven by politics, pseudo-science GW, vested interests and subsidies. They do nothing for the local economics, they act as a political smoke screen. Econoimic supply side onshore windfarms are not material to reducing energy or emissions, one should look at other alternatives, such as reducing economic demand side requirments.

Ralph - 6/3/2008 22:03

Quote

barkin666 - 6/3/2008 00:38 Stunning, I love these pictures Thanks! I really hope to see more turbines everywhere, even in my backyard! They are just so graceful. It is the future! Can anyone get this close to them?

With all due respect I would consider very seriously your proposal, were there to be a conruncopia of turbines across this little Emerald Isles our tourist trade may be adversely affected and moreover your rate of tax to support the susbisidies would cause a rather large whole in your bank account

I think it is probably best to stick to photography here, Ralph, before a certain couple of heavies come along and delete your comments! Thanks!

[Ralph]

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John Mason - 6/3/2008 09:48

I think most locals are glad there's not a nuclear power station on our doorstep instead!

Have you climbed Plynlimon from the North? It's by far the most scenic part of the mountain, with the short ascent via Llyn Llygad Rheidol, or the longer one via the remote and rocky Cwm Gwarin. Shot below is a telephoto across the northern area from the summit of Foel Fadian; Glaslyn in foreground and Plynlimon in background R - seriously wild country!

Cheers - John 

 Like yourself John I think we are blessed with some beautuiful country in Wales and it saddens me when there seems to be a degree of apathy amongst the general populace. As a member of the CPRW, who are just celebrating their 70th anniversary this year, we should all be made aware that the Windturnbine argument is something which will become anachrnistic within a short period of time as other more effiicient forms of sustainable energy come on stream. Moreover few people realise that windturbines have a finite life, who will take away the industrial monstrosties and undo the ravages to the ecology once they have become redundant.

[Linda Bennett]

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Ralph - 6/3/2008 22:17

Quote

John Mason - 6/3/2008 09:48

I think most locals are glad there's not a nuclear power station on our doorstep instead!

Have you climbed Plynlimon from the North? It's by far the most scenic part of the mountain, with the short ascent via Llyn Llygad Rheidol, or the longer one via the remote and rocky Cwm Gwarin. Shot below is a telephoto across the northern area from the summit of Foel Fadian; Glaslyn in foreground and Plynlimon in background R - seriously wild country!

Cheers - John 

 Like yourself John I think we are blessed with some beautuiful country in Wales and it saddens me when there seems to be a degree of apathy amongst the general populace. As a member of the CPRW, who are just celebrating their 70th anniversary this year, we should all be made aware that the Windturnbine argument is something which will become anachrnistic within a short period of time as other more effiicient forms of sustainable energy come on stream. Moreover few people realise that windturbines have a finite life, who will take away the industrial monstrosties and undo the ravages to the ecology once they have become redundant.

Ahem!! Ralph!! Please stop!!

[John Mason]

Indeed - have your own thread in e.g. Climate Chat Ralph. We can argue our points there (he says as a guilty-for-introducing-a-bit-of-politics-poster!). I'm more than happy to argue this with you.

Don't expect much from me until Monday is done & dusted though - need to concentrate on that for now :) 

Cheers - John 

[Ralph]

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Linda Bennett - 6/3/2008 22:19

Quote

Ralph - 6/3/2008 22:17

Quote

John Mason - 6/3/2008 09:48

I think most locals are glad there's not a nuclear power station on our doorstep instead!

Have you climbed Plynlimon from the North? It's by far the most scenic part of the mountain, with the short ascent via Llyn Llygad Rheidol, or the longer one via the remote and rocky Cwm Gwarin. Shot below is a telephoto across the northern area from the summit of Foel Fadian; Glaslyn in foreground and Plynlimon in background R - seriously wild country!

Cheers - John 

 Like yourself John I think we are blessed with some beautuiful country in Wales and it saddens me when there seems to be a degree of apathy amongst the general populace. As a member of the CPRW, who are just celebrating their 70th anniversary this year, we should all be made aware that the Windturnbine argument is something which will become anachrnistic within a short period of time as other more effiicient forms of sustainable energy come on stream. Moreover few people realise that windturbines have a finite life, who will take away the industrial monstrosties and undo the ravages to the ecology once they have become redundant.

Ahem!! Ralph!! Please stop!!

I will make no more references but one last quote "Everyone has the right.. to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." Declaration of Universal Human Rights

[Ralph]

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John Mason - 6/3/2008 22:23

Indeed - have your own thread in e.g. Climate Chat Ralph. We can argue our points there (he says as a guilty-for-introducing-a-bit-of-politics-poster!). I'm more than happy to argue this with you.

Don't expect much from me until Monday is done & dusted though - need to concentrate on that for now :) 

Cheers - John 

 

I concur and we can have a jolly good discussion on the salient points, by the way liked the photo

[Linda Bennett]

Ralph

Quote

 

I will make no more references but one last quote "Everyone has the right.. to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." Declaration of Universal Human Rights

I totally agree with you, but just not here, please. :-)