Cyprus-Forum.com

[CBBB]

Just for Don Quixote, sorry, I mean Grump.

Our View: Wind farms a colossal waste of the taxpayer’s money

Published on March 31, 2012

CYPRUS has three wind farms, which have taken the lion’s share of the funds levied through our electricity bills for renewable energy sources. Yet Cyprus was never known to have strong winds – it is no Scotland or Germany – and this has been proved by the measurements. Last year our wind farms worked at a paltry 25 per cent of capacity producing 164 MWh of electricity which was a terribly poor return on installations with 133MW capacity.

But this should not have surprised anyone. In his book, The Wind Farm Scam, academic and ecologist, Dr John Etherington, pointed out that at modest winds – the type we have in Cyprus – turbines generate little power. He wrote: “The energy content of wind is so small at low wind speeds that no useful work is available at 3metres to 5 metres per second.” In Britain – which had much stronger winds than Cyprus - Dr Etherington wrote, “for much of the year they (wind turbines) produce less than half of their potential maximum.”

And in Cyprus, they produce a quarter of their potential maximum. This could not possibly justify the investment. So why in a country that is blessed with the most sun hours in Europe, did the Energy Service of the Commerce Ministry, decide to allocate a huge proportion of the funds for renewable energy sources to wind farms? The official line was that wind turbines were much more cost-effective than photovoltaics, which, admittedly, were expensive at the time the decision was taken. But how sensible is an investment that works at 25 per cent of its capacity, without the prospect of this ever increasing?

The former chairman of the Federation of Environmental and Ecological Organisations of Cyprus, Pantelis Metaxas, told the Sunday Mail: “There has been an obvious partiality on the part of the state toward large-scale projects, so that at the end of the day the bulk of allocated subsidies go to big business, while the little guy is largely excluded.” Metaxas, who sat on an assessment committee, also spoke of inside information and vested interests.

Meanwhile there are many hundreds of individual applications for photovoltaics awaiting government approval for years. No approvals are given because all the money has gone to the wind-farms, or as Metaxas described them, the ‘business sharks’. Of course now the prices of photovoltaics have fallen so dramatically, the cost-effectiveness argument no longer holds. Prices are so low that it would still pay off to install a system without the state subsidy, the only cost to the state being the premium rate at which it would buy the electricity generated.

This should put an end to any government plans for more wind farms, which are proving a colossal waste of the taxpayer’s money.

[cyprusgrump]

Just for Don Quixote, sorry, I mean Grump.

Our View: Wind farms a colossal waste of the taxpayer’s money

Published on March 31, 2012

CYPRUS has three wind farms, which have taken the lion’s share of the funds levied through our electricity bills for renewable energy sources. Yet Cyprus was never known to have strong winds – it is no Scotland or Germany – and this has been proved by the measurements. Last year our wind farms worked at a paltry 25 per cent of capacity producing 164 MWh of electricity which was a terribly poor return on installations with 133MW capacity.

But this should not have surprised anyone. In his book, The Wind Farm Scam, academic and ecologist, Dr John Etherington, pointed out that at modest winds – the type we have in Cyprus – turbines generate little power. He wrote: “The energy content of wind is so small at low wind speeds that no useful work is available at 3metres to 5 metres per second.” In Britain – which had much stronger winds than Cyprus - Dr Etherington wrote, “for much of the year they (wind turbines) produce less than half of their potential maximum.”

And in Cyprus, they produce a quarter of their potential maximum. This could not possibly justify the investment. So why in a country that is blessed with the most sun hours in Europe, did the Energy Service of the Commerce Ministry, decide to allocate a huge proportion of the funds for renewable energy sources to wind farms? The official line was that wind turbines were much more cost-effective than photovoltaics, which, admittedly, were expensive at the time the decision was taken. But how sensible is an investment that works at 25 per cent of its capacity, without the prospect of this ever increasing?

The former chairman of the Federation of Environmental and Ecological Organisations of Cyprus, Pantelis Metaxas, told the Sunday Mail: “There has been an obvious partiality on the part of the state toward large-scale projects, so that at the end of the day the bulk of allocated subsidies go to big business, while the little guy is largely excluded.” Metaxas, who sat on an assessment committee, also spoke of inside information and vested interests.

Meanwhile there are many hundreds of individual applications for photovoltaics awaiting government approval for years. No approvals are given because all the money has gone to the wind-farms, or as Metaxas described them, the ‘business sharks’. Of course now the prices of photovoltaics have fallen so dramatically, the cost-effectiveness argument no longer holds. Prices are so low that it would still pay off to install a system without the state subsidy, the only cost to the state being the premium rate at which it would buy the electricity generated.

This should put an end to any government plans for more wind farms, which are proving a colossal waste of the taxpayer’s money.

Thanks for that!

Although I don't doubt that we'll soon be told that Dr John Etherington and Pantelis Metaxas are not an 'official source' and they 'should get down to the numbers and refrain from the constant complaining'...

[GreekIslandGirl]

Check out the interior of the new Nicosia theater:

Nice!

- Acoustics courtesy of the clever Greeks and their amphitheaters.

[CBBB]

Just what we need, another theatre!

[kurupetos]

Just what we need, another theatre!

The puppets are already there.

[cyprusgrump]

Just what we need, another theatre!

The puppets are already there.

[metamorphosys]

i couldnt read all so i just go strait to the subject- no eifel towr here man!
it will take you ages to get orientation in any town as it has no marcable ........... something, anything........
but
as you get to know the island, you realise there are magical places around that are in no book or guide........
as
turtle nesting beaches in agamas
as white alien rocks of governors beach
as amazing tzelefos bridge area
as blood cheries in pedulas
killer zivania in arkakas
split rocks at agios nikolaos
amazing routes trough mountains in springtime (now man, now is the time!!!!)
crazy colour combinations at pomos
giagia`s olives chakistes, and halloumi
and
and
come to cyprus, embrace it, open your heart and enjoy
Mila

[wyoming cowboy]

i couldnt read all so i just go strait to the subject- no eifel towr here man!
it will take you ages to get orientation in any town as it has no marcable ........... something, anything........
but
as you get to know the island, you realise there are magical places around that are in no book or guide........
as
turtle nesting beaches in agamas
as white alien rocks of governors beach
as amazing tzelefos bridge area
as blood cheries in pedulas
killer zivania in arkakas
split rocks at agios nikolaos
amazing routes trough mountains in springtime (now man, now is the time!!!!)
crazy colour combinations at pomos
giagia`s olives chakistes, and halloumi
and
and
come to cyprus, embrace it, open your heart and enjoy
Mila

stepping off the plane at Larnaka, hearing cypriots everywhere
camping out at Protaras falling asleep looking at the infinite stars with the gentle waves of the sea in the background
and waking up to a sunrise that slowly illuminates the whole mediterranean
the gentle cypriot breeze on a hot summer day or night
breakfast at Zygi, of fresh fish
driving up to troodos, and drinking fresh cold water from the spring that flows off the mountain

[CBBB]

i couldnt read all so i just go strait to the subject- no eifel towr here man!
it will take you ages to get orientation in any town as it has no marcable ........... something, anything........
but
as you get to know the island, you realise there are magical places around that are in no book or guide........
as
turtle nesting beaches in agamas
as white alien rocks of governors beach
as amazing tzelefos bridge area
as blood cheries in pedulas
killer zivania in arkakas
split rocks at agios nikolaos
amazing routes trough mountains in springtime (now man, now is the time!!!!)
crazy colour combinations at pomos
giagia`s olives chakistes, and halloumi
and
and
come to cyprus, embrace it, open your heart and enjoy
Mila

stepping off the plane at Larnaka, hearing cypriots everywhere
camping out at Protaras falling asleep looking at the infinite stars with the gentle waves of the sea in the background
and waking up to a sunrise that slowly illuminates the whole mediterranean
the gentle cypriot breeze on a hot summer day or night
breakfast at Zygi, of fresh fish
driving up to troodos, and drinking fresh cold water from the spring that flows off the mountain

Don't forget a nice cold KEO!

[georgios100]

Realistically, a suitable attraction would be the waterfront. Cyprus being in the centre of the east Med and the extreme EU eastern tip with the best weather all year round. So, I was thinking of some type of a marina for both small & larger vessels since there is great demand.
http://www.charterworld.com/news/40000- ... rina-berth
40,000 on the waiting list for a French Marina Berth