Wind turbines - save the planet or just ruin rural areas?

The technological innovation of the wind turbine is currently in the news after the government unveiled proposals to radically expand the current number around the country.

Fair enough - wind is a tremendous resource if it can be harnessed properly.

I personally hate the turbines because they tend to be built in the most beautiful rural areas - completely ruining some of the most unspoilt parts of the country.

Because they're considered 'green' it seems like the normal planning laws don't apply.

But I was contacted by Dr David Hill, claiming to be from the World Innovation Foundation Charity from Bern, Switzerland.

He said that the £100 billion scheme will be something of a white elephant, explaining that in 2003, for example, the world's wind farms were only producing electricity for 24.1 per cent of the year.

Dr Hill said: "The facts are that these turbines only reach maximum efficiency when the wind speed is between 10 and 20mph and where below 8mph these turbines just simply do not produce any electricity at all.

"Added to these facts is that above 20mph efficiencies go down and when over 56mph they all stop producing electricity completely due to cut out and risk of damage. Indeed, a significant number of wind turbines in fact cut out at 33mph."

He explained that the turbines last around nine years - meaning that we'll have to bung in £100 billion then as well.

So they won't work most of the time, when the winds are highest and therefore most productive they'll cut out , they'll need replacing soon and our green and pleasant land will be ruined.

Nice environmental plan guys!