Last updated 15:53, Wednesday, 16 April 2008

BEING green has never had a higher profile and environmental issues are at the forefront of debate. So it is encouraging to know Cumbria is one of the greenest areas in the UK.

The county has a major renewable energy source – wind – and Cumbria is well on the way to harnessing this natural source. One of the greenest forms of electricity production comes from wind energy on and off-shore, with turbines generating electricity without the carbon dioxide emissions.

Wind farms in this area produce electricity for 80 to 85 per cent of the time and the amount of energy used to make and build a turbine is repaid within six to 12 months.

Cumbria’s onshore wind farms produce sufficient clean energy for almost 30,000 homes. This saves nearly 120,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year and is nearly enough electricity for three towns the size of Whitehaven.

Workington has become one of the greenest towns in the country in terms of energy generation. It is surrounded by wind farms already producing enough clean electricity for more than 10,000 homes – almost exactly the number of homes in the town.

And when off-shore wind farm Robin Rigg, 7.5 miles off the coast of Maryport, comes into operation it will provide energy for half the population of Cumbria.

The cost of electricity from a modern wind turbine, in a good location, is comparable with traditional generation. Best of all there is no fuel risk as Cumbria has its own plentiful supply of wind energy. The changes in landscape and impacts on wildlife habitats, brought about by wind turbines, are minor compared with the damage that could be wrought by extreme climate change.

Jill Perry, of West Cumbria and North Lakes Friends of the Earth, has been involved in and worked tirelessly to push green issues. She said: “The easiest thing most people can do is buy their electricity from a green electricity supplier.

“The best suppliers are Good Energy and Ecotricity. All the energy produced by Good Energy comes from renewable sources such as the wind turbines we see around us.

“Allerdale is the area which has the most turbines; they provide energy for almost half the population of the borough. In an ideal world they would provide energy for the entire population, but we’re gradually getting there.

“We have good wind resources in Allerdale and Copeland so we need to work to harness all that potential energy. But the M6 corridor, for instance, is an area which could harness much more wind power. But on a personal level we can all do things to save energy and make our lives a little greener.

“We can adapt our houses to produce energy such as erecting domestic wind turbines and there are local companies here which offer that installation service.

“Super levels of installation are a great way of capturing that energy that usually would have been lost.”

Overwater Hall Hotel, near Ireby, uses a wood-fuelled boiler for heat and has submitted a planning application for a wind turbine. Bank End Cottage, a completely carbon neutral property, near Kirkland, uses a ground source heat pump which takes natural heat produced from the earth.

Even local youth hostels are beginning to develop hydro schemes which enables energy to be converted from streams nearby.

n WINDFARMS IN THE WEST

HIGH POW: These three 1.3 megawatt turbines became operational in March 2007 and provide electricity for 2,000 households.

WHARRELS HILL: The eight 1.3 megawatt machines provide enough electricity for over 5,800 homes.

ROBIN RIGG: This off-shore project is in the construction phase and all 60 of the 3mW turbines should become operational in early 2009.

SIDDICK AND OLDSIDE: The two developments together provide sufficient renewable generated electricity for 5,300 homes.

EASTMAN: The Eastman Chemical plant has two large two megawatt turbines in the factory grounds, cutting its CO2 emissions.

WINSCALES: Three 660 kW turbines (built in 1999) and eight 850 kW turbines (erected in 2005) provide electricity for 4,900 households.

LOWCA: The seven 660 kW turbines provide electricity for 2,500 homes.