Planning has begun on a huge new wind farm off the coast of Yorkshire. Can this form of fuel be one of the answers to the worlds energy and pollution crisis.

Is the energy it will generate ‘clean’ enough or is the cost of building, siting and maintaining the turbines and the cost of getting the energy generated into the National Grid so high that it negates the amount of energy that it produces.

The technology that surrounds wind power has, of course, been around for centuries, starting with sailing ships. Wind mills were built in Europe in the 8th Century, used to mill grain and pump water. There is some evidence that as early as the 5th Century some form of wind mill was being used in Persia. Can this ancient form of power bring enough clean energy to our world to make a significant difference to our daily costs or to the CO2 being generated by coal and gas powered producers. Is it just one building block in the growing energy crisis facing the modern world. Is the disturbance to the ecosystem of our sea and the disruption to the safe passage of ships a legitimate concern.

One way of cutting your fuel consumption is to have a well insulated home, with high technology glass in your windows and doors, appropriate to the location and aspect. Modern glass types can keep most of the heat from the height of the summer sun out if your home, while keeping the warmth you are introducing into your home in winter right where you want it.

Advancement in glazing technology can save energy, make sure you select a supplier who offers you more than basic glazing. The lower “U” value the better the insulation. South or West facing glazing will benefit from a solar reflective glass so choose the right one and reflect 65% of the heat on those hot summer days keeping the home more comfortable and still obtaining a good level of energy saving during the winter.