Wind power has never been more controversial… or more important.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Donald Trump once again took aim at wind turbines, repeating claims he’s made for years: that they lose money, kill wildlife, scar landscapes and only exist because “stupid people” bought into them. It’s the kind of rhetoric that spreads fast, sticks hard and rarely gets challenged properly.
That’s a problem, especially in the UK.
Wind isn’t theoretical here. It’s already one of the largest sources of electricity on the grid, powering homes, charging EVs and making technologies like heat pumps viable at scale. Whether you like how turbines look or not, wind is no longer optional… it’s infrastructure.
This video takes a hard, data-led look at the claims surrounding wind power. Not from an activist angle. Not from an industry sales pitch. But from the perspective of homeowners, consumers and people who actually pay energy bills.
Does wind really lose money every time the blades turn?
Why are investors pouring billions into it if that’s true?
Is China really building turbines for everyone else, while refusing to use them at home?
And what’s the real environmental impact when you compare wind honestly to fossil fuels?
The video also tackles who actually benefits when wind is ridiculed, delayed or dismissed. Because every time the debate gets stuck on soundbites, someone else keeps control of energy pricing, volatility and power.
This isn’t about pretending wind is perfect. It isn’t. Intermittency, grid constraints, planning failures… all of those are real and discussed openly. But pretending wind is a joke doesn’t survive contact with reality.
If you care about energy security, lower bills and moving away from gas dependency, this is a must-watch breakdown.
Watch the video then take the conversation further on the Renewable Heating Hub forums.
Thanks, @Mars. Another informative video.
On a completely trivial note….
7:02 – (on the appearance of wind turbines) “…I’ll be honest; I’m not a big fan." No pun intended?
Sorry, I’ll sit back in my corner.
On a more on-topic note, I’m interested how people can go misty-eyed in favour of the look of windmills but not like the look of wind turbines.
It’s the same with anything of historic importance or antique, that’s life.
@Majordennisbloodnok I see there are ‘Topic Tags above for ‘Donald Trump’ and ‘Wind’, err…are they not one and the same thing?
Well done @Mars, I’m not sure I could have done that without introducing politics! You have said it so well! Regards, Toodles.
There are a lot of synonyms for “Donald Trump”, @Toodles. At least this clarifies which one is being referred to.
I hadn’t even realised I’d done that 🤣
That is is very funny. Fabulous spot!
Thanks, I suppose he tried it with vaccines and still got elected.. So these absolutely mad unfounded claims do need debunking!
All that he claims about renewables is from a fossil perspective.
This US administration is trying to apply the brakes on many offshore wind farms on the east coast but the US already has huge capacity, including in oil states like Texas..
Yes that’ll be his angle I guess. But other countries have foreseen the problems dropping oil sales could give them and invested in renewables instead.
@Deltona actually, gas (the target for those lies were European audiences). The fact is that gas powered stations will keep burning less if more wind is harvested and reaches the consumers…
In the UK, he would probably target pylons. 😉
I dont think we should ignore the fact that the US has vast oil reserves. That puts it in a different position to the UK which doesn’t. Its in the interests of a country with vast oil reserves to rubbish renewables, because they undermine the iron grip that control of energy gives them on others. By contrast its in the interest of countries without vast oil reserves but with ready access to renewables to escape that grip. I would go so far as to say that the future security of those countries, including the UK, depends on doing just that irrespective of any arguments based on climate change.
Not to mention hot air. The individual could be a good source of renewable energy!
Thats my chance of getting a US visa gone. No that I intend going anywhere near the place while the current administration is in power.
Hot air is the explanation I vote for…
Ideally such medical problems would not result in an individual becoming obsessed with selling shale gas.. while doing a double act as a comedian..
As the owner of a small wind-turbine for three years (until it caught fire), I’ve been able to assess first hand whether they are worthwhile.
The control electronics is very important.
It must be capable of taking all of the output, even during a gale when your batteries are already full.
I installed a 2-stage dump-load to accept excess generation.
When commercial turbines are instructed to generate less power, they must first be turned sideways to the wind direction.
You can’t just flick a switch to disconnect a turbine from the load, as happens with PV panels.
It would simply rotate even faster because there’s no longer anything accepting the energy.
Poor physics.
You’d need an enormous brake to bring those things to a standstill.
In common with hydroelectric generation, wind turbines generate more of their annual output in the winter months, which is when we need it.
Both technologies use the same sort of mechanics to turn rotational energy into electricity.
However, air is much lighter than water, and also prone to rapid fluctuations (gusting).
So the same size of ‘generator’ produces a lot more electricity when used as a water turbine than when powered by the wind.
Yup, I would be confident the individual is not even operating car brakes! 😀
@Transparent I dare say that the negative forces generated by Trump could quite easily arrest the motion of many ‘windmills’. 😒
hence the need for turbines and independent minds that cannot be so easily arrested.. 😉
@Batpred Ah ‘arrest’ now that might be worth trying!
Agreed, the more inertia/the larger the blades, the better the turbine handles gusting.
Another factor is the altitude, that impacts air pressure and so how much energy the wind turbine can safely harvest.
It should also be said that some coastal locations have been harvesting very predictable and regular winds for decades, as hang gliders are well aware..
A wild wind turbine story straight out of CHYYYYYNA.
https://apple.news/AVPVz8FtwRAGMn99YbYKVvw
😂
I wonder whether that turbine could “fly" where the pylon´s don´t..