I'm thinking a lot about wind power and profit currently, and the more I think the more it becomes apparent that an excessive profit margin is counter productive to common-sense development.

For example we have two proposals near to us, which probably cannot both go ahead. One is for a commercial 2.3MW turbine. The other is for an 800KW turbine, which will fund a Community development program to the tune of £50K / year.

Which should go ahead? An energy point of view would suggest the 2.3MW commercial one. But from a neighbourhood point of view, which would you rather have in your backyard, a big turbine generating profit for one family who don't even live nearby, or a smaller one generating benefit for the whole community?

To confuse the issue further, the Community proposal has the best site. If these things were centrally planned, then we'd probably have a 2.3MW on that site generating max energy, and maximising local benefits as well.

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aesmith