The first meeting for 2010 will consider whether wind energy has a role to play in meeting Bath’s future energy needs. 

An opening presentation by Martin Holley and Simon Lewin from the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) will explain the key technical issues, opportunities and constraints associated with wind energy. CSE (www.cse.org.uk) is an independent charity based in Bristol which helps people and organisations to meet the challenges of rising energy costs and climate change. Caroline Kay from the Bath Preservation Trust (www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk) will consider the impact of wind turbines on the World Heritage Site and its landscape setting. The discussion will then be thrown open and the bulk of the time will be devoted to points raised from the floor.

Issues might include the suitability of the Bath area for wind energy generation; the relative merits of large scale turbines versus smaller ones; the whole-life energy costs and benefits of turbines; their potential impact on the built and natural environment; and the role of the planning system in encouraging or restricting the development of wind power.

The meeting is not about the science of climate change. It will not consider in detail other types of renewable energy, although participants may wish to comment on the relative merits of wind power versus other forms of renewable energy. The intention is to improve our understanding of wind energy and the contribution it might make towards reducing Bath’s carbon footprint.

Trevor Osborne, Chairman of the Trevor Osborne Property Group, will chair the meeting and will draw conclusions which will be passed on to Bath & North East Somerset Council or other responsible authorities to consider.