Since my earlier postings on this thread I've done quite a bit more reading on the subject.
I still believe that there is a future for wind turbines and they are certainly part of the solution from a renewable energy perspective, BUT thanks to various subsidies and the rush to hit somewhat arbitrary low carbon targets, we are probably putting up far too many turbines while the technology still needs to be advanced.
Anyway, I recently played at Worksop GC, home to Lee Westwood, and there is a turbine at the adjacent B&Q Distribution warehouse. The warehouse is screened by trees and not seen at all, but the solitary turbine is visible from several parts of the course and the clubhouse. The 13th hole gets closest and is about 500m away at which point the turbine does look rather large, but then as you will have seen I don't have a problem with the aesthetics (in fact I was with a group of architects and engineers and we all agreed that probably due to our professions we all found them generally elegant structures even if we understand that not everyone does (on that subject the Strata Tower is as ugly as they come Tony but that's the building and not just its turbines)). There was no other impact as far as I could tell, though it was a soaking wet day and not one for photographs otherwise I would have took a few.
James
James,
Like you, I have spent many an hour researching wind versus solar as a renewable energy source. The answer of course is that it depends... The vast plains of the American Mid and South-West not withstanding, you'll generally have to make some compromises in either location or aesthetics to gain access to renewable power.
I live in a town that maintains its own grid-one of approximately 20 municipal owned electrical systems in MA. Due to transmission loss, peak charges and substation capacity issues, it's much more beneficial to generate renewable power 'inside the grid'. For us that would be a 2 mWh capacity solar install across the Route 126 from Walden Pond. With current SREC reimbursements, this works out to be a good deal for the town. Pretty much any societal advancement has required substantial government investment to sustain itself while the technology improves... my current thought is that we should embargo any advances in this area from being shared with other countries like China who basically destroyed the solar panel industry in the US about 3 years ago... (taking down companies like Solyndra in the process). At least make SRECs only available to companies who use US manufactured equipment to generate renewables...