Record number of visitors at wind power stations
13 June, 2011, Prague – On Saturday, more than 3, 000 visitors did not miss the traditional visiting day of wind power stations at the whole area of the Czech Republic. As a part of celebration of the Global Wind Day, the event was organized by the Czech Wind Energy Association (CzWEA).
Thousands of people took the advantage of beautiful weather to visit modern wind power stations, which were opened in 16 locations altogether. It has already been the sixth year when people had the opportunity of reviewing what progress had been made in the environment-friendly power generation from wind. Information brochures, balloons, jigsaw of a windmill, but above all impressive experiences – for all Saturday long people were taking all that with them from the localities where the wind power station doors were opened to visitors. Amusing were also samples of aircraft modelers´ work or competitions for prizes.
“We have also seen positive responses even from the supporters of nuclear power who came to see the wind power stations“, as Michal Janeček, Chairman of (CzWEA), commented on the event. “Almost all visitors welcomed the form of power mix with an important portion of renewable sources. Wind is considered to be a very suitable source of power generation, and there is not any reason not to make use of it the Czech Republic too.”
A great percentage of the visitors were people from the vicinity of the wind power stations. They themselves announced that the power station did not disturb them in any way with noise or by its appearance, either; on the contrary, they took it as a point of orientation on their walking or cycling trips. Those who live nearest to it even said with pride that they were fond of it and that the power station was theirs.
“The windmills grew exactly just over the hill two years ago and I do not hide from you that we were not excited on them very much that time. Nowadays we can say that one only registers a distant movement of the propellers. Similar is also our neighbors´ opinion,“ stated one family from a nearby village who came to the power stations near Věžnice in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.
“We are really satisfied with this year´ s event, most visitors´ opinions only confirm the recent public opinion research by the company Factum expressing that the Czech society evaluates the wind power stations as the safest and mainly cheapest power source. The visitors also agree that the wind power stations should be made use of much largely,“ as Michal Janeček, Chairman of the Czech Wind Energy Association, summarized.
During last year, wind power stations with total installed power of only 20 MW were added at the area of the Czech Republic. Although the CzWEA believes that the plan of the Czech Republic to have installed the wind power capacity of more than 750 MW till the year 2020 will be fulfilled.
Michal Janeček
Chairman of the Czech Wind Energy Association
Contact: predseda@csve.cz, +420 602 796 687
More information about the Visiting day and wind power at website www.csve.cz
Press release for download
