I read with some dismay a recent letter to the National Trust magazine from the Vice Chairman of The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales attacking the proposed construction of the Cefn Croes wind farm in mid-Wales. The letter encourages readers to promote other renewable forms of energy, such as solar and tidal power 'before enthusing about something which is merely a visible quick fix, generates little and destroys the very thing it is trying to protect.'

Is wind power, a key part of the Government's plans to meet its targets for renewable energy production, a non-starter as the letter suggests?

What is the view of people who already live with wind farms? Do they view them as a nuisance?

In research carried out by System Three Social Research on behalf of the Scottish Executive in respect of active wind farms, those people who lived nearest a wind farm were more likely to provide positive responses when asked about the wind farm than those elsewhere. Neither the visual impact of wind farms nor noise appeared to be a major issue for local residents.

We need to look at renewable energy, not only to reduce global warming, but also to replace our existing sources of energy. Electricity may be cheap at the moment, but the UK will become increasingly dependent on imported fuels to meet its energy demands.

A feasibility study commissioned by Greenpeace suggested that forty wind farms off East Anglia's coast could provide a quarter of the UK's electricity and bring 60,000 jobs to the region. The farms - stretching from Essex to the The Wash - would house 15,000 turbines covering 4,000 square kilometres and would be sited away from shipping lanes and important wildlife sites.

If we are not to promote wind power, as suggested, what of the alternatives? The letter highlights the fact that existing wind farms at Carno and Llandinam generate on average 20MW of electricity. BP Solar recently won its largest British contract to date, supplying 90,000 photovoltaic cells as part of a scheme to generate 200KW of electricity in Ipswich. If this scheme, billed as the biggest of its kind in Europe, can only produce 1% of the electricity supplied by the two wind farms mentioned, can it seriously be viewed as a better option right now?

Surely the way forward is to promote the most viable forms of renewable energy production, whether based on water, wind or solar power? It seems ludicrous to oppose wind power generation schemes on the grounds that they are visually unappealing, when by taking no action we are risking the future of the environment itself. Rather than rubbishing wind power because of its impact on the eye, should the objectors not instead campaign to see increased efforts directed to the development of offshore wind farms?

What are your views on this subject? Should we stop the development of wind farms on the grounds that they do more harm than good? Use our comments page to have your say.