There can be little doubt that wind power has a very important role to play in meeting our energy needs into the future. It’s a safe, clean, carbon-neutral, sustainable and renewable form of energy. And living as we do on an island buffeted by the wild Atlantic Ocean, we get our share of high wind speeds.

No other form of renewable energy has the same potential for us. Solar energy is obviously limited because of cloud cover and the opportunities for hydro power are also limited.

Ardnacrusha was a pioneering hydropower station, which cashed in on the mighty power of the River Shannon, but being a fairly flat island, there are few other suitable sites. Offshore, there are definite possibilities for harnessing wind, wave and tidal energy.

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The combustion of biomass for power generation has some possibilities, whether it be short rotation coppice or miscanthus or straw. But at best, biomass could only serve smaller-scale combined heat and power generation; it is of little consequence in a national context.

Wind power is definitely the most attractive option. But wind turbines have their drawbacks as well when situated on land as opposed to offshore.

Huge windfarms, as in the case of the proposed Element Power windfarm for north Meath, are not generally thought to be visually attractive. In fact, these 150m-high wind turbines could easily be viewed as a terrible blight on the rural Meath landscape.

There are also issues with noise pollution and flickering shadows. The surrounding countryside would be changed for ever.

Anyhow, this proposed windfarm is 20 miles away from me and so that’s alright then – I have nothing to worry about. Besides, its construction would create a few jobs for a while and, for the farmers involved, it would be a very useful source of income.

However, I think this is an issue which we ignore at our peril. Let me be quite clear: I have absolutely no issue with single wind turbines scattered around the countryside. My brother-in-law has one and I’ve climbed up the inside and think it’s a super job.

But I distinguish between these single wind turbines and the large windfarms with mega turbines, as proposed by Element Power.

They are two very different scenarios – in the same way that I do not give a damn about a single bee sting, but if I get 46 of them together, it’s terminal.

It is conceivable that the entire Irish Midlands could become one giant windfarm under the Element Power Greenwire project.

Now you may say that I’m being inconsistent, having endorsed wind power at the outset. No, wind power is important, but we need to be careful where we place these mega turbines.

Farmland is the easy option, but ideally they should be located offshore where wind speeds are higher and their impact on the natural environment is minimal.

On land, I think their size should be limited and their location restricted to (offshore) uninhabited islands or areas of minimal visual impact and low population density, such as cutaway bog.

Of course, this would mean the farmers of north Meath and elsewhere would be denied a valuable source of income. But is it really worth it to have these monsters perpetually humming away, upsetting the peace and tranquillity of the unspoilt countryside which we so love?

Is it really worth it to have a service road driven through the farm, with rights of way given to third parties, over which you have no control? Is it worth it if they cause friction with your neighbours?

I feel it is a decision we could regret and, personally, I’d send them packing.