Somerton, Norfolk

What could be more natural than a windmill on the Norfolk Broads. We built this one near the village of Somerton, right on the edge of the Broads.

This one big windmill produces as much green electricity each year as ten smaller and older ones a couple of fields away. A great demonstration of the progress of wind energy, in just eight years.

Of course the Broads didn’t always have old style windmills, and when they were first introduced they were quite alien to the landscape.

Apparently in the Lincolnshire Fens, a long time ago, Dutch engineers installing windmills were literally lynched by angry locals. And we thought we had it bad with Nimby’s…

Fast forward a few generations and we treasure the old windmills.

Modern windmills will probably make that journey rather faster, as we all contemplate the realities of a world in which we can’t afford to keep burning fossil fuels – even if we can afford to buy them.