When a farmer's dreams of turning his land into a windfarm are repeatedly scuppered, he is unsure of how to merge his concern for the environment with his financial security

Patrick Murphy heard a loud crash outside and he jumped up from the kitchen table to look out over the farm yard. A sudden gust of wind had blown down the ladder he had propped up against the wall, smashing a shed window. He hurried out to clear up the glass before his wife Maura came back from the shops.

The sooner he could turn the wind to his fortune, rather than his misfortune, the better, he thought. The Co Clare farm was like a wind tunnel with the constant Atlantic breeze and Patrick had set his heart on creating a windfarm.

Patrick (54) first got the idea six years ago when watching a BBC documentary on the success of windfarms in Scotland. It was a project he wanted to concentrate on when he gave up farming two years later.

His children, Mairead and Linda, had both trained as nurses and had no interest in taking over the farm. They had young families and were settled into suburban life in Dublin.

So, for the time being, some neighbours leased his land. Patrick had always been interested in "green issues". He saw it as his duty to play a part in passing on a clean, sustainable Ireland to his grandchildren.

When planning approval for the building of 10 wind turbines came through in early 2003, Patrick thought his dream of owning a windfarm was close to fruition. But what he did not know then was that in December 2003 the Commission for Energy Regulation would order a temporary ban on new windfarms connecting to the national grid.

At the time, the ESB National Grid said the "intermittent" nature of wind power was causing difficulties. Although the ban was lifted 12 months later, the detrimental effect it had on windfarm development in Ireland lasted several years.

This setback was then compounded by a world shortage of wind turbines, pushing up the prices and increasing lead times for delivery. At the same time, Patrick had watched with dismay a sustained increase in bank interest rates.

However, he had been heartened last summer when the Green Party went into Government with Fianna Fáil.

Surely, he thought, this could only improve conditions for developments like his, especially with a Green TD, Eamon Ryan, being appointed Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The outcome of the election had suggested there was growing awareness of the need to take more responsibility for climate change, through changing policies and personal behaviour.

Patrick knew he had issues to address if he was going to establish his windfarm. Firstly, his planning permission was due to expire in early 2008, and he wasn't sure what he could do to extend it. His architect, who had done a great job on the house 10 years ago, didn't have any experience of building windfarms. Patrick also knew that he would not get an offer of a grid connection until halfway through 2008 at the earliest. He had found it hard to make sense of the jargon in the paperwork sent to him and he didn't know who might advise him.

He had been really frustrated when he read in a newspaper that there was a world shortage of windfarms, as more governments belatedly realised the importance of developing alternative energy resources. He had seen this was the way to go years ago, but turbine suppliers would probably now give preference to larger projects than his, he thought. Last but not least of his worries was that he did not yet have agreement from anyone to buy the power.

One morning last month, Patrick was having breakfast when Maura gave him the post. It included a letter from energy consultants in Dublin, Risteard Energy. The report concluded that - with what was called a P90 probability and within a 75m plan, the load factor was 27 per cent. In layman's terms, the area wasn't as windy as he had thought. He groaned.

"What's the matter?" asked Maura.

"Oh, everything seems to be going against me - the planning permission is about to expire, I won't get the grid connection offer until next May at the earliest, I have no agreement to buy turbines, nobody to buy the wind power from me, and now this. This report here says that the site isn't as windy as we had thought."

Maura looked at him and said: "Pat, you've always overcome obstacles in the past, and you're hardly going to be stopped now. I don't care what that crowd in Dublin say; our farm is surely one of the windiest places in Ireland."

Pat had a passion for the land and for nature, but he was concerned about how others in the community would perceive him.The family down the road, who had unsuccessfully opposed his planning application, would probably jump at any new opportunity to try to block his plans.

It annoyed Patrick that some local people thought he was just after the money with this windfarm idea. He passionately cared for the environment and the future of Ireland and hoped his project would inspire more landowners to do the same.

How should Patrick Murphy proceed to ensure he fulfils his dream of creating a successful windfarm?