While the mining boom which so transformed parts of the Australian countryside may have slowed, grey nomads are being told to prepare themselves for a more ‘environmentally friendly’ change to the once pristine landscape.
Huge wind farms have already become familiar sights in much of Europe, and they are about to make their presence felt in a serious way here. While there are already a number of smaller wind farms dotted around, the size and generating capability of the next generation of wind farms is about to go through the roof.
The South Australian government has just given final approval for DP Energy Australia to build the Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park, which will feature 59 wind turbines, each measuring about 130 metres from blade tip-to-blade tip and it will be accompanied by 400 hectares of solar panels.
The farm will produce sufficient energy to power 200,000 homes and save 470,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
And that could be just the start.
DP Energy said construction of a new wind farm would soon begin at Emerald Creek on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland and that it would not be the last wind farm built in Queensland’s north.
“We have lagged behind for some reason but the current Queensland government is now encouraging renewable energy to a great degree,” said company director, David Blake. “It’s a moving feast and it’s changing rapidly and the message is it’s not going to stop changing … there’s a transition under way being driven by climate concerns.”
He said locations similar to that of Port Augusta which were in more rural areas were preferred by developers.
It’s a similar story in Victoria, where the government recently relaxed laws that prevented turbines being built within one kilometre of a home without consent from residents. That has meant that, despite some local opposition, permission has just been granted for a 96-turbine, $650 million wind farm to be built at Dundonnell in the state’s west.
“There’s nothing ugly about wind farms, because there’s nothing ugly about jobs,” said Premier Daniel Andrews.
Dundonnell wind farm will generate enough clean energy to power about 140,000 homes.
‘Wind farm tourism’ is already a factor in Australia with many grey nomads choosing to drive out to Salmon Beach and Ten Mile Lagoon near Esperance to see the huge wind farms there that are linked the local power supply.
They are an ugly blight on the landscape Mr Andrews, get out of your ivory tower and have a look. They are also extremely expensive to build with more carbon emissions than they care to admit and need generated power to operate irrespective of wind availability, meaning less for the consumer. The cost of power in SA is the most expensive out of all the states and this will flow on to Victoria. There is no such thing as cost effective, renewable energy.
I agree with you Robyn. There is always an uproar when Telstra puts up a tower to provide important infrastructure, and yet these towers become beautiful. Always smiled when the locals in Coober Pedy told us that the majority of time, the Wind Tower in their town was operated out of Adelaide & operated for the majority of the time on a diesel generator.
Well said Robyn. Blows to hard, they need to shut down. Doesn’t blow, they don’t generate. Solar, night time or cloudy, don’t work. Desalination plant. Rusting white elephant. More stupid decisions made by stupid people voted in by stupid people.
Again another mis representation of the truth by corporations trying to rip our country off.. What about the effects that these wind farms have on people’s health, have a look and speak to some locals in Ravenshoe and in Victoria and ask them what they think. People that have these things on their properties are tied up with contracts and are not allowed to make negative comments re the effects of the turbines on their health but I know of a couple of families on farms whose livelihoods and health have suffered to the extent the they no longer can live on their properties. The companies developing these wind farms will deny any problems exist but you only have to get onto to google and the evidence is there, wind farms are not the answer
Well.
Whinging aside.
There ar several options for supplying power to Australian Households.
Industrial is another thing altogether.
Solar and “Evacuuated tube water heating is a perfect example for individual homes.
We live in Q’Land have 4.2 kw of solar on roof and 30 tube Evac Tubes.
Water is supplied all yr apart from a coupla weeks at most in Cold Cloudy weather and when visitors around.
We get 44c per Kw return from Gov’t. and our system gives us complete running costs of power plus running pool pumps With a cash return (decreasing annually from power increases. of $670 this yr less the one 1\4 we pay some on of $64..
Even when rebates finish.
My system runs this house incl pool and Aircond. Completely in Daylight hrs
When they DO stop.
Small battery bank to cover evening. we sweet.
Solar is THE way to go for homes.
With large scale . You have COAL. GAS. NUCLEAR WIND
and SOLAR.
Plud vertical Turbines on cliff faces on the coast. but high maint.
I don’t know about the whingers out there
But in my eyes. I’d rather have the Wind Farms combined with Solar farms.
Than any of the fuel burning alternatives.
Get real.
Solar and wind. are the ONLY true alternatives at present.
Get with them and reduce the carbon. Which is much higher than from fuel burning power supply sources..
Plus that depleting resources for future generations too.
MY thoughts on it anyway.
Just compare current alternatives, not live in a dream world..
Agree with you totally on that Mack Carson.
Cheers Kev.
People whinge about wind farms because they DO change the look of the countryside, and they DO have an impact on the health of some people. But if we need them to save the world then we must have them. BUT…. there is a lot of money in this wind farm business, both for the land hosts and for the developers. IT IS HUGELY UNFAIR THAT PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM WIND FARMS GET NOTHING! At even one kilometre they are offensive and now Andrews wants to reduce that. Most unfair.
If we need them, we need them, but the victims of them must be fairly compensated.
As a country we must stop relying on fossil fuels and harness renewable energy. Investment in wind and solar power farms is essential. When travelling in Europe I loved seeing wind farms as it told me they are prepared to invest in the future. The positives outweigh any negatives.