Wind farmers find the industry profitable and benign – no “wind farm syndrome”
Wind turbine syndrome: farm hosts tell very different story The Conversation, Simon Chapman Professor of Public Health at University of Sydney 18 Sept 13 People who host wind turbines on their properties and derive rental income from wind energy companies have important stories to tell about living alongside turbines, but they’ve largely been absent from the debate on wind farms and health. Australian filmmaker and researcher Neil Barrett is finally giving this critical group a voice in his new short film, The way the wind blows, released today.
Turbine hosts at Waubra earn A$8,000 a year for each turbine on their land. In the bush, the expression that wind farms can “drought-proof a farm” is common: a land owner with ten turbines can wake up each morning comfortable in the thought that a tough year with poor rain or bad frosts can be ridden out, thanks to income from wind generation.
All of Barrett’s interviewees say they can hear the turbines but none say they are bothered by them or suffer from any health problems they attribute to the turbines. Continue reading
Exposing the garbage propaganda from the anti wind farm lobby
More than two-thirds of Australian wind farms including more than half of those with large turbines have never received a single complaint. Two whole states – Western Australia and Tasmania – have seen no complaints.
Wind turbine syndrome: farm hosts tell very different story The Conversation, Simon Chapman Professor of Public Health at University of Sydney 18 Sept 13 “………Laurie and the Waubra Foundation have done all they can to spread concern about the harms they allege are caused by living near wind farms. One former Waubra resident has been particularly prominent, speaking emotionally at anti-wind farm meetings about how wind farms have ruined his health and caused his family to move to Ballarat, at great personal expense.
In a statement that would be of immense interest to Apple, Samsung and Nokia, he recently told a meeting in Barringhup that electricity generated by wind turbines started charging his cell phone without it being plugged in:
I’ve had my … mobile phone go into charge mode in the middle of the paddock, away from everywhere.
In 2012, he wrote a public submission to a parliamentary inquiry where he revealed he had suffered a serious head injury some eight years before the wind farm opened in 2010:
I have been in brain training care and rehabilitation for about ten years because of an unfortunate, unrelated accident.
Indeed, the most common health complaints voiced by complainants are problems such as disturbed sleep, anxiety, hypertension and normal problems of ageing that are very prevalent in all communities, regardless of whether they have wind farms.
Continue reading
Victorian farmers part-owners in Wimmera’s new wind farm
hopes Coonooer Bridge will be the first of many other small projects involving groups of farmers.
Coonooer Bridge locals win with wind farm http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2013/08/16/579559_national-news.html 16 Aug 13, THESE new turbines will help the locals, writes CHRIS McLENNAN To call them mountains would be a stretch: the highest peak on the Yawong Hills rises only to 434 metres.
This formerly unremarkable sheep-grazing country is suddenly hot property.
Wind whistles across the Wimmera plains. The inland side of the Great Divide has nothing to block this steady breeze which is forced up and over this low range at Coonooer Bridge between Charlton and St Arnaud.
Scientists have studied this phenomenon for years and find the average wind speeds of more than eight metres a second amount to some of the best renewable energy resources in the world. Far from the Roaring Forties of Australia’s southern coast, where wind farms jostle for space in western Victoria, the search for green energy has found a new home.
The first wind farm to pass Victoria’s myriad planning obstacles for two years has just won approval at Coonooer Bridge. There are only five turbines, but they are the first in Australia to be part-owned by the neighbouring farmers through Windlab. Continue reading
Heathcote locals unhappy with Victoria’s anti-wind farm laws
Heathcote locals question Victoria’s anti-wind farm laws http://yes2renewables.org/2013/08/13/heathcote-locals-question-victorias-anti-wind-farm-laws/ August 13, 2013 by Leigh Ewbank
Yes 2 Renewables visited Heathcote recently to present to the local U3A (university of the third age) about wind energy technology. Given that Heathcote is located in the hearth of the McHarg/Macedon Ranges ‘no-go zone’ for wind farms, we took the opportunity to brief attendees about the Victorian government’s anti-wind farm laws. The presentation prompted U3A member, Louise Joy, to submitted the following letter to the editor to The McIvor Times:
Heathcote U3A “Understanding New Technology” group heard Leigh Ewbank from Friends of the Earth speak on “Wind Power” at the Guide Hall for an illuminating and entertaining two hours on Wednesday 3 July 2013 from 10 am.
Such a simple solution to the problems of pollution where unfortunately Victoria leads the way in developed countries. Renewable energy has strong public support with 94% opting for Solar and 87% for wind power. There have been Wind Power community projects planned for Woodend, Surf Coast and Anglesea with opportunities for job creation in manufacturing, construction, maintenance and computer programming. Farms in drought areas benefit, a lid is kept on Electricity prices, communities gain control over their own clean and safe energy future.
So what is stopping implementation with so much community support and so many advantages? There are strong lobby groups with vested interests against Wind Farming. In Victoria, Amendment VC 82 has created no go zones in the Yarra and McHarg Ranges, among others. Heathcote U3A members left the meeting encouraged to make known the advantages of Wind Farming and to lobby politicians to rescind Amendment VC 82.
Mildura’s concentrated solar power plant officially launched
Australia’s largest concentrated solar power plant officially launched REneweconmy, By Sophie Vorrath on 17 July 2013 Australia’s largest concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power plant was officially opened today, with the Victorian energy minister joining executives from the plant’s developer, Solar Systems, to cut the ribbon on the 1.5MW demonstration facility in Mildura.
The demonstration of the “dense array” solar technology of parent company Silex Systems is a fore-runner for what is expected to be a 100MW power plant, with construction slated to begin in 2014. Another 1MW demonstration plant is being built in Saudi Arabia, with hopes of further development as that country pushes into the start of a $100 billion solar spending program
The array – whose 40 CPV dishes have been feeding power into the national grid for almost a month, after their successful commissioning began in April – collects sunlight in more than 100 curved mirrors and focuses it onto ultra-high efficiency “mulit-junction” PV cells; technology originally developed by Boeing to power satellites. Silex CEO Michael Goldsworthy says the cells currently boast efficiency rates of around 43 per cent – about double that of today’s best silicon-based cells and up to four times the efficiency of thin film solar cells – but he hopes this can be lifted to more than 50 per cent, or even 60 per cent, with further research.
The technology also uses ‘active cooling’ technology to maximise power output while minimising water consumption and prolonging the technology’s lifespan…….. Continue reading
Victorian and New South Wales wind farms kick-started by Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
Clean Energy Finance Corporation funding two Australian wind farms – K. Jalbuena Eco Sees, 17 July 13, Two major wind farm projects in Australia will be the beneficiaries of the Australian government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The C.E.F.C., a legislated fund dedicated to investing in clean energy, will invest 50 million Australian dollars ($45.94 million) to refinance Macarthur Wind Farm and will provide 37.5 million Australian dollars in senior debt finance to help build the Taralga Wind Farm.
Largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere
The 420 MW Macarthur Wind Farm in south western Victoria is said to be largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere. It is a joint undertaking between Meridian Energy Limited and AGL Energy Limited through AGL subsidiary Macarthur Wind Farm Pty Limited.
Fully operational since January 2013, the Macarthur Wind Farm can generate enough energy to power 220,000 Victorian households and reduce carbon emissions by 1.7 million tonnes a year…….
Australian engineered and sourced
C.E.F.C. will also be providing 37.5 million Australian dollars in senior debt finance for the construction and operation of the Taralga Wind Farm, 45 kilometers of Goulburn in New South Wales…… Continue reading
Solar energy in Victoria continues to soar
Victoria’s Solar Electricity Production Soars http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3819, 2 July 13 Solar energy supplied 550 gigawatt-hours to Victoria in 2012 – 14 per cent of all renewable electricity – says the Clean Energy Council.
The CEC recently released its Renewable Energy in Victoria 2012 report; which provides an overview of Victoria’s electricity generation from renewable energy sources last year.
According to the report, the 550 gigawatt-hours figure was more than double solar’s contribution in 2011; which was 225 gigawatt-hours. In 2009, output was just 18 gigawatt-hours.
Installed solar panel capacity in 2012 in Victoria jumped from 270 megawatts to 418 megawatts. This was due to the uptake of home solar power, which accounted for all but 1 megawatt of installed capacity.
Uptake was spurred on by rapidly ballooning domestic power bills – and with more electricity price rises on the way; solar will likely continue to see solid gains.
While commercial solar installations were still a bit player last year, the CEC says low solar panel prices may see further uptake by the commercial sector during 2013.
The other renewable energy technology that saw significant increases in capacity and production last year was wind power. In 2012, Victoria’s wind farms generated 1674 gigawatt-hours, of clean electricity; up from 1280 gigawatt-hours in 2011.
The state’s 11 commercial wind farms over 1 MW in capacity generated enough electricity last year to provide the power needs of over 230,000 average Australian homes. Wind energy accounted for more than 27 per cent of Victoria’s renewable electricity generation capacity last year.
The report states Victoria’s installed renewable energy capacity has almost tripled since 2000, increasing from 668 megawatts to more than 1860 megawatts by the end of last year.
Victoria’s total renewable energy electricity generation was 3825 gigawatt-hours, in 2012; an increase of 874 gigawatt-hours, or nearly 30 per cent more than in 2011. The Renewable Energy in Victoria 2012 report was created with assistance from Sustainability Victoria. The full report can be downloaded here (PDF).
Victorian Electricity Distributors quietly move to sabotage new home solar installations
Electricity Distributors Cast Shadow over Solar 1 July 13, Victorian Electricity Distributors have quietly introduced new hurdles to the installation of grid connected solar systems. CitiPower and Powercor have both introduced a pre-approval process and criteria which are likely to result in many customers’ applications to install grid connected solar systems being rejected.
NECA Victoria Executive Director, Philip Green said “these criteria are likely to result in many rural customers being unable to connect to the grid while in urban areas customers will have their applications knocked back on the basis that there are too many existing solar systems in their area.”
“Your neighbours may all have grid connected solar, however the electricity distributors can knock you back – it seems to be a matter of first in, best dressed” said Mr Green. “In addition, these policies appear designed to hamper the spread of solar into the commercial and industrial sectors.”
The distributors justify their policies on the basis that grid connected solar has effects on power quality and network integrity issues.
“The community has suffered massive increases in electricity prices over recent years with much of this increase going to upgrade (some would say gold plate) the network” said Mr Green. “Unsurprisingly many consumers are looking to mitigate the high cost of electricity by installing solar and yet they’re being told that can’t connect to the network that they’ve helped pay to upgrade.”
“Distributors should not be at liberty to proceed and introduce restrictive policies that
will impede the community’s best efforts to help reduce its impact upon the environment,” said Mr Green.
The policies have not been widely communicated to either the community or sellers and installers of solar systems meaning that some customers who enter into sales contracts may never be able to conn ect to the grid. NECA also understand that other electricity distributors are likely to introduce similar policies.
Only last year, the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission released its Inquiry into Feed-in Tariffs & Barriers to Distributed Generation Final Report Power from the People. Neither this report nor the Victorian Government’s response to it canvassed or proposed policies like these. “We call upon the Victorian Government to intervene” said Mr Green.
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A win for wind in Victoria – Coonooer Bridge community wind farm
Finally! First new wind farm approved under Baillieu’s anti-wind laws http://yes2renewables.org/2013/06/21/finally-first-new-wind-farm-approved-under-baillieus-anti-wind-laws/ 21 June 13, The Victorian Wind Alliance has today welcomed the approval of a new wind farm project near Bendigo – the first since the Baillieu anti-wind laws were passed.
The Coonooer Bridge wind farm – a small five-turbine project – was approved by the Buloke Shire Council overnight, the first to be approved since former premier Ted Ballieu’s restrictive laws were introduced in 2011.
Victorian Wind Alliance state coordinator Andrew Bray said that Victoria should be approving many more wind farms.“These laws were costing the state billions in investment, thousands of manufacturing jobs and income for regional farmers and communities.
“It’s great that we are going to have a new wind farm near Bendigo, as it would provide certain and steady income to a regional community and clean renewable energy.“The project will combine community and corporate ownership and is part owned by the local community which means the profits will stay in the community.
“There are 30 owners to the new wind farm – and the turbines will benefit not only those whose land the turbines rest, but on rest of the community who are part owners of the site.
“There are communities like this one around Victoria who would love to take advantage of the wind to make energy and money. “Community owned wind power is hugely popular in Europe and could work well for Victorian communities.
“However it is disappointing that other communities cannot realise these benefits because of the current Baillieu anti-wind laws.“Many people around the state are calling for farms in their area, and all the investment, income and employment that comes with it,” said Mr Bray.
Confusion over Victorian Waubra Wind Farm, at small anti wind power rally
Canberra windfarm protesters demand end to ‘renewable energy scam’ Lenore Taylor, political editor guardian.co.uk, 18 June 2013 Radio presenter Alan Jones acknowledges turnout of around 150 demonstrators was lower than expected Three Coalition politicians and one candidate attended the “wind power fraud rally” in front of parliament house on Tuesday where around 150 protesters called for the abolition of the renewable energy target and a ban on all new windfarms.
Signs at the rally urged: “Stop the wind power fraud,” and referred to a “renewable energy scam”, insisting that “wind farms wreck health and jobs”,…..Protesters at the rally asserted that windfarms were “fraudulent” because, they claimed, two of them in Victoria, including the Waubra windfarm, were not compliant with their permit conditions.
But Liberal senator Chris Back acknowledged he had been alerted by wind company Acciona to a letter sent to politicians from the Victorian department of planning and community development stating that “the minister for planning has not determined whether the windfarm is or is not compliant with the relevant planning permit”. It said: “The minister or the department have never stated that the Waubra Wind Farm is not compliant with the planning permit. It cannot be assumed or inferred from the departmental advice that Waubra Wind Farm is not compliant with the relevant planning permit and I seek your co-operation in correcting the public record.”
Back insisted that the state planning minister, Matthew Guy, had told parliament differently and said he would get to the bottom of the discrepancy.http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/18/canberra-windfarm-protesters-renewable-energy
A new community windfarm- breakthrough in Victoria
“We wanted to spread financial benefits beyond the landowners, and we’ve done that through share ownership scheme,”
Vic wind farm breakthrough, with pioneering share structure, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 12 June 2013 A small 5-turbine wind farm project with an innovative share ownership model has become the first wind energy project in the state of Victoria to receive council approval in recent years.
The application for the Coonooer Bridge wind farm – with 5 turbines of up to 150m tall to be built near the locality of 
the same name north-west of Bendigo – was approved by the Buloke Shire Council on Wednesday night.
It is a notable project for several reasons. It is the first wind farm proposal to gain approval from a council in the state since former Premier Ted Baillieu introduced restrictive planning policies in 2011. And the project –located between the towns of Charlton and St Arnaud, about 90 km northwest of Bendigo – is also the first in Australia to find a way to combine corporate and community ownership, and the first renewable energy project in the country with an ownership structure that includes the local farming community in this way.
In all, 30 owners of property sited within 3kms of the planned wind farm have been offered shares, including one family with turbines on their land. All have taken up the offer, despite the concerns about wind energy of some. Windlab, a spin-off from the CSIRO which has developed an expertise in identifying strong wind resource areas, retains the majority stake. Continue reading
Victorian government decides that climate change is a low priority
THE Victorian Government has abandoned key agricultural climate change programs. Weekly Times, 5 June 13 It comes as environment groups this week claimed rural communities were being left to “fend for themselves”. Opposition water spokesman John Lenders criticised the move. ”If Peter Walsh thinks that providing farmers with vital drought support packages is purely a climate-related matter he is living in a fantasy land.
“Labor’s $205 million Future Farming Strategy focusing around research and development initiatives was cut back to $60 million by the Napthine Government in 2012 and attempted to dress it up as a boost……Victorian Budget papers reveal a significant cut in climate change work and a continued withdrawal from the Brumby Government’s $205m Future Farms Strategy.
The Budget papers say the lower 2013-14 target “reflects the refocusing of Department of Environment and Primary Industries into higher priorities”……
“Since being elected, they have abolished nearly all state climate programs,” Mr Wakeham said.
“Deciding not to talk about or develop policy on climate change unfortunately won’t make it go away as we’re set to learn the hard way.”
The Climate Commission recently said Victoria had entered a critical decade in the race to adapt to the stresses of climate change.
Professor Tim Flannery said Victoria was very vulnerable to large swings in climate.
Meanwhile, 13 DEPI bio scientists have been made redundant. The cuts were flagged in March but the Community and Public Sector Union said staff were told last week…..http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2013/06/05/572284_politics-news.html
23 per cent of Victorian voters likely to vote for Julian Assange
New poll reveals that Julian Assange could win senate seat in Australian elections, TNT 29th May 2013 By Emma Featherstone Assange’s bid for a senate seat was seen by many as a stunt, but a poll has found 26 per cent of Australians would vote him in.
The Senate is in the upper chamber of Australia’s National Parliament and is comprised of 12 representatives from the six states, plus a pair of representatives from its territories.
The poll came from data through UMR Research, the Labour Party’s pollster. It was compiled from 1,000 Australian voters’ online answers.
They were asked: “Recently, Wikileaks has announced that Julian Assange plans to run for a seat in the Australian Senate. If he were to run, how likely would you be to vote for him and the Wikileaks Party?” 26 per cent of respondents declared themselves likely voters for the Wikileaks Party. 23 per cent of voters in Victoria, where Assange will run, consider themselves “likely” to vote for his party……. New poll reveals that Julian Assange could win senate seat in Australian elections – TNT Magazine
Port Fairy, Victoria, vulnerable to sea level rise
Report says hundreds of buildings vulnerable to flooding from rising sea levels at Port Fairyhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-28/report-says-hundreds-of-buildings-vulnerable-to-flooding-from-r/4716588
May 28, 2013 A report has found potentially disturbing effects of rising sea levels on the popular tourist town of Port Fairy, in south-western Victoria.
The consultants found if the sea level rises 80 centimetres by 2080, up to 390 buildings could be vulnerable to flooding.
The consultants say some of the report’s findings are disturbing and a huge amount of adaptation planning is needed.
Moyne Shire councillors will decide whether to release the full document for community consultation.
Community solar energy gathering pace in Australia
Community solar may be next big thing in Australia renewables REneweconomy. By Giles Parkinson 22 May 2013 The momentum for a big push into community solar projects appears to be gathering pace, with several different organisations planning public launches in the next month, and suggestions that several dozen projects could be built on NSW rooftops in coming years.
Among plans revealed this week are the launch of a community solar network Farming the Sun in the northern Rivers region, to be followed soon by similar groups in New England and the Riverina. This is the work of community energy advocate Embark and Starfish Enterprises, which has identified 7 different projects of at least 80kW that could be commissioned in the next 18 months.
A Newcastle community group has also emerged with a plan to launch a “crowd-funding model – similar to that used successfully by Mosaic in the US – to develop projects in its region. Meanwhile, a new organisation known as the Community Power Agency was launched on Wednesday to help the development of community energy projects.
The announcements come as news circulates that the NSW government’s Office of Environment and Heritage has approved funding for up to 9 groups to either conduct feasibility studies into their business models, or provide funds for the groundwork for particular projects.
Community ownership of renewable projects has yet to take off in Australia, even if in countries like Germany it accounts for around half of renewables investments.
Australia has two community-owned wind farms – the Hepburn Wind project near Daylesford in Victoria and in Denmark, near Albany in WA- but community owned solar projects are tipped to be a compelling proposition because of plunging cost of solar and their ability to compete with retail prices rather than wholesale prices.
Farming the Sun Project director Adam Blakester, of Starfish Enterprises, said the business model for the community projects his consortium is proposing is similar to that of the 400kW community solar project announced late last year for the Lend Lease development in Sydney’s Darling Harbour….. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/community-groups-look-to-crowd-funding-rooftop-solar-86008
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