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Wind farms are white elephants
Credit: Merimbula News Weekly, www.merimbulanewsonline.com.au 8 February 2012 ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
Matthew Nott in the CEFE column expressed disappointment that there are attempts to vilify the wind industry.
Does he not see that they richly deserve to be vilified, given the arrogant way they have for over a decade ridden rough shod over the rights of ordinary individuals? They plonk their unsightly noisy monsters right on people’s doorsteps with no compensation to these victims, and absolutely no consideration for the effects they can have on whole communities.
In Eden, this could mean the loss of the last chance of prosperity in the possible destruction of the fledgling tourist industry.
Epuron simply don’t care. They repay the hosts handsomely and bribe some local townspeople as they are now offering to do in Eden, but everyone else can go and rot as far as the wind industry and Matthew Nott are concerned.
In a previous CEFE column, Matthew Nott pointed out that, “If we build new gas generating plants in concert with renewable energy we can start closing down coal generation….”. Yes, quite correct, wind farms and solar don’t supply base load and hence coal stations can’t be shut down.
Why then is he so insistent on putting the cart before the horse, and promoting wind turbines that are useless until we build all those gas- fired power stations? If he was sincere, he would be pushing for these gas generating plants that give immediate benefits as well as rendering the output from wind farms useful. If he was wise as well as sincere, he would realise that gas is not a renewable source, or a clean source, and he would be pushing for funds to develop a way to store the energy from wind etc so that it really can replace coal derived power.
It is time this nation recalled its earlier status as the ‘Nation of the Fair Go’.
If one day we find a way to store the energy from wind so it can replace base load and we must have them for the greater good, then so be it. However, if they are for the “greater good” then it is only fair that the victims are properly compensated.
Bribes to a handful of institutions in a town like Eden is just an insult. And until we work out a way of storing the energy they are simply white elephants and contribute nothing to the greater good.
Paul Scherek
Tantawangalo
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