Wind Power News: Australia
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted.
Wind farm approved despite court challenge
The New South Wales Government has given planning approval for a wind farm at Gullen Range, near Goulburn in the state’s south, despite an ongoing case in the Land and Environment Court.
The Government has given the $250 million plan the green light after putting in place measures to protect the powerful owl and the wedgetail eagle.
It says the 73-wind-turbine farm will have the capacity to power 63,000 homes.
The number of turbines has been cut from the original proposal for 84 . . .
Birds protected in wind farm plan
The New South Wales Government has given planning approval for a wind farm at Gullen Range, near Goulburn, after putting in place measures to protect the powerful owl and the wedgetail eagle.
Planning Minister Kristina Keneally says the 73-wind-turbine farm will have the capacity to power 63,000 homes.
The number of turbines has been cut from the original proposal for 84 to minimise impact on the nearby Crookwell Aerodrome.
The area is also a nesting ground for the powerful owl.
Ms Keneally says the . . .
Green light for wind farm near Goulburn
The NSW government has given planning approval for a $250 million wind farm in the NSW Southern Tablelands.
Planning Minister Kristina Keneally says the wind farm at Gullen Range, near Goulburn, will have the capacity to power about 63,000 homes.
It will include 73 turbines, a substation, transmission grid connections, on-site control room and maintenance facilities.
Ms Keneally said the project would generate about 150 construction jobs and 15 full-time operational positions.
“The wind farm will reduce greenhouse gases by up to around 511,000 . . .
Wind farm for Broken Hill
Minister for Lands Tony Kelly today signed an “agreement to lease” for one of the largest on-shore wind farms in the world to be located on 32,000 hectares of Crown land near Silverton, northwest of Broken Hill.
The proponents of the wind farm project, Silverton Wind Farm Developments Pty Ltd, were also on hand at the New South Wales Parliament House for the signing.
“This important investment in both the environment and infrastructure will bring jobs to the western regions,” Mr Kelly . . .
The enormous cost of hot air
The rapid expansion of wind and solar “green power” will waste billions of dollars and destroy far more jobs than it supposedly creates.
That is the damning message from what appears to be the first serious analysis anywhere in the world of the actual real-world performance and impact of subsidising and force-feeding these very expensive and semi-useless alternative energy sources.
That in itself is damning. That governments, including both state and federal in Australia, have embarked on massive multibillion-dollar wind and solar . . .
Parliament to investigate rural wind farms
There is to be a State Parliamentary inquiry into wind farms in rural and regional parts of New South Wales.
It is anticipated the introduction of a carbon emissions trading scheme will lead to more development applications for wind farms in New South Wales.
The announcement follows a recent proposal for a 50-megawatt wind turbine at Shannons Flat near Cooma by Sydney company CBD Energy Limited.
The inquiry’s chairman, Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen, says it will look at the best locations . . .
Delayed
Wind energy projects worth millions of dollars to the south-west have been put on hold indefinitely.
A delay in the introduction of a renewable energy target has seen five major wind farms in the Hamilton area shelved until at least August.The projects by five renewable energy companies involve 290 approved turbines, including one project with 183 turbines at Macarthur.Legislation on the target was set to go to a vote in Parliament this week, but has now been referred to a Senate . . .
NSW parliamentary inquiry to consider rural wind farms
The role of rural wind farms in reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be the subject of a NSW parliamentary inquiry.
Greens MP Ian Cohen will chair the inquiry into how wind farms can reduce emissions created by electricity production, the impact they have on rural properties and the best locations for them.
Mr Cohen said wind farming offers NSW considerable economic benefits.
“It is forecast to deliver the state of NSW considerable growth in the renewable energy industry, increased regional job opportunities and . . .
Authority warns on wind farm overload
South Australia must be careful about becoming too reliant on wind power, the Essential Services Commission has warned.
SA was already second only to Denmark in the proportion of electricity generated by wind, the commission said.
By the end of next year capacity would exceed 1000MW – equivalent to nearly a third of peak demand.
“The Commission remains concerned with the long-term safety and reliability of the electricity system in SA,” it says in a paper setting out a draft decision on licensing . . .
Councillor's wind woes eased
Cooma-Monaro Shire Mayor Vin Good and General Manager John Vucic are a little more relaxed today after separate meetings with representatives of the proposed Bocco Rock and Shannons Flat wind farm’s took place in Cooma on Tuesday.
Mr Vucic said his meeting with the managing director of Sydney based CBD Energy Gerry McGowan, the group behind a proposal for a 20 turbine 50 megawatt wind farm at Shannons Flat was positive.
“My self and the director of environmental services, Peter Smith met . . .
