Wind Power News: Oceania
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Tanya Plibersek blocks Victorian government’s plan to build wind turbine plant at Port of Hastings
Environment minister says ‘large areas of [wetland] will be destroyed or substantially modified’ by the proposal for windfarm development. Tanya Plibersek has blocked plans by the Victorian government to build a plant to assemble wind turbines for offshore windfarms because of “clearly unacceptable” impacts on internationally important wetlands. Plans to build the terminal at the Port of Hastings – seen as critical for the state’s strategy to develop an offshore wind industry – included dredging up to 92 hectares (227 . . . Complete story »
Plibersek ruling on Victoria’s offshore wind strategy an ill-wind for ALP energy policy
Labor’s renewable energy target has been thrown into jeopardy after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek vetoed its lynchpin, Victoria’s offshore wind strategy, over a “clearly unacceptable” risk to local wetlands. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s green energy plan centres on a terminal at the Port of Hastings, where wind turbines will be assembled together and sent to an array of offshore energy farms. Initial estimates by the state-owned Port of Hastings corporation in October priced the project at $0.8-$1.4bn. But Ms Plibersek . . . Complete story »
Emotions run high as Monaro residents face off against wind farm proponents
Monaro landholders have their slings aimed at an Australian energy developer planning to erect 25 colossal wind turbines across plains 11 kilometres south of Cooma. The issue is already shaping up as a David vs Goliath battle, which last week became emotive during a public meeting in the Snowy Monaro town. A crowd of more than 100 concerned Monaro residents made their overwhelming objection to the development clear when they confronted representatives of Sydney-based developer Someva Renewables at The Alpine . . . Complete story »
Farmer fury in Australia signals tough road to renewable energy
Hundreds of farmers are refusing to allow high-voltage overhead power lines to pass through their land, opposition that is threatening Australia’s plans to increase renewable generation and reduce emissions by 43% from 2005 levels by 2030. Australia intends to build 10,000 km (6,200 miles) of power lines by 2050 to connect wind, solar and hydro projects to the grid. Without them, fewer renewables can be brought into the power supply, and emissions targets are unlikely to be met. A faltering . . . Complete story »
Windfarm plans in choppy waters as Coalition and One Nation whip up doubts
Frank Future didn’t expect to find an ally in Peter Dutton over his concerns that the offshore wind farm proposed for the Hunter region could have an irreparable impact on the environment. “He came out with a group of us on that one over there,” he says, pointing to a boat floating metres from the whale watching vessel that he’s run in Nelson Bay for nearly 30 years. “He really saw that there was limited community consultation before that zone . . . Complete story »
Big worries over impacts
I am concerned about the impacts of climate capitalism on the environment and costs of living. Evidently a wind turbine can use about 30,000 tonnes of iron ore from coal coking, about 30,000 tonnes of concrete from shale and limestone mining, about a tonne of rare earth neodymium with uranium and thorium waste, cobalt mining using child slave labour, and balsa wood from deforestation of the Amazon. Then there is the transportation. Also there is deforestation, erosion and sedimentation, plus . . . Complete story »
Robbins Island wind farm ruling ‘devastating’ for orange bellied parrots
A tribunal has overturned a requirement for a proposed wind farm to shut down for five months each year to protect migrating orange bellied parrots, in a major win for the industry. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Monday welcomed as “pragmatic” an appeal ruling by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on the Robbins Island wind farm, proposed for the state’s far northwest. He said the decision effectively overruled an Environment Protection Authority ruling that would have killed the $1.6 . . . Complete story »
Oberon locals fear Labor’s wrecking wind towers
Nationals Leader David Littleproud and Senator Ross Cadell have met Oberon locals, concerned about plans for wind turbines in the areas as part of Labor’s reckless race to renewables. The Oberon Community Forum heard how prime agricultural and forestry land in the area could soon be ripped up for hundreds of wind turbines. Mr Littleproud said The Nationals are not against renewables, but regional Australia seems to be bearing the majority of them and we have the time to pause . . . Complete story »
Proposed wind farm project sparks concerns in Waiuku community
A controversial proposal for an 18-turbine wind farm in the pristine farmland close to Karioitahi beach has ignited a fierce battle within the local community. The project, which has been granted fast-track clearance by the government without consultation or input from the wider community, has raised concerns about its potential impact on the environment, local residents, and the tourism industry. The towering turbines, measuring an impressive 190 metres in height, have drawn comparisons to well-known world landmarks such as the . . . Complete story »
Wind farms could surround a Tararua community
Residents on the Tararua side of the Pahīatua Track are facing the prospect of living between two wind farms. To the west, their properties are overshadowed by Mercury’s Turitea North turbines standing up to 125 metres tall above the Tararua ridgeline about 2km away. And now, Yinson Renewables and project managers Aurecon are proposing putting up 11 even taller turbines closer to their homes. Software engineer Gareth Bestow, who lives on Makomako Rd, the main route from Palmerston North to . . . Complete story »
