Anti-wind farm campaigning, CERES Wind Farm, Coalition, REpower Australia, South Australia, Wind Energy Mythbusting, wind farms & agriculture65 Comments

Main objection to Yorke Peninsula wind farm shown to have no substance

July 30, 2013 Dave Clarke

A 199-turbine wind farm has been proposed for South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula. The location is ideal, being in a reliable wind area and only 70km from Adelaide (the link will include a 50km cable beneath St Vincent Gulf).

A group calling itself the Heartland Farmers and a South Australian politician, leader of the Liberals in the Legislative Council, David Ridgway, have been the most publicly active opponents of the project. What is probably their main objection to the Ceres wind farm is the claim that it will impact the surrounding farmland by stopping access to aerial spraying, top-dressing, mouse bating, etc.

HF have claimed that 60 000ha will be impacted. Mr Ridgway has gone even further with 80 000ha. In fact the total area taken out of production due to the roads and hardstands of the wind farm will be about 90ha.

These outrageous claims have been ‘justified’ by claiming that agricultural aircraft cannot operate safely in the vicinity of wind turbines, a claim that has never held much credence for several reasons: Continue reading “Main objection to Yorke Peninsula wind farm shown to have no substance”

Ballarat, Meridian Energy, Mt Mercer wind farm, NSW, Origin Energy, REpower Australia, TRUenergyLeave a comment

Wind farms: two steps forward, one step back

September 3, 2012 Ben Courtice

Todays news has seen two wind farms getting the go-ahead, and one abandoned by its proponent.

Hepburn Wind's two REpower 2.05MW turbines — Hepburn Wind’s two 2.05MW REpower turbines

Giles Parkinson at Renew Economy reports on the Taralga wind farm in NSW:

CBD Energy said it has signed a power purchase agreement with TRUenergy that will allow construction of the 108MW Taralga wind farm to begin later this year – its first utility scale wind project in Australia.

(. . . )

The $250 million Taralga wind farm – which won approval only after a fierce court battle – had been in doubt about the failure of the AusChina joint venture that CBD Energy signed last year to take the project forward. However, CBD then took on the principal development role to secure the PPA and equity and financing partners. The PPA is a key element in gaining financing, and partners and the EPC contractor are expected to be announced soon.

And on the Mt Mercer project, proponent Meridian energy has announced it will begin construction in December 2012. A contract has been signed with turbine manufacturer REpower to supply the turbines. Continue reading “Wind farms: two steps forward, one step back”

community support for windfarms, NSW, Planning approval process, REpower Australia, WindlabLeave a comment

Rugby wind farm: Has the noisy minority won out at the region’s expense?

May 4, 2012May 4, 2012 Ben Courtice

Friends of the Earth media release, May 3, 2012. The first project to be affected by the new NSW wind energy guidelines has been substantially reduced compared with its original vision. Windlab Systems and REpower Australia have announced a proposal which is 40% smaller than originally planned, from 90 to 52 turbines. The companies cite ‘community consultation, environmental studies and the state governments draft guidelines’ as the reasons for the reduction. “We commend the companies for listening closely to community concerns and amending their plans” said Friends of the Earth campaigns co-ordinator Cam Walker. “However, we do note that the smaller … Continue reading Rugby wind farm: Has the noisy minority won out at the region’s expense?