Wind farms in Austrailia proposed to reach renewable energy targets

Now that Russia has decided to sign the Kyoto protocol, Australia's commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses is again under pressure. But it is not just the Australian Government's refusal to ratify the protocol that is drawing criticism. Australia's domestic plans to increase renewable energy are under threat from increasing public resistance to wind farms, especially in Victoria. Many people living on the Victorian coast are now convinced that solar power is a better option. Under the Federal Government's mandatory renewable energy targets, 2 per cent of the nation's electricity should come from renewable sources by 2010. However, green groups would prefer that figure to be higher, but even reaching 2 per cent could be a challenge. So far three wind farms have been built in Victoria, but many more are proposed, particularly in South Gippsland where there is stiff opposition from many local residents.

Locals are concerned about the visual effect on the landscape, the danger to bird populations, and what will happen to the turbines when they're past their use by date. Another concern is the efficiency of wind farms. British Botanist, Professor David Bellamy, drew on the English experience as an example during a quick trip to Gippsland this week. “1,134 wind turbines last year produced less than one 27th of the electricity that leaks off the grid”, he said. But President of the Australian Wind Energy Association, Ian Lloyd Bessan, says Professsor Bellamy has got it wrong. “The efficiency of a wind turbine converting wind into electricity is significantly higher than the efficiency of a coal fired power station converting coal to electricity.

And of course one of the significant facts about wind energy is that a wind turbine actually repays all the energy that went into its manufacturing – including the smelting of the steel – within six months of operation. However, the wind industry has been criticised for being sneaky about its plans, dividing communities and not addressing community concerns. Ian Lloyd Bessam says historically some wind developments haven't set a good example, but the industry is working to improve planning and consultation.