Outcry at wind farming attack

The Mercury, Page: 20
Friday, 30 June 2006

A TASMANIAN renewable energy company has accused federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran of being ill-informed and out of touch for criticising wind energy as a fraud. Roaring 40s managing director Mark Kelleher said he was disappointed at Mr McGauran's comments, which included statements that wind farms devalued land and were not producing measurable amounts of electricity. "You have to wonder whether the minister got out of the wrong side of the bed... he is ill-informed on the facts, and does not appear to understand this is still a new industry that is growing, particularly overseas," he said. Mr McGauran, who came under attack from several proponents of renewable energy as well as Tasmanian Greens senator Christine Milne, questioned the value of a $140 million wind farm in western Victoria. "Wind farms don't live up to the hype that they're the environmental saviour and a serious alternate energy source," he said.

"The deleterious effect they can have on their neighbours is so serious it means that [wind energy proponents] should not be allowed to get away with the exaggerated claims. "Their claims are fraudulent in regard to the environmental and energy terms. "These wind farms are not producing any electricity of any measurable amount and because they are having such an affect on rural communities they should only be permitted where the community is accepting of them. "Mr Kelleher said wind farms had very strong community and landholder support.

Roaring 40s' Woolnorth wind farm in the North-West was overwhelmingly supported by region. He said there was more than 750 megawatts of wind energy installed in Australia, enough to power 314,000 homes. Mr Kelleher said while "very small, very loud" minority groups had campaigned against some wind farm projects, globally the energy source was growing, increasing at an annual rate of 29 per cent during the past decade and producing 59,100 megawatts. Senator Milne said Mr McGauran was plain wrong about wind farms, and his ignorance had real implications for the Australian primary industry sector which he purported to represent.