Give wind a go

Yarram Standard News
Wednesday 15/11/2006, Page: 13

ALTERNATIVE energy sources such as wind farms should be considered seriously by society to alleviate an anticipated massive rise in greenhouse gases.

That is the view of Carrajung resident Daryl Silvester, in the wake of predictions by a climate change authority that greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise by 22 per cent by 2020. Mr Silvester attended a seminar in Sale last month, hosted by The Climate Institute, and is a staunch supporter of a plan to erect a wind farm at Devon North.

The year 2020 is not that far away when we look at the increasing number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in recent years, he said. 'With the lack of rain and unusual annual weather patterns, we need to take some action to address climate change.

"The Climate Institute is saying that if we keep going the way we are, then sea levels will rise by half a metre by the turn of the century.

If that happens, septic tanks are going to be well under in coastal areas. If that is going to happen, then why are we still building in places like Port Albert, McLoughlins Beach and any other coastal areas?" According to The Climate Institute, spring will start earlier and summers will be longer, hotter and drier.

"The institute believes spring rainfall could become lower and what we've experienced this year could become the norm." "If that happens, then creeks, rivers, reservoirs and aquifers could all dry out. Aquifers have been filled since time began and it is only 50 years since man has been hooking into them in earnest and already they're going down rapidly." He believes wind farms are the best and most immediately available alternative form of producing electricity.

"A coal-powered electricity station, with reduced emissions, could be 10 to 15 years away and so could solar, but wind farms could have the ability to be up in 12 months or more.

And he said moves towards biofuels, such as canola- based products, may not be so reliable given the lack of rain in recent years.

"If the wind farm at Devon North is vetoed again, then the wind farm company might say 'We'll go somewhere else'. If they do, then people in this area will miss out on the opportunity to have them.

"I just want to see the wind up here utilised. It's one of those situations where you are damned if you do and maybe damned if you don't, but we may all be doomed if we don't.

"I'd rather have wind farms than plantations. If we have more plantations then we'll have more log trucks on the road" But what about the risk wind farms are said to pose to birdlife? "Wind farms are being blamed for the demise of the orange-bellied parrot, the bats, the eagles and in the Western District, the brolgas.

'The fact is that modern man has destroyed all of these birds because modern man has drained the wetlands, introduced foxes and removed habitat. its not wind farms that are the cause of it all"