Wind farms are the future

Portland Observer
Friday 24/11/2006, Page: 13

ONE Portland company expects to increase its direct workforce by nearly 300 per cent when work on the Cape Bridgewater wind farm starts in the near future.

G.R. Carr Pty Ltd managing director Peter Carr told the wind energy forum hosted by People Power South West Coast candidate Mike Noske on Tuesday night of' the employment and expansion opportunities associated with wind farms in the region.

He said that while contracts were yet to be finalised, his firm was looking to employ an additional 30 to 40 workers once work on the wind farm started - up from the current 22 workers. The company is hoping to work on the concrete foundations for the wind towers.

Mr Noske reaffirmed his position of supporting the VRET based on job opportunities and economic benefits to Portland, and also for environmental reasons.

National Party candidate David O'Brien also attended the forum and differentiated his party's policy on VRET and wind farms from the Liberal Party which would abolish VRET. Mr O'Brien said The Nationals supported VRET, albeit with a bit of fine tuning.

"I also believe a form of compensation or royalties should be paid to adjoining landholders, perhaps on a diminishing scale according to distance from turbines," he said.

AusWind president Andrew Richards rejected the notion of paying royalties to adjoining landholders, saying there was a code in place regarding community consultation. Mr Richards also referred to the community fund Pacific Hydro would establish once the PWEP was finalised, saying that fund would spread the benefits across the community.