Mixed response to windfarm proposal

Western Advocate
Wednesday 16/4/2008 Page: 5

LESS than half of those who attended a public forum on Monday night to discuss the idea of a community windfarm came out in favour of the proposal. Seventy people attended the forum organised by the Bathurst Community Climate Action Network at the Bathurst RSL Club. Facilitator Chris Siegert said a survey of participants showed 28 favoured the community windfarm concept, 29 wished to be kept informed of progress and 15 were interested in participating in a working group to establish the windfarm.

Nine landowners said they would like a windfarm feasibility study to be conducted on their property. The public forum focused on the future of the electricity industry, particularly challenges in the face of climate change. Hugh Outhred, of the University of New South Wales Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets said oil prices were currently sitting at around $US110 per barrel, but this is expected to increase to $US200- $US250 per barrel within five years.

"As the price of oil goes up natural gas and coal prices will also rise," he said. "This means wind energy is looking more and more attractive." Mr Outhred said burning fossil fuels was the major contributor to climate change and added that we need to be more frugal with our energy in much the way people are becoming more careful in their use of water. Mr Outhred said wind energy was one of the fastest growing electricity generation technologies in the world.

"Windfarms can be an important part of responding to climate change," he said. "However, it will never be the full story but part of the process of getting the job done." Hugh Litchfield of the Hampton Wind Park and Gavin Douglas of the Black Springs project spoke about the challenges they had faced in developing their windfarms.

Both stressed the need to involve the community and keep the lines of communication open. Charles Sturt University lecturer Stuart McGill said he became involved with the project because he wanted to see how a community could make a windfarm happen. He pointed out Australia has the highest per capita emissions in the world. "On average each Australian produces 27 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year with 47 per cent coming from power stations," Mr McGill said. "In Denmark, 22 per cent of electricity comes from wind. In Australia it is one per cent." Mr McGill said six turbines can supply 7500 houses with power.

Each two megawatt turbine would cost $5 million. Turbines must be erected at least 300m apart, which means 400 hectares of land would be necessary to hold six turbines. The project would take at least three years. Over the next month all forum participants will be invited to a planning meeting with the aim of forming a working committee.