Wind of change

Blue Mountains Gazette
Wednesday 6/12/2006 Page: 1

Push to build community farm in region By Jacqul Knox

Have you ever wanted to own a 70 metre tall wind turbine? If a group of energy campaigners have their way, you might just get the opportunity. Katoomba environmentalist Ian Lett has launched the idea of a multi-million dollar community wind farm for the Blue Mountains and Lithgow.

The farm would pump renewable energy into the electricity grid while also pumping dollars into the accounts of local shareholders. The proposal received strong support from the Blackheath environment group CAKE at a first working party meeting on Sunday.

"I think it's tapping into the fact that the bulk of the community is more interested in renewable than nuclear and they feel they have to take it into their own hands to make it happen," said Lis Bastion, instigator of CAKE.

However the catch is the turbines - often considered noisy and ugly - cannot be built near the world heritage area. Instead, they would be built near Lithgow or Oberon where wind is plentiful and blows uninterrupted by trees or housing.

Mr Lett, a former Lithgow resident, acknowledges that it may be difficult to convince those communities and intends to hold public meeting, "A community-owned wind farm is firstly about community," he said.

Corporate money and government grants would be used to build the turbines, which would be bought back by a local co-operative sharing profits from the electricity generated. Such schemes are relatively widespread in Europe.

But while the prospect of a financial return might sweeten the proposal, a similar concept in Western Australia caused bitter divisions earlier this year.

Closer to home a wind farm proposal in Black Springs, near Oberon, has also had luke-warm reception. Ian is hoping that with better planning and the experience of local councils a Blue Mountains/Lithgow community wind farm could be a model for other districts.

"It will take two or three years before there's a wind turbine producing power," he said. "What we've been doing is gathering support, looking for grants or other funding, and starting to engage the broader community. "What we need to do next is get a mandate from the community (to pursue the project)," he said.