13 False assumptions about WIND FARMS (FACTORIES)

For over twenty years we have been told that wind farms, (more accurately described as wind factories), are not only good for the environment, but good for us as human beings. As more facts begin to emerge, It's becoming obvious that these two assumptions are not only patently false but catastrophically damaging. The misinformation being spread by the Green energy industry is leading the average person to think that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are a). absolutely necessary and b). the only answer to our planet's energy crisis. Even the term 'energy crisis' is misinformation. For example, here in Tasmania, we have a very healthy hydroelectric system which supplies all our energy needs. In fact, we produce more energy than we use. However, successive governments have told us that we need to become more energy efficient, produce extra energy as it were, for the other states on mainland Australia. They have encouraged us to become the "battery of the nation" and promoted it as a moneymaking industry for the declining Tasmanian economy that will provide us with cheaper power. They badger us with terms such as "ageing population" when in actual fact, many people move down to Tasmania not to retire, but to set up businesses. These businesses thrive because of new, innovative thinking and a determination to be successful in a state which offers so much to residents and tourists alike.

But I digress. The situation Tasmanian's face, right now, is the destruction, the utter annihilation of everything we hold dear here – the pristine wilderness and the prime agricultural land which we have become famous for worldwide. Tasmania is beautiful, it is wild, it is unmarred by the monstrosities of city life, such as concrete and glass edifices, cramped living conditions, poor health, and the kind of bubble thinking that only cities are capable of creating. The reality is that the majority of people in Tasmania reside in the northern part of the state, not in the Hobart bubble. We, in the north, are more concerned with producing healthy food, a unique social cohesion built upon supporting men, women and children in a positive environment of small towns and villages.  This is what we have to lose. A unique and beautiful place.

So, the 13 False assumptions about wind factories – 

1. The assumption that renewable energy, ie solar, wind and pumped hydro, is the cheapest form of energy. The recent Gencost report from the CSIRO, (which Government rely upon and quote endlessly), only discusses the cost of generating power, not the total cost of these energy forms, including infrastructure and transmission costs to get power from solar, turbines and pumped hyrdo factories onto the grid. This makes ‘Green’ energy, overall, the MOST expensive form of energy. Electrical generation experts tear this report apart. Their opinion is that energy prices to the consumer increase dramatically as "renewables" come online. Gencost report analysed  The Ruinous Cost of Renewables     Gencost Report Scrutinised in Parliment
2. The assumption that wind turbines do not affect our lives in any negative way. All you have to do is look up “wind turbines catching fire” or “wind turbines collapsing” on youtube and you’ll see what I mean. These machines are incredibly dangerous and the materials they are made from are hazardous to human health. The fibreglass materials from the blades, when shredded, not only poison the land upon which the turbine sits, but have disastrous effects upon nearby land, rendering animals (and us!) infertile and getting into our food supply. God only knows the effects fibreglass fibres in our bloodstream will do to us. The substances are carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and the full effects of wind turbines upon human health is only just emerging.
3. The assumption that more energy is required. We already produce enough for ourselves here in Tasmania, so this assumption is false. The fact that South Australia and Victoria dumped coal and gas to go 100% renewable, which is a dismal failure and required Tasmanian energy to be transferred to their ailing state is a big lesson for us all. It is not our responsibility to fix the energy problems of mainland Australia. The fact is, that the additional energy required is not for us residents, but for the emerging energy needs of artificial intelligence. That’s correct. The storage and processes required for artificial intelligence, which lets face it, is infiltrating into every aspect of our lives now. AI is greedy, requiring astronomical amounts of power.
4. The assumption that our ailing economy requires us to export energy to supplement our “poor” state. Currently, we are experiencing brownouts and blackouts on a semiregular basis. Why? Because we sell our hydroelectricity to other states and then have to buy gas from the mainland to supplement our intermittent energy supply! Of course this will be denied in the media, but that doesn’t change the facts.
5. The assumption that wind factories are clean energy. By now it should be obvious to anyone that the massive mining required to produce the materials to make wind turbines is counter-productive to clean energy goals. The mining industry, however, absolutely love it. And that’s before we begin to discuss how the minerals for the toxic batteries are mined.
6. The assumption that agricultural land and monoculture tree plantations are fair game for wind factory proponents – that the land is cleared anyway and that it won’t hurt anyone. Of course monoculture tree plantation owners welcome the idea of putting turbines on their land! It increases their profits. But as is becoming increasingly clear on the mainland where wind factories have been running for many years, the devastating impacts upon farmland, food production, the health of the animals that graze near the turbines, et cetera wind factories pose an unacceptable risk.
7. The assumption that farmers welcome the extra income from having turbines on their land. Receiving 10,000 to 20,000 dollars a year seems like a dream and many farmers simply leave their homes to live elsewhere and rake in the cash from their farm being used to generate energy. But the one basic problem is never discussed – what happens at the end of the fifteen year life cycle of the wind turbines on their land? Who is responsible for the decommissioning? And what if the turbines catch fire or topple down? Who is responsible for the cleanup? As will be discussed in further articles, the reality is unbelievably tragic.
8. The assumption that there is no alternative form of energy better than wind and solar. Yes, there is – nuclear energy. Growing up I heard the horrifying stories of Chernobyl, but the reality of that situation is quite different to what we were told. And the long-term effects are surprising scientists. The land is recovering at an accelerated rate. In addition, in the decades since that accident, nuclear power has been further developed with excellent outcomes. In fact, the small reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney, which has been running for decades, has a purpose built storage facility for waste standing by ready to be used, but hasn’t been required yet, because the way nuclear waste is produced has changed so much. But more on that later.
9. The assumption that wind factories have been an outstanding success the world over. Although, admittedly, in the short term, some wind factories have powered limited numbers of homes successfully, the life-cycle of the turbine is incredibly short, the decommissioning and cleanup costs are astronomical, the amount and type of energy produced is inferior to hydro, nuclear, coal and gas and the impact of the toxicity of turbine blades and batteries is only just coming to light. Success? I don't think so.
   
10. The assumption that wind turbine blades can be recycled into useful things such as bus shelters and, wait for it, even food! Yes, you read that correctly. Wind turbine blades are composite materials bound together with incredibly toxic substances, substances which have been banned from food grade plastic in many countries. However, these turbine blades don’t just turn blithely in the air, creating lovely clean energy for us, they wear out, in a process called ‘leading edge erosion’ and the toxic substances are released into the atmosphere and the water sources in minute particles. More on that later.
11. The assumption that cleared land will not be affected by the gigantic turbine towers and the bases upon which they sit. The engineering and construction of wind turbines is undeniably astounding and yet there are catastrophic problems inherent in the designs. In order to create a tower 70m high you need a very wide, deep base anchored up to 90 m into the ground and up to 100m in diameter. These are permanent fixtures in the environment and the disturbance of rock formations and water sources is a critical issue which this assumption glosses over.
12. The assumption that negative impacts upon wildlife is acceptable collateral damage. Here in Australia several very unique and iconic species are on the brink of extinction – the koala, for instance, the Wedge Tailed Eagle, the Tasmanian Devil, the Orange Bellied parrot and many, many, many more species which are affected by rampant development. This rampant development isn’t just for housing. Huge swathes of land are destroyed to put in wind turbines and the electrical towers and cables which are required to carry their electricity to the grid, “poles and wires” as they are called. These poles and wires are far larger and on a far greater scale than normal poles and wires and therefore cannot make use of the existing network. So more land must be cleared, to the detriment of the environment and the wildlife who reside there.
13. The assumption that wind factory energy is fully compatible with the grid. It is not. The energy produced by these turbines coming into the grid has to be limited because it is not compatible with other forms of electricity. It has to be changed into a more usable form. This process requires energy! And the danger to the grid is palpable. Compared to coal, gas or nuclear energy, the additional infrastructure required for the more inefficient “green” energy is a very significant factor in the costs of production of energy. It is simply not worth the huge outlay, which is, of course, borne by the consumer.

I’m sorry to be the prophet of doom, the bearer of such devastating, negative news, but it is my belief that we must arm ourselves with information and not just sit back and allow these huge corporations to trample all over us in their bid to make money from our land. Strangely, the Greens movement is silent on most of these developments, despite purporting to be warriors for the environment. More on that later. In any case, I urge you to do your own research. And by that I don’t mean googling the positive effects of wind turbines. Dig deep. Don’t be deterred. You’ll have to be creative in your search because the truth is buried and you will have to think of backdoor ways to finding out the information you need. It is my belief that the obsession with green energy, which is actually polluting our planet, is what is going to destroy us. Start digging!

- Blog Man