Wind power

Analysis and Comment (15)

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It doesn’t matter that wind and solar power are intermittent: the need for base-load power is a myth. Flickr/Eidoloon

Baseload power is a myth: even intermittent renewables will work

By Mark Diesendorf

The future of civilisation and much biodiversity hangs to a large degree on whether we can replace fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – with clean, safe and affordable energy within several decades. The…
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A change in Premier should be Victoria’s chance to re-embrace wind power. Instinia/Flickr

Napthine should revisit Victoria’s wind farm planning laws

By Lisa Caripis, University of Melbourne and Anne Kallies, University of Melbourne

Earlier this month, Victorians woke to the news that they had a new premier: Dennis Napthine, member for the South-West Coast District, would take over from Ted Baillieu to lead the state. As climate change…
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Exposure to infrasound, at the level produced by wind turbines, is an ordinary occurrence. Flickr/Wavy1

How the power of suggestion generates wind farm symptoms

By Fiona Crichton, University of Auckland

A surge in health complaints linked to wind farms could owe more to increased discussion of health risk than the low-level sound generated by the actual turbines, according to a new study. The study by…
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Wind turbine syndrome seems to be caused by fear and anxiety spread by anti-wind farm groups. Image from shutterstock.com

New study: wind turbine syndrome is spread by scaremongers

By Simon Chapman

A study of mine published last night delivers a double whammy to those who argue that wind turbines cause health problems in communities. Earlier this week researchers at the University of Auckland published…
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We might want more wind power, but what do we want less of? Dave Clarke

Wind is no answer if it leads to higher emissions

By Stephen King, Monash University

Wind energy is growing rapidly in Australia. South Australia leads the pack with wind power making up around 20% of its electricity generation capacity. But there is plenty of interest in other states…
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Serbian villagers fear vampires, but we have our own superstitions in the Anglosphere. Drurydrama (Len Radin)

Vampires and wind farms: mass hysteria can be a pain in the neck

By Ryan Wittingslow

If the latest spate of news stories coming out of Serbia are anything to go by, the tiny and otherwise unassuming village of Zarožje has something of a vampire problem. Local legend tells of Sava Savanovi…
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If British Conservatives are worried about the environment, they would do well to focus on reducing emissions, not stopping wind turbines. floato/Flickr

Corby by-election: British Tories all talk on wind power

By Adam Corner, Cardiff University

There are few cardinal sins in politics – but campaigning on behalf of your opponent has to be one of them. So when news broke this week that the British Conservative Party MP Chris Heaton Harris had boasted…
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It’s easy to claim “wind turbine syndrome” exists, but where’s the evidence? Snurb

There’s still no evidence that wind farms harm your health

By Simon Chapman

Back in July I wrote an article for the The Conversation arguing that wind turbine syndrome was a classic “communicated” disease: it spreads by being talked about, and is therefore a strong candidate for…
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Wind and solar power appears to have been behind a drop in wholesale power prices in South Australia, leading to a proposal to reduce retail prices for consumers.

Power of the wind – how renewables are lowering SA electricity bills

By Dylan McConnell, University of Melbourne

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power appear to be the impetus behind a South Australian proposal to substantially drop electricity prices, just as other states are hiking theirs. The…
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In the year to June 2012, 26% of SA’s electricity came from wind: how do they do it? Dave Clarke

Wind power: why is South Australia so successful?

By John Boland, University of South Australia

The integration of wind energy generation into the electricity grid in South Australia is a success story. The gross statistic often quoted is the total electricity produced as a percentage of the supply…
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Wind farms have existed in Australia long before the first claims about health ever surfaced. AAP

Wind turbine syndrome: a classic ‘communicated’ disease

By Simon Chapman

At the beginning of this year I started collecting examples of health problems some people were attributing to wind turbine exposure. I had noticed a growing number of such claims on the internet and was…
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Most forms of energy generation are a blight on the landscape: why single out wind? eidlog42/Flickr

Not a level playing field for wind power

By Neil Perry, University of Western Sydney

Wind farms make noise. Coal fired power stations pollute the air and atmosphere. Coal-seam gas mines pollute underground water aquifers. All electricity generating sources, to some people, pollute the…
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US-China competition could lead to a brighter clean energy future, or a trade war. whitehouse.gov

Who owns the sun? Patent law and clean energy

By Matthew Rimmer

There is a trade war brewing between the United States and China over intellectual property relating to clean technologies – particularly solar power. Steven Chu, a scientist, Nobel Laureate in Physics…
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Could offshore be a new dawn for wind power in Australia? Vattenfall

Europe has offshore wind farms … why can’t Australia?

By Mark Diesendorf

The Victorian Government is severely limiting areas where onshore wind farms can be built. The New South Wales Government might soon attempt to follow. So, if Australia is to cut its greenhouse gas emissions…

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