Thanks for this Blair. It is good to hear from someone who has been close by.

Blair's frequent trips (by car, presumably, since the constant wind would make it difficult to bicycle) to the Toora facility 9 km away probably cancel whatever environmental benefits he thinks the wind power represents.

On a serious note, it is true that New Zealand presents an exception to the general poor performance of wind turbines, with very high average output (40% of capacity is not unusual). On the other hand, it remains intermittent and variable and thus has a low capacity for replacing other sources, just as everywhere else.

Thanks ericc, local evidence suggests wind farm opponents repeat specious science, aren't interested in contrary evidence, objectivity or applying the same criticisms to their (rare) prefered alternative energy source. They frequently quote Altamont Pass in their criticisms - contemporary evidence does not trouble them. They oppose mainly because they don't want a wind farm in their field of view.

At the Toora wind farm there are several people who live near its boundary, one of these people bought their property after the wind farm was constructed and cannot undertand what the fuss is about.

To Eric, yes I visit by car because my quadriplegia precludes me from peddling a pushbike. How do you travel any distance? When visiting the Toora wind farm I'm often accompanied by visitors to the region. They too have not understood why some folks oppose wind farms.

Effects of the Toora wind farm to date - Tourism has not decreased (many visitors specifically come to the see the wind farm), birds haven't been killed, blade flicker is a non-issue, blade noise is noticable in certain conditions.

The biggest joke: recently the Lake Bonney turbine fire was breathlessly reported locally as 'proof' turbines would be a major fire threat. No anti-wind energy person appears to have considered the fact that if farmers cannot get turbines built at the proposed Dollar windfarm, 5kms away, many of those farmers will sell to blue-gum plantantion groups. I understand every farmer has been approached.

So instead of safe turbines they'll get a monoculture that blocks that same views our precious wind farm opponents accuse wind turbines of destroying, a large fire hazard, the loss of approx $150,000 additional spending in the region, population decrease and a probable commensurate loss to the local Council in property rates. Brilliant!

Wind farm opponents suffer from many things but honesty, objectivity and a grasp of reality do not feature among them.

Blair may not have noticed that I did not question his claims about the Toora facility. I am on the other side of the world, and I don't know the particular circumstances and environment there. Nonetheless he insists that all opponents deny contrary evidence and are simply interested in fighting obstructions to their vistas. And he implies that because he sees industrial wind working out for the best where he/she lives, such an experience, let alone conditions, must be the case everywhere else as well. More than Altamont, which nobody in this forum has mentioned, Toora -- if Blair's claims are true -- may be an exception.

I did, however, suggest that despite the apparent acceptance and productivity of the Toora facility its effect of reducing other sources is minimal. That is the sorry fact that industrial wind promoters refuse to acknowledge.

I am sorry if I did not make myself clear. I am only referring to wind farm opponents in this region. I certainly do not imply that wind works well everywhere, I know that is not the case. Anybody familiar with this area knows that wind is one commodity we do not lack here.

The fact of the matter is that some opponents of wind in this area will refuse to except it can provide part of the answer to our energy needs. It would not matter how efficient, how clean or how reliable wind energy might prove to be, they will oppose it regardless.

I grew up on a farm the that was later compulsorily acquired by the Victorian state Govt. so a large dam could be built on it to provide cooling water for the Hazelwood (coal fired) power station, in the the Latrobe Valley. Approx. 90kms north of here.

I would much prefer to see a series of ridge tops with wind turbines on them than see a large black hole in the ground where there was once productive farmland.

It's strange logic that condemns a wind farm because it alone can only have a minor impact on total electricity production. You might just as well apply the same argument to fuel efficient cars, individually they make practically no difference to overall fuel usage, but nobody seems to be arguing that we'd be better off without them.

The trade-off you describe would indeed by worthwhile if it in fact occurred. There is no sign, however, of less use of coal or any other fuel because of wind turbines on the grid.