Many years ago we had a scare campaign called "Reds Under The Beds" orchestrated by a political system for poltical purposes and lately we have a similar camapign orchestrated by a Dr. Mark Diesendorf allegedly associated with Environmental Studies with the University Of New South Wales (UNSW). History does indeed repeat itself.

Dr. Diesendorf, a spruiker for the wind energy industry, has suggested that those who oppose the dumping of massive wind turbines on their doorstep may have ulterior motives and should be scrutinised for possible funding from industries that stand to gain from attacks on wind power. Really ?

Dr.Diesendorf forgot to mention that he was formerly President of the Australian Wind Energy Association (AusWea) .
As part of Dr. Diesendorf's wind energy campaign he has already targeted small vulnerable rural communities (via local newspapers) along the coast of Victoria.

Promontory Coast has also been targeted by the Bracks Government for wind turbine dumping and political purposes and Dr. Diesendorf has jumped on the band wagon . He has even repeated Victorian Energy Minister Theophanus's suggestion about links between opponents of wind turbine dumping in their region and the coal industry.!

Your readers are encouraged to obtain a copy of the Victorian Government's document "Policy and planning guidelines for development of wind energy facilities in Victoria" ; a document cobbled together for the most part in secrecy between the Victorian Bracks' Government and the wind energy industry.

For example during a recent Planning Panels Victoria Directions Hearing in the State of Victoria relating to a massive wind turbine dumping proposal in a picturesque rural setting; the "Indepenedent" Panel members felt sufficiently emboldened to declare without batting an eyelid that "it would be a waste of the Victorian taxpayers money for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to be involved with noise issues relating to wind turbine installations".

And what of the environmental bona-fides of UNSW . Perhap Dr. Diesendorf can again explain to us the progress at UNSW in their implementation of solar hot water systems, photo voltaic generation concurrent with micro wind turbine generation at the University.

So, finally, we find out that the one accusing the windfarm sceptics of being anti-environment is affiliated to big business in a big way.

It sure puts a damper on Mr. Diesendorf's credibility!

This is all rather obtuse of you anti-wind farmers. No one wanted to answer the questions I put because in the end you are all "Not in my backyarders”. If it is not wind farms making intolerable noise (and flicker?) it's the glare off the solar panels. Or its the health problems of power lines or nuclear ok just don't put it anywhere near me.
It also may come as a surprise to some of all that power generation by any means on a industrial scale need big business to do it.
The wind farms that are going up are going up a hills that have had all their native veg stripped off them 100 years ago. So I think they will provide a interesting contrast and look much better then a steam driven power station.

So take a good hard look at your own selves and answer the question I post and then see if wind farms are still such a issue.

Just so you know where I’m coming from I’ve got a grid interactive solar power and a solar heater, I would like to put up a small wind turbine as well but my council will not let me

Speaking as one who is involved in the Renewable Energy/Alternative energy sector, (as opposed to my usual stance in advocating Biblical Principles for guiding social structure, but more on that later)

It seems to me, that the funding allocated to huge (and obviously to some annoying) wind systems, may be better spent in examining cheaper ways of manufacturing photo voltaic cells, where we have some of the best results for efficiency coming from UNSW (Martin Green).
Most houses could be SELF sustaining with a thought out approach to energy.
1/ No electric heating or cooking. (use gas)
2/ High Efficiency lighting.
3/ Building guidelines which maximize the use of natural energy for heating/cooling.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE boils down to responsible stewardship of the earth, and a caring approach to people's needs and interests.

Roof mounted solar energy is pretty much a solution to both of those issues as far as I can see from the posts so far. Most posts seem to just be pointing at the contributors vested interest/industry link etc. As for me, I'm into solar pumping, and charge controllers not roof top systems. Be that as it may, I don't disparage Wind energy , if such systems can be implemented without the furor or disturbance noted here, then all power to them.

Dear Kenny -- I support your desire for a small wind turbine, as well as all the photovoltaic cells you want. That's alternative energy. Utility-scale wind power is a lucrative tax shelter for energy companies and a rush to claim the last undeveloped lands. All blessed by the greens.

To compare sprawling wind facilities to worse things is a diversion. On its own merits -- not the failings of other systems -- large-scale wind is a boondoggle.

A hundred years ago, Vermont's mountains were 70% clearcut. Today, they are 70% forest. Was that achieved only to give them over to the depredations of industry on the strength of dubious and unproven claims?

Hi Kenny, it took a while for you to post again, have you just clocked on at work? I guess instead of putting up a small wind turbine you could go for a 100 or more 120 metre ones then the council couldn't stop you.

More power to your collective pens BOAZ-David & Eric. The long term solution to our power problems will come by engaging the people at large not by enforcing draconian legislation on them.

Interesting about the revegetation. In South Gippsland our hills were cleared over 100 years ago thanks to yet another stupid government policy. Revegetation projects are now spreading throughout the hills with thousands of native trees being replanted thanks to a very strong Landcare network, most of whom are members of various Guardian groups. Those promoting windfarms in this area may not realise that wind energy agreements have a clause which prevents landowners from planting trees (disrupts the wind). We would rather see our hills covered in more trees than massive white elephants.

I guess there are two types of environmentalists, those who talk about it in city cafes and those out in the rural areas with dirt under their fingernails actually doing something about it.