Controversy over ‘Wind Turbine Syndrome’ and other wind farm related issues seems to have heated up in Australia over the last few days.
Yesterday in our article on Snowtown Wind Farm’s planned expansion, we briefly touched on an unrelated story in The Australian claiming “a growing body of evidence” that wind turbine noise could have negative health effects and various other problems relating to wind farms, claims that were then challenged in an article on Climate Spectator.
In an opinion piece published since on Weekly Times Now, Managing Director of Acciona Energy Australia, Andrew Thomson, states “when it comes to wind energy we appreciate there is a health argument. But I stress, in its current form it is an argument, not a debate.”
Mr. Thomson recounts Acciona’s attendance at a public meeting called by wind farm opponents at Mortlake in April; an experience he describes as “sobering and confronting” with “bitter, divisive language, unsubstantiated claims, quasi-science and personal attacks on Acciona staff.”
Mr. Thomson says “ill-informed and often outlandish claims” by wind farm opponents are restraining opportunities for the development and diversification of economic activity in regional Victoria.
The Canberra Times has published an article regarding a couple lobbying a company to reconsider adding another 80 turbines close to a nearby existing wind farm in New South Wales; also claiming Wind Turbine Syndrome-type symptoms – however, acknowledging the illness may not be connected with the turbines.
In an article recently published on Energy Matters’ web site concerning wind farm opposition being exaggerated; a comment posted by someone identifying themselves as a stakeholder engagement consultant for wind farms in South Australia, states “the majority of the rural population quietly supported us, but not publicly because they didn’t want to contribute to the division and unrest in the community created by the anti lobbyists.”
So where is all of this alleged misinformation about wind farms coming from? A 2011 article on Independent Australia claims to “expose Tea Party style practices and behaviour of anti-windfarm campaigners and their links to powerful vested interests.”
Regardless of the support of the silent majority and while recognised research has consistently found no health issues caused by wind farms; the spectre of Wind Turbine Syndrome will remain; causing the wind industry major headaches – and the debate; or argument, will likely only get uglier and very, very messy.
