Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
66 Buchanans Rd, Yendon, Vic, 3352
14th May 2014.
Submission to the
Review of the Renewable Energy Target
from
Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
This submission is from the Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc. We are
a group of residents living close to the approved, but yet to be constructed, Lal Lal
Wind Farm. We represent residents living near this approved wind energy project.
This submission is in regard to the Renewable Energy Target (RET) and how it
relates to wind energy production and efficiency. We believe that the RET has NOT
lead to efficient or reliable generation of wind energy in particular. We also believe
that the RET should be removed in relation to wind turbines as electricity prices have
increased and communities have been negatively impacted with little benefit to the
reduction in greenhouse gases.
The RET Act
a. To encourage the additional generation of electricity from renewable sources;
b. To reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the electricity sector; and
c. To ensure that renewable energy sources are ecologically sustainable.
The RET has resulted in a large number of wind turbines being constructed across
the country. Some areas, such as Western Victoria, have had huge numbers of
turbines constructed, as shown in Maps A & B, attached. This explosion of wind
turbines has not helped to significantly reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases
however. This is due to the fact that wind energy is an unreliable, inefficient and
intermittent electricity source that relies heavily on the alternative power sources that
it is meant to replace.
1
2
Wind power is incapable of generating base load electricity. When the wind is not
blowing, not blowing hard enough, blowing too hard, or the temperature is too hot,
wind turbines cannot provide electricity. A Vesta 2MW turbine, as an example, (see
Appendix A, ref 1) cannot operate at speeds over 20m/s (74km/h), or at
temperatures over 40 ⁰C. In Australia we often get winds gusting at 100km/h and
temperatures over 40⁰C.
Coal fired power stations are then needed to generate this additional output. But coal
fired power stations require between 4-8 hours to ramp up from warm, depending on
the size of the power station (ref 2 & 3). They cannot simply be “switched on” when
the wind stops blowing, and they cannot be ramped down as soon as the wind starts
up again.
Running a coal fired power station to make up for the lack of supply when wind
turbines aren’t operating has been likened to running a car in peak hour traffic
compared to on a highway. It is inefficient. It can also lead to instability in the
network.
At some wind projects, ie Macarthur Wind Farm, gas turbines are on line waiting to
take over from turbines when the wind is not blowing. This is a very costly form of
electricity generation (ref 4).
Wind energy proponents suggest that if turbines are spread out over the country,
when there is no wind in one area there will be wind in another, but wind fronts can
be state-wide, making this impossible. Looking at data from the 16th April 2014 (ref
5), there was barely any wind over the entire western part of the country (VIC, SA,
NSW, TAS), with wind production below 140MW for most of the morning. It rose
slightly in the afternoon only to drop again to approximately 100 MW at 6pm.
Average total demand was 22,000MW. This is just one of many examples. How can
coal fired power stations cope with this sort of fluctuation in supply? They cannot!
Wind turbines also use electricity from the grid. During construction phase, vast
amounts of energy are used, but ongoing, there are a number of areas where
electricity is used so even if they are not producing power they need to use it. The oil
needs to be cooled when the weather is hot and warmed when the turbines are not
running. They also use power to run mechanisms that keep the blades turned into
the wind, power to control the meter spinning the rotor, air craft lights (for those that
have them), data collection electronics, pumps and coolers for the gearbox and
brakes for locking blades in high winds. They also use electricity to start the blades
turning in low wind. (ref 6)
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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Turbines also regularly produce more energy at night, when atmospheric cooling
produces higher wind speeds at hub height than during the day. Unfortunately this is
not when power is required. In some countries, wind companies are actually paid
money to NOT turn the turbines on so as to not cause instability in the grid.
If we have a power source that doesn’t provide base load electricity because it is
intermittent and unreliable, and is costly in a number of ways, how can it reduce our
dependency on coal or help reduce greenhouse gas emissions? If wind power was
truly a way to power the planet it would not need to rely on government handouts.
Wind turbines are not an ecologically sustainable energy source.
Across the country people have been forced to pay higher electricity bills. Many
cannot afford to do so and struggle without adequate heat and power. The money
from the RETs is paid to mostly overseas investors and is pushing up electricity
prices without any real benefit to the community and the environment. Industry and
jobs have been damaged from higher power prices. We should not be lowering our
standard of living and sacrificing jobs for an energy source that we cannot even rely
upon.
Many communities are now living with a visual landscape that has changed from
rural to industrial. As shown on maps A & B, many people are surrounded by, or will
be surrounded by, turbines the height of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Thousands of
people and many communities are affected. Around the Lal Lal wind project alone
there are over 2,000 people within 5km of the proposed turbines.
To many people, turbines are a visual blight on the landscape. Even more alarming
though are the negative health effects that many rural people are now experiencing.
People are leaving their homes and their farms, or staying but suffering negative
health impacts for years on end. Communities are torn apart by the divide between
those who are affected and those who aren’t. Wildlife is killed and land devalued.
There is the possibility of legal action between land holders and their neighbours,
and the question of who is responsible when the time comes to take the turbines
down. Many contracts specify that decommissioning of turbines will be the
responsibility of the landowners. Depending on the type of turbine, it is likely that the
money the landowner has earned from each turbine over 25 years will not cover the
cost of pulling it down. We could be left with an apocalyptic landscape of crumbling,
rusting turbines.
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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Australia is not alone. In Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the USA, Canada and
more, people and governments have realised that wind energy is not making any
significant reduction to greenhouse gases, is costly and is detrimental to health. In
Europe, the European Platform Against Wind Farms has 688 member organisations
from 23 different European Countries. There are many more similar organisations
across the globe.
Many people in Australia, especially those with interest in community wind projects,
are very supportive of wind energy. The promise of “green” energy and the concern
about climate change has fuelled these feelings. Unfortunately people have been
given very little real information. Most people have the best of intentions but do not
live near turbines and are quite ill informed as to the problems faced both here and
overseas.
Members of the Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc. (recently formed
from LLELAG members) and those we represent are also concerned with climate
change. For approximately seven years now members of our group have been
researching wind energy facilities and talking to people living near them. We have
been active in learning about wind turbines; we have studied the acoustics and the
environmental and energy aspects and have seen the discrepancies between what
is promised and what is reality. We would also like a solution, but from our research
and experience we know that wind turbines are not an answer to our requirement for
clean energy. We have no interest in coal fired power stations and we have real
concerns for what burning fossil fuels does to the environment and the communities
living nearby.
Wind energy is unreliable, expensive and negatively impacts on families and
communities. It does not provide base load electricity, which results in the inefficient
use of coal and gas power stations. It is unable to stand on its own two feet, relying
on extremely generous handouts from the government.
It is time for the RET to go. We need to put resources into energy sources that DO
provide base load power, that ARE reliable and that CAN reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, such as hydroelectric and geothermal energy. Instead of throwing money
into an obsolete technology we should pursue new and better solutions.
If the panel would like to discuss our submission further or would like to view the
location of the proposed Lal Lal Wind Farm or meet the local communities, we would
be happy to help.
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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MAP A – WIND FARM MAP – PART WESTERN VICTORIA
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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SCHEDULE TO MAP A
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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MAP B – WIND FARMS IN BALLARAT REGION
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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APPENDIX A – VESTA 2.0 MW TURBINE FACTS & FIGURES
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.
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References
1. http://www.vestas.com/en/products_and_services/turbines/v90-_0_mw
2. Assessment of startup period at coal‐fired electric generating units
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation
Peter Kokopeli, Jeremy Schreifels, Reynaldo Forte, June 17, 2013,Page 4
3. Chapter 1 – Electricity Generation 2009, State of the Energy Market, Page 50.
4. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/gas-price-surge-sends-wrecking-ballthrough-energy-markets-19541
5. http://windfarmperformance.info/
6. http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Wind-Power/How-Much-Power-DoWind-Turbines-Use.html
Submission to the Review of the Renewable Energy Target from Lal Lal Environment Protection Association Inc.