If it was calculated exactly how much greenhouse gas savings wind farms would achieve, given that they rely on coal fired power stations, it would clearly fall well below the claims of the wind industry and state governments. But as they say in the government departments it's all about perceptions. No wonder Victoria has a water supply crisis that is drifting toward an economic crisis. Once a wind farm is approved the proponents may step away from the risk of low power output by installing themselves as managers instead of being owners. Rumour has it that fixed annual payments to farmers may be a thing of the past as developers want them to accept payments related to wind farm output. No matter how obvious the wind farm sink hole becomes the industry marches on regardless, making the same outrageous claims about how many houses will be supplied and how much greenhouse gases will be saved. Whatever happened to the Trade Practices Act. It's time the Federal Government put a stop to the scheme they created that they clearly and publicly acknowledge is a fraud.

The Australian Government's Minister for Agriculture, also previously a Minister for Science, stated to the media on a number of occasions last year "wind farms were a complete fraud". Unfortunately they only exist as a result of a Federal Government initiative. One can only wonder why Ian Campbell approved the Bald Hills wind farm when such an identified fraud also posed a threat to numerous threatened and migratory species which the Federal Government has an obligation to protect.
Andrew Bolt now writes in the Herald Sun:

"Victoria's wind farms are saving more than 250,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year -- the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the state's roads," burbles "No Water" Minister John Thwaites.

BUT that claim -- based on an official assumption that the wind blows enough for wind farms to generate 33 per cent of their installed capacity -- is another of the wild exaggerations typical of this seem-good faith.

As the annual planning report of Vencorp (which oversees our power network) reveals, the wind is actually so unreliable that our wind farms cranked out as little as 4 per cent of their maximum power on our hottest days -- just when we needed them most for our airconditioners.

A consultant report to Vencorp warned: "In the past two years . . . load at maximum demand times has averaged 16.1 per cent of installed capacity".

In short, these expensive wind farms, already useless at best, aren't even half as good as the Government claims.

Wind farms are now officially a basket case. That is, as far as an investment portfolio they fall into the same basket as all those other 'good ideas' that can gobble up your investments and superannuation. I didn't mention the names of those other 'good ideas' because they don't rely on taxpayer and consumer subsidies and even though they are duds would be offended to be grouped with the wind industry.

A quick rundown on the current sate of the wind industry.

-Just over the border in SA the Lake Bonney wind farm had that turbine fire just over twelve months ago and once that was fixed shareholders were told output was below expectations because of lighter than predicted winds;

-Cape Bridgewater is being constructed, however the basis for it being approved, blades made in local blade factory, is no longer relevant as it is understood the blades will be imported, Codrington, well we all need to know more about how that one operates;

-Yambuk, eleven farms are now without fodder after a fire from the wind farm cleaned them out;

-Wonthaggi's output has fallen below expectations over 22 days in June 06 with an output of only 19% of installed capacity but furthermore it drew power from the grid for 16% of that time;

-Toora, the first turbine broke down back in October 06 with five of the twelve succumbing to failure by the end of last year. A team with a crane is now working away to fix the gearboxes and what ever else is wrong. How long before the other seven start to pack up;

-Challicum Hills, well one of the farmers got a shock when they learnt what it was like to have a non rural industry on their farm. It would be good to see the output figure from that wind farm.

If it was calculated exactly how much greenhouse gas savings wind farms would achieve, given that they rely on coal fired power stations, it would clearly fall well below the claims of the wind industry and state governments. But as they say in the government departments it's all about perceptions. No wonder Victoria has a water supply crisis that is drifting toward an economic crisis.

Once a wind farm is approved the proponents may step away from the risk of low power output by installing themselves as managers instead of being owners. Rumour has it that fixed annual payments to farmers may be a thing of the past as developers want them to accept payments related to wind farm output.

No matter how obvious the wind farm sink hole becomes the industry marches on regardless, making the same outrageous claims about how many houses will be supplied and how much greenhouse gases will be saved. Whatever happened to the Trade Practices Act.

It's time the Federal Government put a stop to the scheme they created that they clearly and publicly acknowledge is a fraud.