The Answer is Blowin' in the Wind

The future of wind farms

Some folk see them as graceful symbols of engineering technology and icons of man’s mastery over nature. To others they’re just plain ugly. Whichever way you look at them, wind farms are here to stay. Wind farms harness the power of air currents to generate electricity. The giant turbines operate in clusters from less than a dozen to several hundred depending on their location and size. The 55-turbine installation at Wattle point in South Australia generates 91 Megawatts of power. Estimates reveal the carbon footprint of installing a new turbine is ‘repaid’ in as little as nine months. There are currently 42 wind farms operating in Australia and the government is taking a leaf out of the European book with a further 521 projects under construction. This will help to ensure the energy security Australia will depend on in the future. Mitchell Clifford from Portland, Victoria is more than happy to accommodate a wind turbine on his property. The income from the lease supplements his farming income and the power supplied by the turbine runs everything on his farm besides the vehicles. “It’s common sense,” said Mr. Clifford “It’s clean, abundant and free”. Are wind farms the right approach to clean energy? Are they an eyesore? Would you allow a wind farm on your property?