Wind power now but watch this space

THE Sentinel Times, July 30, 2024, reports on turbines in South Gippsland, with Dan O’Brien at the forefront of protest, and Andy McCathy’s commitment to solar power.

While Andy’s commitment is laudable and solar will be in any energy mix, its influence will be minor in the big picture, even with improved and lower-cost batteries for home use.

As for Dan, I can see his view changing very quickly when he and his party form the next State Government and are faced with finding an immediate 1450mW of electrical power to offset the first generator closure in the Latrobe Valley in 2028 unless the plan is to keep the coal-fired station running and open. Best of luck with that strategy with an old plant.

The article describes a desperate drive by a State Government to find 5000mW of alternative energy sources. This is not desperate, but a laid down imperative even obvious to the “drover’s dog”.

I suspect those against the turbines are also the main climate activists or at least now recognise the danger of global warming.

But, sorry folks, you cannot have It both ways; carbon reductions and a visually unpolluted countryside at the same time.

Turbines at the moment are the only large-scale alternative generator capacity available in the 10-year time frame. However, the Chinese have just completed a successful passive shutdown test on an experimental Gen IV reactor, i.e. no core meltdown. So, watch this space.

Rod Gallagher, Inverloch