Wind Turbines

"The hot wind blows, but so does the cold." L Broughton

The arguments for wind powered electric turbines in New Zealand is overwhelming. When one considers the hot air from politicians reputedly empowers the entire country, the instillation of modern wind turbines needs no justification.

New Zealand is a long thin country consisting of two islands with a mountain chain running down the middle. It covers the 'Roaring Forties' in the South Pacific Ocean and is a natural to exploit Mother Nature's breathe to advantage. The steep, fast, short rivers are just about at their limit for hydro generation.

There is enough coal for about a thousand years and with modern, pollution free technology, could be of great assistance. Limited natural gas is also available. Nuclear power is an option and will probably be essential in about twenty years. But these options are socially unfavourable. In the meantime, wind is free and never ending in certain areas. Especially from politicians.

In 1993 an experimental turbine generating enough power to service 80 homes was installed on the Brooklyn Hill above Wellington. Since then, wind farms have been established in high country Manawatu in the lower North Island. These turbines are three times the size of Brooklyn's and produce enough power for 50,000 homes. Attempts are underway to create more wind farms in various parts of the country.

Today, you can buy small turbines, and combined with solar panels, that will create enough power for the average home to be almost independent of the national grid. The only noise is similar to wind in the trees or waves on the sea shore. Tis only commonsense you might say.

But no! An increasing number of people consider the turbines visual pollution. They live
beyond the low noise range but object to peering out the toilet window and seeing the distant towers about two inches high destroying their view of the mountain ranges.

They sit at their electric powered computers and write to the media complaining about their democratic rights to chop down the native bush for farmland and enjoy the pristine
environment created. At night they turn on the lights and watch the TV stories about the
socially unacceptable wind turbines upsetting flocks of sheep and herds of dairy cows.
Animals, believe it or not, have better things to do than worry about a soft whishing in the
background.

'Tis our democratic right not to have noisy wind turbines cluttering the skyline. It will reduce the value of our properties. They're a good idea but not in my backyard. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!'

Unable to see further than the end of their noses, they forget that to flick the switch, the
power must come from somewhere. With usage increasing dramatically, the crunch will
inevitably transpire. Naturally it will be their democratic right to sit in the dark and freeze.

With NZ's sunny climate and reasonably reliable winds. Both wind turbines and solar power are a natural source of free energy. Both are renewable 24 hours a day, pollution free and don't require visually uncouth concrete dams blocking the rivers. With a little foresight, nuclear power might not be needed for many years. And who knows what other sources of energy Mother Nature will suggest?