[AndersB]

This is a deal that will take place in your back yard, RumpledElf!

http://finance.yahoo...8.html?x=0&.v=1

Quote

AMSC Signs Additional Power Grid Contracts in Australia

• D-VAR® Solution to Enable Waterloo and AGL Hallett 4 (North Brown Hill) Wind Farms to Meet Australia’s Grid Interconnection Requirements
• Product Now Serving More Than 50 Wind Farms Worldwid

DEVENS, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC - News), a global energy technologies company, today announced that its D-VAR grid interconnection solution has been ordered for two additional wind farms under construction in Australia. These are the 50^th and 51^st wind farms to have purchased AMSC’s D-VAR systems worldwide and AMSC’s 6^th and 7^th wins in Australia.

Both of the D-VAR solutions included in these new contracts will be deployed to enable wind farms to meet local grid interconnection requirements. AMSC will provide a D-VAR system to Suzlon Energy Australia Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of India’s Suzlon Energy Limited, for the 132 megawatt (MW) AGL Hallett 4 (North Brown Hill) Wind Farm being erected outside of Jamestown, South Australia. AMSC also will provide a D-VAR system to Consolidated Power Projects Australia Pty Ltd. for Roaring 40s Renewable Energy Pty Ltd.’s 111 MW Waterloo Wind Farm currently under construction approximately 100 kilometers north of Adelaide in South Australia. Both D-VAR systems will be delivered within the next six months.
...

[RumpledElf]

Yup, that's the one *points at avatar photo of the Hallett wind farm*. Suzlon has kind of taken over this area. The locals blame them for the increasing house prices, but really they're most responsible for the outrageous rents you get round here.

Either way, wind turbines lining the horizon and sticking through the clouds as far as the eye can see is an impressive sight.

[staringclown]

'No evidence' for wind turbine illness

Quote

One study by Nina Pierpont, which is central to the claims that wind turbines make people ill, was dismissed as ''not of sufficient scientific rigour'' by NSW Health. ''This 'study' is not a rigorous epidemiological study; it is a case series of 10 families drawn from a wide range of locations,'' according to the ministerial briefing on July 5 last year. ''This work has not been properly peer reviewed. Nor has it been published in the peer-reviewed literature. The findings are not scientifically valid, with major methodological flaws stemming from the poor design of the study."

There has been a lot of coverage of stories about wind farms causing illness. Strangely the people on the actual wind farms (who receive the remuneration) don't seem to suffer this illness.) Anyway the early science is in and there is no evidence for ill effects from wind power.

Quote

The documents, obtained under FOI laws by the environment group Friends of the Earth, say existing studies had been examined and no known causal link could be established. The assessment undermines the claims of an anti-wind farm group, the Waubra Foundation, which had been lobbying the government for a moratorium on new wind farms.

"The documents from NSW Health confirm our belief that the foundation has been 'cherry picking' data that supports its allegations about 'wind turbine syndrome' by talking with people who believe they have … symptoms,'' said a Friends of the Earth spokesman, Cam Walker. ''This becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy and is not the basis of good science … Yet, as has been noted by a growing number of medical authorities, there is no credible evidence of a causal link between turbines and ill health.''

The waubra foundation was founded by Peter R. Mitchell, AM, BChE who possesses substantial investments in the fossil fuel industry. Just saying...

Quote

The Waubra Foundation, the Landscape Guardians and Mitchell’s investment company Lowell Capital all have the same post office box, yet the “medical director” of the foundation, Sarah Laurie, wrote recently on a blog: ”The Waubra Foundation is not a front for the Landscape Guardians … Peter Mitchell … has kindly made his mailbox available for the use of the foundation, as we have extremely limited financial resources.”

Things must be tough: a post office box costs about 50 cents a day.

Amazingly, the Waubra Foundation website states that Laurie has an MD (research) degree from Flinders University. She does not: she has bachelor’s degrees in medicine from Flinders, but is unregistered to practice as a doctor. An MD is a postgraduate degree awarded to accomplished researchers for a body of published work.

One of Waubra Foundation’s governing principles states: “At all times to establish and maintain complete independence from government, industry and advocacy groups for or against wind turbines.” Its chairman Peter Mitchell is a strident opponent to the Stockyard Hill wind farm (which borders his weekender). Sarah Laurie ties herself in knots claiming that she doesn’t oppose the proposed Crystal Brook wind farm in her backyard, yet she’s devoted the past 15 months to fighting wind farms.

Edit: And this is important exactly why you clown? Only because the NSW and Vic governments are restricting the development of wind power on the basis of the potential ill effects.

[mattau]

I've heard those arguments about the suggested problems of wind farms and wind mills. Some also claim that they're too noisy and ugly against the natural scenery.

In my view, though, I don't seem to mind them

[savagegoose]

ilness seems high among people who dont collect rental income, just saying.

[mattau]

hahah.. it's like strange, paranormal patterns going on...

Seems like something fom the X-Files