The Voices of Wind Farm Hosts Down Under

When it comes to opinions and debate about wind power, we usually get the pro-lobby arguing against the frackers, the NIMBYs and the Fossil Fuel lobby. But one set of voices is often absent in the mix. The voices of those who have experience of hosting wind turbines on their lands and properties. One would have thought that these might represent an empirical valuable contribution to the issues, given that they have “been there, done that and got the T-shirt”!

Australian filmmaker and researcher Neil Barrett is finally giving this critical group a voice in his new short film,  entitled The Way The Wind Blows. The film features views and experiences from 15 wind farm hosts from an area near the town of Waubra in the Australian state of Victoria.

350a9d2d 928a 4ff6 a249 82ad1c245f061 e1531109222380 The Voices of Wind Farm Hosts Down Under

Turbine hosts in this locale earn A$8,000 a year for each turbine on their land.  There is an expression in the bush country that wind farms can “drought-proof a farm”. Translated, this means that a landowner with a wind farm can ride out a tough year with poor rain or bad frosts, thanks to income from wind generation.

Interestingly, because the turbines are situated near to homesteads and farming areas, all of Barrett’s interviewees say they can hear the turbines. But crucially none say they are bothered by them or suffer from any health problems they attribute to the turbines.  So those in other countries who claim that proximity to turbines brings aural irritation and ill-health should take note. I guess to be realistic, the money is a bit of a panacea here…

Significantly, too, none of those interviewed says their contracts prevent them from speaking publicly about their experiences with hosting turbines. This would seem to off the oft-cited statement of wind farm opponents that hosts are gagged from speaking by the overlord wind companies. In fact, the wind farmers object to Australian anti-wind lobbyists speaking out against farms in this region… without ever having visited the wind farms and asking those there for their views.

That’s not to say that the wind farmers are all fit as a fiddle and without complaints. Many had anxiety, hypertension and some disturbed sleep, but these were all symptoms of the normal ageing process and not down to the terrible turbines sapping their strength. These ailments were reported in nearby communities without wind farms.

More than two-thirds of Australian wind farms including more than half of those with large turbines have never received a single complaint. Two whole states – Western Australia and Tasmania – have seen no complaints at all. Barratt’s film is an important contribution to the reality of living with a wind farm and deserves wide publicity.

Neil Barrett has had a strong interest in wind power for many years. He has worked as an economist at Monash University and the former State Electricity Commission of Victoria and as the CEO and owner of the company, Video Education Australasia Pty Ltd.