Oh the irony…
First, a flashback from June 18, 2010:
I was in Newcastle, NSW AU on Wednesday night to give another lecture as part of the Australian speaking tour I’m doing. I had the pleasure of following David Stockwell in a presentation, and David Archibald followed me.
We were a bit late getting there due to airplane scheduling snafus, and as we rushed from the airport at 6:15 pm we passed the coal loading terminal at Newcastle. There, as if there was some madcap attempt at sustainability, was one of those huge wind turbines like I’ve seen on the US plains. I attempted to get a photo, but my camera misfired with bad focus due to the car window, and I missed the shot.
The next morning, on the way to the airport again at 6AM, the windmill was still there, just like it was before. My driver (Anthony#2 of Team Anthony) gladly pulled over to allow me to get this shot as dawn crept in. I was incredulous that the shot hadn’t changed.
Ummm. I thought windmills were all about generating electricity, not using it. So why put torches on it that run all night? Want to bet the lighting power is coming from coal? While the turbine probably generates more power than it uses most nights, it sure seems odd.
Of course, maybe the people that run it really didn’t want a wind turbine in their coal town, and this torch lighting is their form of silent protest. Or, maybe they are proud of it and felt it needed to be illuminated all hours of the night. Maybe the lights are to warn off birds and small planes. Nobody seemed to know. Whatever the reason, I couldn’t help but be amused.
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Bruce from Newcastle writes in today to tell me:
Anthony – our lonely windmill which you liked so much when you visited (you know the one helpfully lit up at night) may be about to pay the ultimate price – to be reincarnated as a coal loader:
Ultimate in irony. Windmill makes ultimate sacrifice to ship coal from Newcastle to China…ah, just think of all the heads exploding in the EDF.
The Kooragang Island wind turbine has stood at the Newcastle Port Corporation since 1997. Anyone want to place bets on whether environmentalists will chain themselves to it like a tree about to be cut down?
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That is the funniest story I have seen all day. I only wish I could be there to watch the funeral ceremony.
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind….
I’m just waiting for some bunch of whack jobs to try climbing up to the top in an effort to “save” the wind turbine from being chopped down. People like that generally have lots of time on their hands – should be fund to watch.
*sob!* This is so sad……
ROTFLMAO
They just have to switch the light off during Earth Hour this weekend, and then they can leave it on for another year with good conscience.
Will the light still be shining after the mill is gone? Perhaps as a memorial?
Can’t .. stop.. laughing…
When they cut it down, they could take it to Canberra, weld the blades so they cannot turn (to save the birds) and put it outside the Australian Museum on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, as a tribute to early 21st century voodoo science.
It would be grand.
It can work http://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/klossner-125732_m.gif
Ah, The windmill, Its always been an oddity, a curiosity, and a rather pointless one at that.
I live in Newy, and I wish I’d known you were in town, Would have liked to attend.
Any way I can find out if you are ever here again?
Bulldust, The lights on a new coal terminal will be way prettier 🙂
Yer changed energy companies today, pretty young mermink said they aint got much of that green enviro electricity and so they can cut their cost, the warp and woof about 8 per cent.
Also seen me first Ipad. Did not check her out, just taught her some trade craft and let her out me cave.
Tole peroxie doxie, yer talk dollars not per cents and punters will listen, get yer palaver right yer will hunt good.
Yer cutta deal with ol Jack, yer cutta deal.
Don’t teach a dutchie ships master on loan, coal to Newcastle, in van Diemen’s land.
Red ranga wants it she has it.
Surely it’s done well, it must be at least fourteen years past the end of it’s useful life.
The wind turbine would look good on a nuclear power station.
It could be a chimney for when radioactive gases have to be vented.
Maybe we should put forward the idea that that are building the new loader because they have to export more coal to cover the CO2 tax burden.
yesterday we had JuLIAR running from the No Carbon Tax rally by educated citizens they insist on portraying as deniers ignorant etc etc..where did she go to avoid the questions?
a nice windfarm for publicity shots.
how come a blade never flies off when you want it to?
A sterling opportunity to start practicing and training for the next decade’s boom occupation: windmill salvage.
The first of many to be torn down, hopefully.
It’ll be very interesting to follow this story to its end…
From another part of the world, Scandinavia/Norway, where the wind turbines are being plastered around in superbly sensitive areas, below documentary from the ‘NRK’ (Norwegian Public Service TV) was aired in 2006:
http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/193197
(min 5 MB bandwidth)
http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/282395
(min 0,5 MB bandwidth)
Although in Norwegian language I hope the message will come through.
Brgds from Sweden
//TJ
The greenies will be able to get jobs cleaning up after the mess the windmill constructions driveways etc have made to the landscape, by revegetation etc (although that would require some actual work)
Salvage rights on the steel and neodymium could be quite lucrative.
Unfortunately we cannot bring back the sliced birds, nor is there much hope of ever remediating the area in Baotou, China where the magnets originate.
So what is the average life expectancy of a typical wind-farm windmill these days?
If they really do tear it down for EvilCoal®…THAT will be a photo to get.
There was a time when it all made perfect sense but then I started reading. No wonder the Ranga and the cadarverous Combet, or is that Brown? would dearly like to silence the shock jocks and the few rebellious journos. They are livid that some Australians can read and research. They forget that the voters they insult may well be their constituents and won’t forget the slur come the next election.
Farewell windmill.
Don’t forget to turn your lights on for Earth Hour this Saturday. We want a big spike at the generators. Childish I know but it’s a little and obvious protest against the merchants of guilt. It will also be a little celebration of the end of 16 years of leftoid government here in NSW.