Essay by Eric Worrall
h/t CTM, Mr.; According to the ABC, the recent court ruling that upheld a complaint by residents that wind turbines are a noise nuisance has sent “ripples of uncertainty” throughout the entire Renewable Energy industry.
Alinta says court wind farm ruling will have ‘dramatic’ and chilling effect on renewable energy investment
By energy reporter Daniel Mercer
Posted 20h ago20 hours ago, updated 19h agoOne of Australia’s biggest renewable energy investors says a court’s decision to uphold complaints against a Victorian wind farm could have “dramatic” and chilling effects on the country’s transition away from fossil fuels.
Alinta boss Jeff Dimery, whose company is one of Australia’s biggest private energy providers, said the ruling by Victoria’s Supreme Court would be a “shock” to companies planning to invest billions of dollars in new wind farms.
Justice Melinda Richards ordered the project’s operators to switch off parts of the wind farm at night until the noise levels could be reduced to an acceptable level.
She also told the operators to pay aggrieved neighbours more than a quarter of a million dollars in costs and damages.
Mr Dimery said the decision would send “ripples” of doubt through the renewable energy industry across the country given the potential precedent it sets for other wind farms.
He said the longer-term implications were potentially significant, noting the ruling could scare away developers by making wind farms harder to build and less financially attractive.
“It’s a disaster,” Mr Dimery said.
“This is a pretty dramatic outcome, I have to say.
“This court decision certainly changes the risk appetite for investors.
“I think there’ll be some fairly serious ramifications off the back of this.”
…
Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-25/chill-winds-for-renewable-sector/100940308
WUWT wrote about the Bald Hills Wind Farm case in 2021, but at the time it looked like residents had lost. So I’m personally pleased to report that this story appears to have had a happy ending.
WUWT has frequently written about the environmental impact of wind turbines, including claims of ill health effects from wind turbine infrasound. There have even been claims wind turbine noise leads to whales beaching, because it messes up their navigation sense. But cases in which plaintiffs obtain legal relief because of wind turbine noise are rare. Let us hope this court case win which upholds the right of residents to not have their sleep disrupted by “green energy” mechanical monstrosities is the first of many.
there is a lawsuit being filed against the impending wind farm planned for building off the coast of massachusetts within an area designated as a right whale protection zone . right whales are a particular favorite of environmentalists that will certainly be disturbed by the disruption and noise of construction and then in unknown ways by the sound of hundreds of turbines propagated underwater .
it was the BEST news in ages!! not only the humans but the poor farm animals have been enduring this. hmm study on effects of Infrasound on unhatched eggs of native birds.. or ditto on native animals in the areas
stuff that SHOULD be done but no one will cough up funds of course
A fine example of Lefty activists creating a real problem as a consequence of politicians agreeing to their solution to the imaginary one of CO2 emissions.
And then there’s this…emerging evidence that wind turbines alter the climate.
https://humanevents.com/2022/03/24/industrial-wind-towers-cause-warming/
Pffttt, mines with neighbours have been modifying operations at night and in certain atmospheric conditions to minimise impacts on neighbours for decades.
This industry has to start understanding that the externalities which underwrites their entire industry also applies to them when they impact on others.
We have had enough windmills in enough areas for enough time to conduct a good study: examine health parameters across time for people living at differing distances from windmill farms.
The rural communities should be fairly homogeneous. You can do a comparison between similar individuals living within and outside a noise zone. Examine their blood pressure across time.
You could survey a good study sample about mental health – irritability, sleep quality, etc. Whatever is supposed to be affected by the noise. Just don’t tell the study participants the specific hypothesis: that those in the noise zone should, generally, have worse health on whatever measures are suspected to be infected.
Then, ask for permission to access their health care data – medical record, and claims.