Thursday 29 May 2008

Wind farm powers the future: NACC

Farm Weekly
Thursday 22/5/2008 Page: 18

USING nature to provide energy is crucial to the future in a world where weather patterns and climate are unpredictable, the head of the Northern Agricultural Region's peak body for climate change adaptation says. Northern Agricultural Catchment Council (NACC) chairman Chris King said that more emphasis had to be placed on using wind. solar and other renewable resources to supply energy needs into the future.

Mr King was speaking after community meetings in Badgingarra and Cervantes at which the extension of the Emu Downs Wind Farm was discussed. Plans are underway effectively double the size of the existing wind farm from 80MW to 130MW, potentially providing power for another 80.000 homes. Mr King said given that the region was famous for the wind, and that the wind farms in Walkaway and Badgingarra had contributed to the State's energy grid very effectively, it made sense to continue the development.

"Not only that, the wind farms have become great tourist attractions in their own right," he said. "Not only are they generating green power, every time a tourist visits the interpretive centres they read about alternative power sources and learn a little about the importance of new thinking" He said the NACC was working with that new thinking. "While we acknowledge that many people are sceptical about climate change, or more specifically about what is causing it, there is no doubt that the weather patterns are changing from what we knew decades ago," he said. "It's critical that everyone in the region starts to think about how they can prepare for the changes ahead.

"The NACC has a primary role in assisting in doing that. "To do this, I'm keen on is ensuring that people understand what we can do as individuals, and supporting large scale initiatives such as the new wind farm" Nh King stressed that people who wanted information could contact NACC as the peak body in the region. "We don't profess to know all the answers;" he said. "No one does, but we'll certainly try and find someone who can talk knowledgeably and share this knowledge with everyone across the region."

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