THE company that operates “renewable energy” projects worldwide is investigating why one of the wind turbines it operates at the Berrybank Wind Farm in Western Victoria collapsed last week.
Global Power Generation, which operates the BerryBank Wind Farm, and is a subsidiary of Spanish company Naturgy, said a section of the wind turbine detached in the early hours of Tuesday morning after thunderstorms and damaging winds of 60–70 kph hit parts of the state.
A structural engineering professor Amin Heidarpour told the ABC the wind turbine should have been able to sustain strong winds.The expected service life for an entire wind turbine was 30 years, but other elements of the infrastructure may need to be replaced earlier.
The professor said the failure was likely in the blades. “It is totally unacceptable to see a two-year-old wind turbine collapse,” he said. “The normal service for blades is designed to be 20 years, so two years is very short.”
He also pointed out that while foundations and main towers should meet this timeline, blades, gearboxes, generators and other smaller hardware may need to be repaired or replaced more frequently.
What the professor says highlights the issue that when you multiply these repairs over thousands of wind turbines, the economics of wind power do not appear to be so “smart”.
Dr Heidarpour said Australian wind farm infrastructure was designed to withstand winds of at least 108kph, depending on the location of the structure, and the magnitude of the wind speed changes.
Ironically Global Power Generation (GPG) operates five gas-fired generators in Mexico but none in Victoria, which has several of Australia’s major gas fields. Basically, the Victorian Green-Left governments, in cahoots with gas companies, has stolen the gas and committed it to export rather than its traditional uses in the state.
GPG says the project’s remaining wind turbines had been temporarily paused and the site was safely secured. “An investigation is underway to confirm the root cause of the incident,” a Naturgy spokesperson told the ABC.
The incident exposed the vulnerable nature of wind generators that not only produce electricity sporadically, making supply and distribution a highly complicated task, but also the relatively short life of wind farms.
The Victorian government sees itself on a holy mission to end coal-fired power generation in the state, which is absolute stupidity, given that coal 24×7 without fail, provides between 30 and 60% of the state’s electricity requirements.
On clear, sunny days the state’s solar farms can temporarily provide more than half of the state’s electricity supply – at least while the sun is shining. But take away the coal and a week of bad weather across south-eastern Australia, will leave the electricity supply tentative or with blackouts.
For instance, the AEMO dashboard showed that on the morning of February 9th, solar in Victoria was providing 52% of the state’s electricity. By midday this had dropped to 17% while wind lifted to 42%. At the same time the state’s brown coal was also providing 42% of supply.
From the start of 2024, the Victorian government banned gas connections in all new housing, instead mandating total electrification of the state, stupidly hoping that it can fill the gap left by coal with batteries.
Public buildings such as schools and hospitals and other government-owned buildings were banned from gas connections for all projects yet to reach design stage. Total electrification is most likely connected to digitalisation of the energy system, which will effectively allow a government authority to monitor and control energy use in individual households.
Victoria’s Labor-Green loonies claims it is phasing out gas because of rising gas bills, the alleged “need to meet its emissions reduction targets” and alleged health concerns.
The state’s Climate Action and Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio claimed in 2023 that the state’s gas sector contributes about 17 per cent of its “greenhouse gas emissions” and without cutting gas, Victoria will not meet its emissions reduction targets of 75 to 80 per cent by 2035 and net zero by 2045.
By that time, if the Labor-Green Left crowd remain in power, Victoria will be a totally deindustrialised, totalitarian state with the entire population forced to live in two or three urban areas with the remainder of the state closed down as human and agriculture-free nature habitat.
Victorians will most likely be mandated to factory-produced eat insect protein and given monthly mRNA shots to ensure a “sustainable” population is maintained.
Dennis your suggestion has merit. But I suggest the entire carcass of a felled “windmill” be dumped on the lawns of Parliament House so the fools can be reminded of their treachery every time they enter the House.
#GreenEnergyIsALie #FreeEnergyIsHidden
I use firewood for both my heating and cooking. A well designed and built wood stove is definitely very ‘sustainable’ and does the job it is designed to do. – The ‘green new deal’ is a total fraud when compared to the ‘old tech’.
Do they have a plan of what to do with the thousands of tons of non-recyclable toxic waste these monstrosities are made of when these monoliths die? Is “sorry, we didn’t know” going to be acceptable for their poisoning the earth with the chemicals being spewed into our atmosphere. Do they have the mental capacity or common sense to look any further forward than their next pay cheque or handout? From what I can see now and from what they have already put us through for the last 5 years. NO.
“…human and agriculture-free nature [aboriginal] habitat…”
They normally shut them down in winds greater than 80 or 90 clicks Bill.
“Dr Heidarpour said Australian wind farm infrastructure was designed to withstand winds of at least 108kph, depending on the location of the structure, and the [magnitude of the wind speed changes].”
About twelve years back the brakes failed on a 5 kilowatts monstrosity sitting in the paddock next to old mate’s farm house.
He never found the third blade but the other two were sticking out of his neighbours’ paddocks and the tower was bent over like a broken matchstick.
The blokes who turned up to install his new, beaut, free roof mounted solar array and cart away the dead morsel said for safety reasons and $$$, the company they worked for intended replacing two similar units, one a larger three phase unit at a private primary school with roof mounted solar, all paid for by a taxpayer funded grant.
They reckoned the brake system mustn’t have operated quickly enough to counter a large wind gust and when it did operate it shat itself coming to a screaming halt flipping the blades off.
I wouldn’t like to be near one of those big buggers with a blade tip speed of 200 klms/hr when it spun out.
I don’t get it, 2 years is the normal time for the Chinese stuff
The story of Broken Hill, a little town in the sticks managed by disciples of SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GAOLS.
https://judithcurry.com/2024/12/05/wind-and-solar-cant-support-the-grid/
Australian Standard 1170, part 2, defines the wind forces that have to be used in designing buildings, and this varies with terrain category. However, the lowest design wind speed is around 40m/sec or 144km/hour, and this is for structures much lower than wind turbines. So why are the turbines only designed to withstand 108km/hr winds? It sounds like shoddy engineering, designed to save money and increase profits. A bright and shiny piece of s**t.
DESTRUCTION, DAMAGE AND DESPAIR > Wind Turbines = Enormous “Unintended” Consequences
Written by John Droz Jr. on May 30, 2024.
I have written about certain bad aspects of wind turbines before — like here and here.
This post is a brief, simple overview of the many widespread adverse consequences of industrial wind energy. To keep it simplified, I’ve even minimized the references — but they exist for each of the statements below.
These “side effects” are the 100% guaranteed results when our technical policies are written by lobbyists, and passed by virtue-signaling non-critical thinking Legislators.
Put another way, this is what happens when Science is replaced by political science.
https://principia-scientific.com/wind-turbines-enormous-unintended-consequences/
——————
New Report Details Human Health Risks From Wind Turbines’ Noise
Written by Lynne Balzer on November 16, 2024.
Wind turbines have created serious human health and economic problems in Europe
After the release of a devastating report, Het Windmolendrama (The Windmill Tragedy) about this in the Netherlands by the Clintel organization, the coalition party, the BBB, has called for a moratorium on the construction of new windmill projects pending further study.
This report by Clintel discusses the political, scientific, economic, and legal issues surrounding land-based wind turbines in The Netherlands.
These health effects to humans of the low-frequency noise generated by wind turbines have been largely ignored by the Dutch government.
The incessant grinding sounds that wind turbines make have been known to cause tinnitus [ringing in the ears], vertigo, panic attacks, migraine headaches, sleep deprivation according to research published by Dr. Nina Pierpont.
Her findings led her to confirm what she has identified as a new health risk: Wind Turbine Syndrome.
h ttps://principia-scientific.com/new-report-details-human-health-risks-from-wind-turbines-noise/
—————
Germany Begins Felling Ancient Forest For Wind Turbines
Written by Stephen Heins on March 22, 2024.
Work has started on the clearing of up to 120,000 trees in the central German ‘fairy tale’ forest of Reinhardswald, but the payment is the partial destruction of the 1,000 year-old ancient wood itself
The forest, the setting for many of the Brothers Grimm mythical stories, is being damaged to provide access for an initial 18 giant wind turbines around the Sababurg ‘Sleeping Beauty’ castle.
Who is opposing this massive destruction of the ancient forest teeming with wildlife with trees over a thousand years old?
h ttps://principia-scientific.com/germany-begins-felling-ancient-forest-for-wind-turbines/
————–
2023 – Siemens Faces $5 Billion Loss On Faulty Wind Turbines
Written by Wilfried Eckl-Dorna on August 16, 2023.
Siemens Energy AG launched a strategic review of its wind power business as problems with its turbines are expected to cause a €4.5 billion ($5 billion) net loss in one of industrial Germany’s biggest debacles
The shares fell as much as 5.1 percent after the company disclosed the loss, which follows repeated setbacks for the German manufacturer in getting to grips with quality flaws.
h ttps://principia-scientific.com/siemens-faces-5-billion-loss-on-faulty-wind-turbines/
Anyone know how to organize an annual ‘Darwin Awards for Science-like Inventions’. I nominate wind turbines as the winner for 2025, calling it early.
Can the Lab/Lib Uniparty please explain how selling our gas offshore lowers the carbon imprint on the world carbon count ???
Ohhhh! … I forgot about the bribes and blackmails..silly me !!!
(All those million dollar mansions that officials accumulate soooo honestly).
That turbine or part thereof should be mounted as a sculpture on the lawn in front of the Parliament building in Canberra ACT as a memorial to Green Renewables and the stupidity of the Two Party Preferred Electric Power Provision to the Australian Nation.
This is their very best example of success.
LA fire cleanup complicated by ‘unprecedented’ number of EVs – lithium-ion batteries extremely dangerous
Written by Danielle Wallace on February 8, 2025.
Highly combustible lithium-ion batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles are complicating cleanup efforts in the Los Angeles neighborhoods ravaged by wildfire damage
Phase 1 of the federal cleanup is underway, as surveyors with the EPA work to remove and dispose of hazardous materials, including lithium-ion batteries found in charred vehicles and decimated homes.
The EPA warned that batteries should be considered “extremely dangerous,” even if they are believed to be intact, and “can spontaneously re-ignite, explode, and emit toxic gases and particulates even after the fire is out.”
The Palisades and Eaton fires aftermath is estimated to require the “largest lithium-ion battery pickup, cleanup, that’s ever happened in the history of the world,” EPA incident commander Steve Calanog reportedly told local KNBC.
He explained that removing lithium-ion batteries — even those that do not appear damaged — from fire wreckage requires “technical sophistication and care,” as hazardous material crews find and deionize the batteries so they can be crushed or safely shipped for disposal.
“We don’t know the long-term effects of all this exposure, and we haven’t seen this on this large of a scale and this many electric vehicles,” Los Angeles City Fire Capt. Adam VanGerpen told KNBC. “This is an unprecedented amount of electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries in there.”
https://principia-scientific.com/la-fire-cleanup-complicated-by-unprecedented-number-of-evs/
The EU Is Willing to Go to War Over Lithium?
By Phil Butler
Global Research, January 03, 2024
The riddle of unhinged EU support for the Zelensky regime in Kyiv is now solved. Anyone inclined can unravel why the Germans, in particular, backstabbed Russia in the Minsk peace boondoggle. Lithium.
Energy Monitor’s parent company, GlobalData, recently released a report showing that Europe’s biggest lithium reserves lie in the Donbass region of Russia. The former Ukrainian Shevchenkivske field in the Donetsk region and the Kruta Balka block in the Zaporizhzhia region are now part of Russia. These reserves add tremendously to Russia’s humongous Lithium deposits (now 1.5M metric tons) and solidify the country’s top ten position globally. If we consider other BRICS nations’ reserves, including China (2M metric tons), EU industry is at a leverage point.
What’s most significant about this is that the EU, and Germany in particular, DESPERATELY NEED THE RARE MINERAL TO MANUFACTURE GREEN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS WIND TURBINES, ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND A WIDE VARIETY OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES. This text from the Critical Minerals Thematic Intelligence Report overview is telling:
“Critical minerals are key to transitioning to a low-carbon world. There are over 70 countries globally that have set net-zero targets and pledged to lower their emissions. However, these widespread measures for a greener future are straining natural resources, especially the minerals required to produce energy transition technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and solar panels…”
https://www.globalresearch.ca/eu-willing-go-war-lithium/5845000
THIS SO CALLED CLEAN ENERGY IS VERY TOXIC WHEN THEY CATCH ON FIRE AND ALSO APPLIES TO THE ELECTRIC CARS WHEN THEY COMUBUST.
THIS RENEWABLE ENERGY FARCE IS DESINGNED TO CRIPLE THE ECONOMY.
Diane…….
STT is a loony and I believe may be pro nuclear. He has not come out against wind he calls it intermittent.
Ian Plimer has been advised of wind fraud and wont respond.
What’s happening with the two burned wind turbines?
Credit: February 7, 2025 · Kaylee Lindenmuth
For the past four years, two burned wind turbines have sat seemingly abandoned, towering eyesores above the Ringtown Valley.
Part of the Locust Ridge I wind farm in Mahanoy Township, the adjacent turbines burned in December 2020 and March 2021 respectively.
At least five of them have burned in Locust Ridge I and Locust Ridge II near Raven Run since they were installed beginning in 2007. Turbines that burned in 2009 and 2014 were replaced. The latter’s replacement was the one involved in the 2021 blaze.
Another that caught fire in 2018 in Union Township was demolished around 2022.
Today, you can still see the charred remains from the Brandonville and Sheppton areas, rising 400 feet atop Locust Mountain.
https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2025/02/07/whats-happening-with-the-two-burned-wind-turbines/
Also see other articles on this website.
STOP THESE THINGS – THE TRUTH AOUT THE GREAT WIND POWER FRAUD
‘Renewables’ Reversal: Rural Communities Reject Grand Wind & Solar Rollout
Rejecting the overtures of liars and scammers is easy. For years the wind and solar industries have made an art form of both. Now, slowly but surely, communities have learned to spot the lies and community defenders are driving the scammers out of town.
STT recently reported on the growing number of landholders who are rejecting deals to host wind turbines or solar panels on their properties and landholders who are ripping up their contracts even after they’ve signed them.
The most recent event, involved 9 farmers from Armidale in NSW, who had signed up to host some 55, 7MW turbines between them, pulling out of their contracts, on the basis that they had been lied to about the very substantial decommissioning costs they face when these things give up the ghost, after 12 to 15 years or so.
That post – No Deal: More Panicked Farmers Join Rush to Rip-up Contracts to Host Wind Turbines – had over 3,000 hits in a week and helped send the wind and sun cult into an outrage about their inability to dictate how property owners use their own land. How dare they reject the Great Leap Forward!
In the aftermath of what is clearly a disaster for wind and solar rent-seekers, Professor Ian Plimer – one of Australia’s leading advocates for reliable and affordable energy – gave this interview on Sky News.
https://stopthesethings.com/2024/08/25/renewables-reversal-rural-communities-reject-grand-wind-solar-rollout/
Also see other articles on this website.
Other major nations are building more coal fired power stations while Australia is doing the opposite..
Ministers change portfolios all the time but are they qualified for their new positions.. what experience do they have in their new portfolio?… For example, what qualifications does the Minister for Energy and Climate have in this particular field? Where is he getting advice from regarding this field?
Are they listening to the many scientists who say that climate is dependent upon what the Sun is doing and humans have little impact on this… The Sun cycles up and down and this is what controls temperatures and climate.
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Normally gas & coal is cheap + in abundance.
But due to our so-called leaders & sold out, corrupt, self serving politicians, who are not working on behalf of the people of Australia, they are taking their marching orders from the likes of the WEF etc.
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