I AM more than a little surprised that the Greens and the loony left have not shouted out about the plans for 130 new wind turbines off Newcastle, only 25 kilometres off the coast, well in the area of shipping ('Winds of change', Newcastle Herald 23/2). Recent coal mine leases cancelled were over 50 kilometres from the barrier reef.
Each turbine will require around 300 litres of synthetic oil that will need changing every three to six years. That's around 40,000 litres with lots of polypropylene in it. Oil is also needed for open gearing of the turbines. They last 20 years, while coal-fired power stations endure around 40 years. On top of that is the infrastructure needed to connect the turbines to land and then to the grid. That's 25 kilometres of cabling on the ocean floor by my calculations, then more to convert DC to AC current, either at the turbine or on shore.
All this is heavily subsidised by the government, meaning we pay for it. Snowy Hydro (stuck underground) and Kurri Kurri's hydrogen (may operate on diesel) plant are years away. How long for Chinese turbines? Liddell closes next month and Eraring in 2025. That's 35 per cent of NSW power. Are we nuts?
John Hollingsworth, Hamilton
More answers needed on plan
I HAVE questions, or rather concerns over the proposed wind farm power generation off our coast. The map ('Jobs a 'shore' thing', Herald 24/2) indicates access to the Port of Newcastle will be either from the south off Doyalson, or the north off Nelson Bay, and at those points the access seems relatively narrow in nautical terms especially during rough seas. It also seems to remove direct access from the east.
How do the thousands of volts of electricity get from the turbines at sea to the grid? It can't be sent by wifi or overhead cables, or loaded onto ships, so I presume it will be by cable on the seabed.
If so, will that be by hundreds of cables (one for each turbine) or by larger cables for groups of turbines, or one cable for all turbines? What damage will that cabling cause to the sea environment? Will there be a magnetic field, or electrical field around the cable/s? How would that affect sea life? In the event of damage to the cable and the escape of thousands of volts into the sea, how does that affect sea life, humans and vessels? The turbines need to be attached to the seabed, or structures have to be built right down to the seabed. What damage will either cause? And will hundreds of structures damage the marine environment?
I don't think governments or activists have investigated the potential negative aspects of the proposal.
I hope my fears are unfounded but common sense suggests to an oldie like me that these issues should be taken into account.
Doug Hoepper, Garden Suburb
Privatising gave away the power
THE mining and energy union is demanding that the Federal government legislate a transition body to oversee our shift to renewables. Private coal-fired power stations are closing down willy-nilly, and the trade union is trying to protect the jobs of its members, ("Union demands transition body", Herald 24/2).
The privatisation of energy production and distribution in the eastern states seemed like a good idea at the time. It yielded billions of dollars of funding, without states needing to increase taxes. It distanced state governments from responsibility.
If there was an electricity price hike or a blackout, it was the private contractor's fault and not the government's. State governments tut-tutted, and just told consumers to shop around.
Now, as the states transition to renewables, consumers are starting to rue this misguided privatisation policy. Private operators want to close down coal-fired power stations before there is enough renewable energy to replace what they don't generate.
In WA, they don't have this problem. Coal-fired power stations remain in government hands. If a coal-fired power station needs to continue to operate because renewables have not come online fast enough, then necessary repairs and updates to the power station are done, without regard to long term profitability or return on investment.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
How my Supercars interest waned
I LIVE in an apartment building located next to the Supercars race circuit. During the first year of the race I was quite agreeable to experience the race weekend and accepted the inconvenience of the setup for the race. However, by the Sunday afternoon I was getting well and truly tired of the noise.
The second and third versions of the race brought progressively less interest from me and much more objection to the issues associated with the race. In our building we are effectively locked in from 7am to 7pm each day over the three days.
Now we have another race coming up. The concrete barriers and wire fences went up in front of our building more than a week ago, with the associated mass traffic problems. These barriers will be up now for several weeks. I thought the contract was for five years with the first race in 2017, so how a race in 2023 can be incorporated into that contract is a mystery to me.
We need to get tradesmen in to do work on our building, but they will not come as access is too difficult. I also know of someone who had a fall resulting in a broken arm due to footpath closures and diversions. Local business owners are closing during this period, resulting in a significant loss of income.
If I lived outside the race area and were a motor racing enthusiast then I would possibly be happy to see the race continue. However the interests of those that suffer during the race period must come first.
I would therefore urge the City of Newcastle to ensure that this is the last Supercars racing to take over all of Newcastle East.
Peter Thompson, Newcastle
15 minutes for reading adds up
AN expert educator has recently recommended that children as young as four be taught to read. 50 years ago my wife and I thought it was the parent's responsibility to encourage their children to read, so when our first child was three we prepared some cards with each letter of the alphabet on them in upper case and lower case. For 15 minutes one day we helped her to identify the letter A as well as to express the different sounds it might make.
The next day we revised the letter A and went on to the letter B. That was quite enough time each day to identify and sound each letter until we finally worked our way through the alphabet. After that we might set aside the cards C, A and T then ask her to sound the letters until she could identify the word "cat" a few minutes later.
She liked us to read comics and children's books to her and one day I was reading a Donald Duck comic when she read the next caption before I got to it. We assumed she had remembered it from a previous occasion, but the next day she started reading signs on the shop windows in town. We got the cards out for our next two children and they could all read fluently by the time they were four years old. At present, only one per cent of children can read before they attend school. I believe we can do better.
David Stuart, New Lambton
NORAH Head to Port Stephens has been identified as a potentially suitable site for the installation of offshore wind turbines. Why not Palm Beach to Bundeena? Sydney gets everything else. Consider this my contribution to the consultation process.
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
THE promise of a $250 fuel card to apprentices, to enable them to attend work, is a great initiative. If they live in the Newcastle area would they be excluded as has been the past practice for older residents.
John Bradford, Beresfield
I'd like to add my support to Carl Stevenson's letter, ("Buses probably beat light rail to the stadium", Letters, 23/2). Australian made electric buses would be much cheaper, more flexible and a better long term investment of taxpayers money than any extension of the existing Hunter Street light rail.
Fred Budden, Floraville
SHORT TAKES
Reading with interest Carl Stevenson's letter, (Buses probably beat light rail to the stadium", Letters, 23/2), on the lack of traction for a tram extension up to John Hunter Hospital. I can assure him that even the Romans were well advanced on rack and pinion drive technology for their chariots to climb steep hills.
Alan Hamilton, Hamilton East
Well it seems we have learned nothing from our past; the white people are still arguing over what they think the black people need.
George Edwards, East Maitland
That's it! I am turning into a greyhound in my old age. I too am "happy with a short walk and sleep much of the day", ("Lazy pets looking for a home", Herald, 24/2).
Geoff Black Caves Beach
SUSAN Ayre, (Short Takes, 24/2), who knows if Brutus the Rottweiler identifies as one of the other 72 doggy genders? My cattle dog, Digby, is a staunch heterosexual male, but if he chooses to explore other avenues then I will fully support him ... as long as my leg doesn't become his love interest. Woof.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
I RECENTLY needed to visit my closest Service NSW centre which is located at Warners Bay. It is always a challenging trip, navigating the "rabbit warren" to access the centre and hoping to find suitable parking. I have no idea how you would go to the centre using public transport. The NSW government set up a COVID-19 testing centre in the old Bunning building at Belmont, which worked very well. I assume that they leased the building for that operation, I wonder if that lease is still ongoing? It would be wonderful if Service NSW relocated to that building which has easy access, plenty of parking and nearby public transport.
