Energy sucking illuminated wind turbine may be torn down to make way for a coal loader

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:

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/coalloader-expansion-may-squeeze-out-wind-turbine/2111826.aspx

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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