On the subject of Global Warming -

‘Time’ is running out and wind farm technology just can’t run fast enough!

The Federal Government has made their MRET (Mandatory Renewable Energy Target) of 9,500GWh by the year 2010 static while looking around at other options. At present in the media there’s lots of talk about the Government’s funding of technology to recycle carbon dioxide gasses (this should have been happening decades ago) from coal fuelled power stations and our old questionable ‘friend or foe’ – nuclear energy. I have spent a lot of time researching and talking to people on both sides of the debate and have come to the following conclusion:-

Apart from costing us more for wind generated electricity– there’s a very simple problem - wind can’t be stored. Until a technology is developed to cope with this wind farms should’nt be allowed to blot our landscape! A productive wind farm operates at only one third capacity because the wind can be too strong or not be blowing. The coal fuelled stations then must take up the slack – these are “slow to react and lose efficiency (belching more carbon dioxide per unit of electricity produced) when not running at full steam.”(Age newspaper 4.9.04) So, if the Renewable Energy sector is only to be given a 2% slice of the market then just how much are we actually saving in greenhouse gasses? Why eat up hard earned taxpayers money with Government subsidies and compromise magnificent coastal landscapes like Cape Bridgewater in a shallow attempt to look clean……… if the percentages were at the other end of the scale it may be worth the sacrifice. Wind energy is only cost-efficient in remote communities that previously relied on diesel generators. Wind farm technology just isn’t sophisticated enough to make the exercise viable.

On a local level, Portland has been lured into wind farms with promises of jobs in construction, manufacturing and export. Approx. 140 new jobs in the manufacturing of towers and blades have been created with a blade manufacturing factory opening recently providing 60 of these. However, if the Government doesn’t raise the MRET figures then it still doesn’t make sense to sabotage our beautiful coastal landscape for a short lived rise in local employment figures. People tend to underplay the non-industrial jobs potential for Portland - one example being Portland’s geo-thermal asset. Government intervention has previously hindered this development.

By returning to the landscape (after a long association with the sea) to paint this exhibition I hope to create a record of just how “beautiful, wild and free” the Bridgewater hills are today on the 18th of August, 2005.

PS.20.8.08 - The Portland Blade Factory closed late 2007 ……… I can’t give exact date as I was o/seas at the time

Memories of a Transient Landscape

i) Sacred Icon
ii) Full Moon over
Transient Landscape
(Diptych)

Sacred Icon over Transient Landscape

Full Moon over
Transient Landscape

If you go into the hills today
You’re in for a nasty surprise.
There’s lots of towering monsters there,
Their blades are slashing the skies.

For all the greed that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today’s the day the teddy boys have their windfarm.

Happy time for teddy boys
The little teddy boys are having a lovely time today.
Watching towers spinning up
All the money to pay for their holidays.
Blades madly thrash about.
They love to bang and shout.
Yes, the boys have lots and lots of toys
And at six o’clock their corporate buddies,
Will take them home to bed
Because they’re tired little teddy boys.

If you go out in the hills today,
You’d better not go alone.
It’s lovely out in the hills today,
But safer to stay at home.

For every tear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today’s the day the teddy boys killed the landscape

CHORUS

Every teddy boy that’s a hood
Is sure of a treat today
There’s lots of wonderful things to exploit
And money games to play

Beneath the towers where nobody sees
They’ll corporate deal as long as they please
Today’s the day the teddy boys have their windfarm.