Bob Brown opposes Robbins Island Wind Farm

Robbins Island
Robbins Island, Tasmania

Former Tasmanian senator and Greens leader Bob Brown is campaigning against the Robbins Island Wind Farm in Tasmania, saying it will be an eyesore and will kill birds.

Mr Brown, in a letter to the editor, states the 200 turbine towers at 160m high is contrary to the desires of the Tasmanian populace to cap structure heights.

“Mariners will see this hairbrush of tall towers from 50km out to sea and elevated landlubbers will see it, like it or not, from greater distances on land,” Mr Brown says.

“Its eye-catchiness will divert from every coastal scene on the western Bass Strait coastline.”

Related article: New battery-boosted wind farm for Vic

Further, he says the Tasmanian public “has not been properly informed of the private deals, or public impacts or cost-benefit analyses (economic, social, cultural and environmental) of this, one of the biggest wind farm projects on Earth”.

These private deals, it is implied in the letter, are that power from the wind farm may be exported to Asia.

An additional concern is that transmission lines are planned to cut through wild and scenic Tasmania.

“Tasmanians have a right to know much more about the Robbins Island development. It is a huge resource extraction venture which will be lighting up no Tasmanian homes,” Mr Brown says.

Related article: Giant blades power Coopers Gap Wind Farm

“The world needs energy efficiency and renewable energy to replace fossil fuels, and fast. However, as with the Harmony Hotel proposal, this Robbins Island wind farm is an aileron too far.”

Robbins Island Wind Farm is a proposed $1.6 billion development, with electricity generated to be sent to Australia’s mainland via an undersea cable, helping make Tasmania the Battery of the Nation.

The site of the Robbins Island Wind Farm is a cattle property owned by the Hammond family, who say they love the environment and wouldn’t do something that negatively impacts it.

Read Bob Brown’s full letter here.

Previous articleFinancial advisor appointed for Australian Paper’s EfW facility
Next articleEnergyAustralia commits $80m to Mt Piper upgrades