The NSW department of planning released a set of new guidelines for wind farm developments in December last year. The department is seeking submissions from the public commenting on the new guidelines until March 14.
The new guidelines include the most stringent noise regulation in the world, with turbine noise not allowed to exceed 35 decibels. The limit is 50 decibels or more in much of Europe, and 40 decibels elsewhere in Australia.
The guidelines also empower anyone within two kilometres of a proposed wind farm to halt the development and have it sent to a review board if they object to the proposal.
Wind farm supporters and groups acting against climate change have been very critical of these provisions, which create planning standards for wind which are unlike those for any other industry or development.
However, a far more worrying omission from the guidelines has been revealed in one satirical submission, received anonymously 鈥 perhaps for fear of retribution by the household appliance industry. 鈥淔an Death鈥 is the name of this new health danger.
The submission notes the guidelines state they 鈥渁dopt a precautionary approach for the consideration of health issues鈥. State planning minister Brad Hazzard also told the Sydney Morning Herald on January 24: 鈥淭he jury is still out on the health impacts from wind farms. When it comes to people鈥檚 health I鈥檒l take a precautionary approach every time.鈥
The submission then proceeds to unveil the even greater, hitherto unheard of, threat.
It says: 鈥淕iven that a complete absence of scientific evidence regarding the negative health impacts of wind turbines is sufficient reason to create a two kilometre setback for wind turbine generators from human residences,鈥 we need to also take into account a serious new phenomenon, 鈥淔an Death鈥.
This phenomenon 鈥渋s reported predominantly in South Korea, involving electric fans being left on overnight, chopping up the oxygen molecules in the room, and causing asphyxiation to those in the bedroom鈥.
While 鈥渃ritics have stated that there is no possible physiological mechanism through which an electric fan could suffocate humans, and that there is no published scientific evidence of a causal link between fans and suffocation鈥 and Fan Death 鈥渄oes not occur throughout the rest of the world, where electric fans are used regularly鈥, the submission invokes the precautionary principle in its recommendation.
鈥淎s you well know, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, and therefore the jury is still out on the health impacts from electric fans 鈥 Thus, I propose a two kilometre setback for the installation and operation of electric fans.鈥
This and other submissions are now on exhibition, along with the new guidelines, on .
NSW residents and groups who are concerned about the future of renewable energy are encouraged to make a submission, however brief, on any potential flaws in the guidelines.
Friends of the Earth has prepared a set list of points that deserve attention in any such critique, which is available from .
[Ben Courtice is a renewable energy campaigner with Friends of the Earth.]
