Risks & opportunities of adding Turbines to Tasmania

Alternative energy is a big issue these days. People are often quick to jump into new projects related to it. However, people often forget to ask whether any given solution is the right fix for any particular area. One of the best examples of this is Tasmania and the issue of turbines.

The right solutions for the right areas

Everyone knows that it's important to use the right tool for the job. And the one benefit of turbines in Tasmania is that they can make use of the high speed winds which are often found there. However, at the same time it's important to remember that a single benefit often can't stand against an avalanche of associated problems.

The many downsides of turbines in Tasmania

One of the biggest issues with turbines in Tasmania comes from natural beauty. Turbines are a massive eyesore in every sense of the phrase. They're ugly, huge and impossible to miss. Even a single turbine is enough to ruin the natural beauty of an area. And the more typical massive collections make entire areas almost impossible to enjoy. This is a big issue for locals. But it's an even greater issue with tourism.

Tourism accounts for a huge percentage of the total Tasmanian economy. Most people are aware of this, but not the actual extent of it. It brings in over 1.3 billion dollars to Tasmania every year. And on an annual basis it's not uncommon for more tourists to visit than there are actual locals. And this brings up the biggest issue with the turbines.

Tourists come to see the beautiful land that is Tasmania. They're coming for an escape from the ugliness of overly urbanised life. All of that income is dependant on Tasmania remaining different enough from their homes to be a draw. If it's just another overly filled landscape than there's no reason to come.

There's also the issue of space. Tasmania is, overall, a fairly small area. There's only so much space available. Once that limited space is used up by turbines there's no more room for tourists to admire or for citizens to enjoy.

The issue of power

Finally, there's the issue of the proposed major benefit. Green power can be useful, but the type of power matters. Tasmania simply isn't suited to the use of large turbines. It ends up creating the exact situation that proponents are attempting to avoid. It ends up destroying nature to create power. There's a small gain in electrical generation. But at the same time it serves to destroy both the economy and the natural beauty.