DEAR News Of The Area,

IN response to my correspondence (NOTA 19/7/24) Howard Dengate claims (NOTA 26/7/24) that vast tracts of farmland won’t be carpeted with solar panels and wind turbines as only a mere 1200 square kilometres will be required to meet Australia’s solar and wind turbine needs and infers that this will be non arable land.

To me 1,200 square kilometres is a vast tract of land and of necessity the land needs to be located within a reasonable distance of population centres to minimise transmission losses. That means arable land will be utilised and not some isolated location in the middle of nowhere.

It is not indicated whether this figure was based on Australia’s current or future needs.

If the former, then with the electrification of transport and population growth much more land would be required to meet the increased energy needs.

If it was also based on the maximum energy rating of the renewables, then again a further increase in the area of land would be required, as on average renewables produce substantially less than their rated output.

Any way you look at it 1200 square kilometres is a big foot print despite Mr Dengate’s suggesting it is small compared to the total Australian land mass.

The only way big is small is in the number of letters.

Regards,
Wayne DUESBURY,
Boambee.