Wind power is a lie
Toolbox
Published: June 26, 2009
This isn't about a bunch of rich folks being bent out of shape about the view. Industrial wind power is a lie. It's not about making power, it's about making money. Big money. Guys like Per White Hansen and his local figurehead, Jeff Weinberg, and a few local yokels who think they'll be plowing the roads are trying to sell you on an unreliable, high-cost, source of power that won't be there when you need it most. Let's talk about that 1.25-megawatt wind turbine that was on Grandpa's Knob. It had a load factor of 17.7 percent. That means it put out 17.7 percent of what it was rated at. Today's wind turbines will be slightly better because of a lower "cut in" speed, 7.8 miles per hour, and the fact that they are rated at 28 mph wind velocity instead of 30 mph, like the turbine on Grandpa's Knob. So optimistically, expect 25 percent of the rated capacity over the life of the turbine. That is not enough, given the high costs that go along with this type of power. Higher kilowatt rates, subsidies, tax credits and who knows what else. Paid for by us so that Hansen can get rich. (Note: Not one conventionally fired plant anywhere will shut down or is even scheduled to shut down as a result of this rape of our state.)
Then there is the environmental impact on our most remote areas from crane roads, transmission wires and stations to bring it all together. Not to mention the 400-plus-foot-tall turbines that we'll have to look at for the rest of our lives. The "promised" fees that will supposedly be paid to the host town are not enough to offset the historically proven decrease in property values, the impact to our quality of life and immediate destruction to a town that has been carefully and thoughtfully kept for over 200 years.
Our leaders need to take a stand on this issue. But if they do their homework, they will stand against this lie, not for it.
JUSTIN TURCO
Ira
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