Bottom line: Industrial wind turbines do not reduce the use of other sources.
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[ Links from "A Problem With Wind Power" ]WIND POWER promises a clean and free source of electricity. It will reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and reduce the output of greenhouse gases and other pollution. Many governments are therefore promoting the construction of vast wind "farms," encouraging private companies with generous subsidies and regulatory support, requiring utilities to buy from them, and setting up markets for the trade of "green credits" in addition to actual energy. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) aims to see 5% of our electricity produced by wind turbine in 2010. Energy companies are eagerly investing in wind power, finding the arrangement quite profitable.
A little research, however, reveals that wind power does not in fact live up to the claims made by its advocates, that its impact on the environment and people's lives is far from benign, and that with such a poor record and prospect the money spent on it could be much more effectively directed. . . .
. . . Click here to continue reading "A Problem With Wind Power," by Eric Rosenbloom
(featured in At Issue: What Energy Sources Should Be Pursued, Greenhaven Press, 2005,
and Opposing Viewpoints: Global Resources, Gale, 2007)
Bottom line: Industrial wind turbines do not reduce the use of other sources.
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Large wind projects in Vermont and vicinity
Technical specifications of common large wind turbines Energy and other wind turbine units |
Useful fact: Wind turbines produce at or above their average rate only 1/3 of the time.
U.S. coalition of opposition groups Country Guardian the original British opposition group "The Wayward Wind," by Jon Boone incisive critique Articles by Mark Duchamp special attention to birds Report by John Mollica setback, icing, structural failure, noise "The aesthetic dissonance of industrial wind machines," by Jon Boone incisive critique of wind power's "aesthetic chic" Articles by Nina Pierpont vibroacoustic disease caused by industrial wind turbines "An Ill Wind," by Nigel Barnes extensive compilation of arguments |
Useful fact: Wind power requires 200 acres per megawatt of output.
Useful fact: Wind turbine output is low, variable, and rarely coincides with demand.
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American Wind Energy Association
facilities in the U.S. British Wind Energy Association facilities in the U.K. Danish Wind Industry Association introductory technical guide, in English U.S. Department of Energy U.K. Department of Trade & Industry |
Useful fact: Western Denmark used only 16% of its wind plant production in 2003.
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National Wind Watch (U.S. & international, with global and local feeds)
Warmwell (U.K.) Out of Kirby Mountain (Vermont & beyond) → Search Kirby Mtn. Blowing Our Tax Dollars on Wind Farms (Kincardine, Ontario) → Search Kincardine Wind Farms Search Google-indexed news Search Technorati-indexed blogs Search this site: |
