Wind plan another green boondoggle
Those who think T. Boone Pickens’ energy plan (substitute wind electricity for natural gas electricity and natural gas for gasoline) is the holy grail for kissing off domestic drilling or consuming coal and oil, should think again.
Natural gas replenishment still requires drilling, frequently in oil rich terrain, such as off shore and Alaska.
Wind fluctuates. Power grids require a tight match between power demand and supply to avoid disastrous blackouts. As wind power contributions increase so do unpredictable power fluctuations. That increases the need for expensive, wasteful, continuously running, instantly changeable, reserve capacity. Guess where that comes from? Specialized gas and coal fired equipment!
Locally produced and used power is most efficient because losses increase with transmission distances. The Midwest may be the best wind source but most usage is on the east and west coasts. Wind power transmission losses will be large.
Who pays for wind fluctuations, transmission losses, additional transmission lines including approval litigation costs? Not Pickens! His insulated, cushy, taxpayer subsidized, government mandated wind world passes that cost on to us.
Pickens’ plan is coldly calculated to exploit just another (remember ethanol?) brainless, government sponsored, poverty enhancing “green” boondoggle.
Anthony Jeric
Hendersonville
27 August 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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