ECWAG issues response to CANWEA 

In response to Mr. Hornung, President of the Wind Lobby group, CanWEA:

You state “Today’s wind turbines turn at a leisurely 16 revolutions per minute.” That leisurely 16 revolutions per minute is because the blade diameter of today’s turbines are 70-90 meters with a blade tip speed of 131 mph+.

You state “Flicker well below levels deemed to have any impacts on human health.” Three blades at 16 revolutions a minute equals 48 shadows per minute crossing someone’s property nearly once per second. If that is not unhealthy it will certainly be annoying as hell.

You state “Turbine fires in an open field where damage to surrounding structures would be highly unlikely.” What about the crops in that field, or a neighbouring farmer’s field or the trees and brush and wildlife in the fencerows?

You state “Wind energy works well with electrical grids around the world.” So well, in fact, that it contributed to a massive blackout in Europe in November.

You state “Reducing the use of fossil fuels to produce electricity.” Anyone who takes the time as we have to study what really happens with those fossil fuel plants will see that there has been very little if any reduction in the use of fossil fuels through the introduction of wind power. Those fossil fuel plants have to be kept running to supply peak power and any need to ramp up quickly to replace the loss of wind creates more CO2 emissions than if they were running at a steady rate. The indisputable fact that not one fossil fuel plant in the world has been closed because of wind power should be proof enough for most people that the greenest part of this technology is the money flying into the wind industries pockets.

CanWEA, as a lobbyist organization for the multi-national wind industry will make every attempt possible to discount or minimize any potential problems in order to keep government subsidies rolling in to the corporations they represent and get their towers erected. CanWEA is not an environmental advocacy group.

“Ontario’s strict sound guidelines ensure that turbines are located far enough away from residences and there is no significant risk with ice fall.” What Ontario guidelines? Every municipality is left to figure it out for themselves. Chatham Kent: 300 m, Amherstburg 600 m.

Meanwhile worldwide, in countries that have learned from their mistakes, these distances are increasing due to health, quality of life and safety issues (1600 metres in Germany, 1800 metres in Holland).

You should make people aware, Mr. Hornung that CanWEA is lobbying to remove setbacks altogether in southwestern Ontario due to the small land parcels.

Essex County’s heavily populated rural areas are perfectly suited for the small wind generators that many of our residents already have put in use to cut down on their personal reliance on the grid. Industrial wind towers do not belong here.

Believe what you will, everyone wants to reduce carbon emissions. Do your own research people and you’ll see that residents around the world are suffering from the effects of Industrial wind turbines after being snowballed into thinking installing them near their homes would be beneficial. We have a chance to stop this before it happens. Do your homework.

–Bill Anderson
President
Essex County Wind Action Group

amherstburgecho.com

6 March 2007