It is indeed a nice idea that farmers can solve the “energy crunch” by hosting wind towers.
The problem is, that isn’t possible. Wind energy will never be any more than a token bit of the energy picture. Windustrial installations do have the potential to make people some money. Solve our energy woes, no.
Unfortunately, most people think wind energy is free, and there is no “cost.”
There is a cost, it is called opportunity cost. For instance, having a place where you want to live versus a place covered with wind turbines (a place I don’t want to live) is an opportunity cost. The people who are making this decision, are you and your neighbors.
So there is also a cost in leaving the “good neighbor” signs up or taking them down. I’d leave them up, so at least people know where you stand. Once the towers are up, you could voice your opinion then. It’d make little sense to speak up then.
Anyone advocating wind energy should have driven through Johnsburg a year ago, and then take the same drive now. Armed with that “data,” calculate your “opportunity cost.”
Mike Winkler
22 February 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/02/22/opportunity-costs-exist-in-wind-energy/