Wind energy only green to foreign owners 

The opportunity to leave a lovely legacy of untouched mesas and unscarred precious land lies in the hands of our government and local commissioners.

This mind-boggling decision is being foisted on Texans because of a crass lack of legislation regulating what could result in more destruction than an atomic bomb. Every ridge in our beloved land will soon be covered by Godzilla-like machines replacing every bit of nature with industry. What will be left for our future generations?

Wind energy is a feel-good scam. It does nothing to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuel. Do not be hoodwinked into thinking we are helping the environment here. What we are helping are the foreign-owned wind companies pad their pockets with our billions.

Energy expert H. Douglas Lightfoot of Nobodysfuel.com has announced evidence that wind power is simply not green. He says, “The public is not aware that when any wind power is being delivered to a fossil fuel powered grid, the fossil fuel plant does not shut down because it takes too long to start up again when wind power stops. Thus, when wind electricity is being delivered, fossil fuel is being burned and carbon dioxide is emitted. This is known as ‘spinning reserve mode.'”

Spinning reserve mode is like having your foot on the gas and brake at the same time. It burns energy!

For 25 years, the folks in Palm Springs were told what a significant contribution wind energy could and is making to their energy supply. Since most people have little knowledge of how the electrical systems work, they are being misled as to the benefits, merits and capabilities of wind power. Unfortunately, most have believed what they have been told. But the truth was that the wind industries’ actual production records were so dismal and at variance with what they projected, they lobbied the California Energy Commission into not having to reveal their production records anymore. After one resident’s research, he discovered that if you take their average annual production of about 93.5 MW and subtract the 60 percent off peak generation (energy generated in the middle of the night), this leaves a minuscule amount of about 2.8 tenths of 1 percent that is meaningful – if you can call it that – that is generated when they really need it, after billions and billions of ratepayer and taxpayer dollars in subsidization.

“Unfortunately, the powers that be chose to believe the developers, without ever checking out their veracity or production records. Because of this hysteria for ‘green,’ it appears that they would rather put our power supply at risk and have the ratepayers pay triple than what is necessary for an illusion. While they have scraped miles and miles of desert, obliterated our views, rendered adjacent property valueless and impacted us with noise and dust for this minuscule amount of useless energy is beyond belief … and have so far gotten away with it. The only transmission has been the dollars from our pockets to theirs,” said a resident from Palm Springs.

Most are also unaware that wind power cannot be stored and cannot be called upon at will. When we need it, it does not match the “time of need profile.” So, then exactly what good is it? Except to feel good!

Another sad fact is that there have been several wind farms across North America that have been documented to have killed thousands and thousands of birds and bats annually. However, in view of the strong political support bought by lobbyists hired by the wind farm companies, there currently is insufficient data to stop the construction of wind farms on a biological basis. Hopefully, our state elected officials will address this issue ASAP in the upcoming Legislative session along with finding a real solution for our energy needs instead of being “Al Gored” into this frenzy for being “fake green.”

Celty Kearney resides in Brownwood.

Abilene Reporter-News

8 March 2008