An insult under the guise of alternative energy, Florida Power & Light is trying to get its St. Lucie Wind Project approved before the public becomes educated while spinning the issues with half-truths and omissions. There are gross flaws in the company’s proposal that insult the intelligence of St. Lucie County citizens all under the guise of alternative energy!
First and foremost, the prevailing winds on Hutchinson Island are not sufficient to generate the power claimed by FPL. After adjusting for build-up of salt, dead bugs, down time due to lightning flashes, and winds coming from north and south, the claimed energy generation simply doesn’t exist. In addition, the design does not permit the energy to be stored. True energy savings will be sparse and unpredictable.
But then, it’s not the energy – it’s the money! The main “green” motivator is this: Before producing a single kilowatt-hour of electricity, FPL will save about $27 million in federal taxes in the first five years.
The citizens of St. Lucie County are being targeted as uneducated fools! Remember that FPL claimed wind power wasn’t feasible when it promoted the futile attempt to build a coal plant in St. Lucie County. Later, it claimed the wind project wasn’t justified without the use of free public lands. It also claimed significant support for the project by commissioning a biased survey.
These “Pelican killers” also have huge ecological consequences. The noise and vibration from these obsolete monstrosities would have an adverse ecological impact on at least 40 acres. Eco-tourism and property values are other casualties of this unprecedented destruction of our pristine environment.
FPL should focus its alternative energy efforts on legitimate and properly scaled projects rather than going after tax breaks while dabbling in wind energy which destroys our environment.
Gerry P. Kurth, Ph.D.
Jensen Beach
Juan G. Soto, PE license No. 42759
Jensen Beach
17 May 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/05/18/money-is-fpls-main-motivation-with-wind-turbine-project/