The dark side of wind
Bangor Daily News, bangordailynews.com Posted Nov. 25, 2011, at 12:04 p.m.
I have the advantage of living off-grid with alternative energy, including wind power, and so I am able to gain a clearer perspective of the technology.
The grid-scale units are going into the transmission lines and it becomes a cap-and-trade market instrument. I get the business piece, but what about transparency, civil accountability and downright moral process?
Grid-scale units need 200 gallons of hydraulic fluid on average every six months. Their scale will require continued expensive maintenance; they need to tap back into the grid when the wind’s not blowing in order not to destroy the bearings holding up the propellers. This is just the science end, but how do they save money?
What’s disturbing is the way these projects were legislatively expedited by way of LD 2283. There was no respectful civil process and the people of Maine were completely left out, where they planned these projects with 15 years of previous deliberations.
The homes, health and value of the lives of the people are not up for negotiations as potential collateral damage. These decision makers who are responsible for current outcomes and challenges we are facing obviously did not apply the “do unto others” principle we can’t afford to deliberate without in order to obtain sustainable solutions.
Carolyn Rae
Dixmont
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/25/the-dark-side-of-wind/