January 17, 2012
Letters, Ontario

Wind power: not green, not cheap

www.thespec.com 13 January 2012

I read with interest the letter defending the oncoming influx of wind power in Ontario. I’m not going to address the arguments regarding aesthetics, health issues, property values or danger to birds. These matters are abstract at present; we’ll only know how accurate these concerns are once the turbines are up and running.

However, I would like to comment on a couple of other things.

First, it’s a myth that wind power is green. These turbines have a huge carbon footprint. The neodymium required to build the actual turbine is a rare earth mineral, mined in China under appalling conditions. The toxic conditions surrounding the mines – poisoned water, dirty air, soaring cancer rates – are unimaginable in Canada.

Second, to suggest these wind farms will sustain a large workforce is also incorrect. The construction of the turbines will create jobs but after that we’ll see a handful of maintenance positions and nothing more.

Lastly, it is laughable to read the letter writer’s contention that the green economy will generate savings. This is naive. It will cost at least four times as much to produce electrical power with wind farms as it does with conventional methods. These wind companies exist only due to the fact that the Ontario government has promised to pay them these skyrocketing rates.

The future probably lies in solar energy. Until then, we have an abundance of natural gas in this province. For instance, the power plant at Nanticoke could be converted to natural gas – which burns relatively clean – and operated for another 20 years.

Wind power is not the future. Unless it is rammed down our throats.

Brad Smith, Dunnville


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/17/wind-power-not-green-not-cheap/