Wind turbines unnecessary, and not worth annoyance
Cape Cod Times, www.capecodonline.com 7 February 2012
Cape Cod Times, www.capecodonline.com 7 February 2012
At the recent Cape Cod Commission hearing on the New Generation Wind project, lawyers, consultants and owners spoke glowingly about the many benefits of wind power. High-ranking state officials echoed their comments, saying wind power is necessary to reduce pollution and save the world from global warming.
Studies have found that wind energy does not save fossil fuel, and fails to reduce pollution. Unlike conventional power sources on the grid, wind turbines, whose energy output changes with the wind, need to be continuously supplemented with natural gas or coal to provide power. The studies have found that the need for backup with fossil fuel reduces efficiency to negate wind’s clean energy claim.
State officials glossed over this point by saying that all power plants need backup. The difference, however, is that wind turbines need additional constant and expensive backup, called “spinning reserve,” which consumes fuel and pollutes with or without wind.
Wind turbines are an unnecessary add-on to our electric power grid, and they are not worth the risk of annoyance or ill health to a single resident of Cape Cod, the state or the world.
Chris Kapsambelis
Pocasset
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/07/wind-turbines-unnecessary-and-not-worth-annoyance/