March 15, 2012
Letters, Oregon

No to wind energy

The Observer, www.lagrandeobserver.com 14 March 2012

Oregonians have had ample time to educate themselves on the deleterious effects of wind energy on our economy and environment. Wind power is not affordable, reliable or environmentally responsible.

Wind is four times as expensive as hydropower. In 2010, wind companies received $5 billion in government subsidies, according to the Energy Information Administration. Surveys show that while consumers like the idea of “clean and renewable” wind power, they are not willing to pay four times more on their electric bills to get it.

Wind requires backup by more reliable power sources like hydro, natural gas, nuclear and coal. Because other power plants must be kept on line, and used more often and less efficiently, CO2 savings are vastly overstated. The main goal of Renewable Energy Standards was to reduce CO2. However, not a single state’s RES required verification of CO2 reduction.

Even with decades of technical development, wind power is still not viable economically and consumes huge amounts of public money. Our money could be better spent, considering the miniscule benefit.

Wind farms have documented negative impacts on people, property values, tourism, birds and bats, the landscape and public budgets. It is clear that wind energy is not clean, not green and not cheap.

Call your Washington, D.C., representatives and tell them a reality check is over due, and that wind energy is bad economics.

Letha Joseph

Union


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/15/no-to-wind-energy/