April 5, 2013
Letters, Ohio

Wind farms abandoned when money runs out

The Lima News | April 5, 2013 | www.limaohio.comThe Lima News | April 5, 2013 | www.limaohio.com

Decommissioning a wind farm?

Something I never thought about until I saw the wind farms moving closer and closer to our home … our area.

Not a problem you think. What happens when the money runs out? The company is out of country, not just out of state, but out of the United States. I can’t even guess why our government began subsidizing these monstrosities other than money talks. And even worse, I can’t imagine why I didn’t make myself aware several years ago when I saw them going up in Indiana and get involved to stop them from getting this far.

Projects such as these wind farms may change hands multiple times and the owners may decide bankruptcy is preferable to paying for decommissioning after all profits are gone. Seems the low benefits these farms provide certainly have a high impact on our lives.

There are more than 14,000 abandoned wind turbines in the United States. Yes, they are just going up you say and I’m talking about decommissioning.

The economic life of a wind project may be shorter than you think. Project economics are driven by tax and renewable credits that are not permanent and as they do next to nothing for reducing carbon and other emissions or dependence on other fuels. Our government really has not acted responsibly by renewing any monies to them.

It doesn’t stop with the turbines. Now they want to run 10-story tall transmission lines from Van Wert County to Allen County. Read and research this.

— Mary Mox, Delphos

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/05/wind-farms-abandoned-when-money-runs-out/