Wind costly, kills wildlife, damages environment
Written by Tammy C. Truitt | July 1, 2013 | www.delmarvanow.com
Written by Tammy C. Truitt | July 1, 2013 | www.delmarvanow.com
The reality of wind is it cannot replace any form of energy.
It is unaffordable, kills wildlife and damages our environment.
The single turbine to be built in Crisfield will lose $1.6 million.
With a whopping price tag of $3.6 million, the town hopes to save $2 million in electricity costs ($200,000 times 10 years).
That is, of course, if the turbine lasts that long, if the wind blows that much and if and operational costs are zero.
Sadly, achieving a loss of $1.6 million is a best-case scenario that requires optimum performance.
Manufacturer warranties only cover the first two years of operations. Many turbines cannot sustain the stresses created by the massive 150-foot blades that weigh in excess of 6 tons.
Gearboxes have to be rebuilt, blades break apart and are thrown, and toxic oil leaks.
Mechanical malfunctions are well-documented and create risks to public health and safety (www.nationalwindwatch).
The turbines’ placement guarantees optimum risk that a catastrophic failure will have disastrous results.
A study was commissioned by the Renewable Energy Foundation, an organization that promotes renewable energy. This study verified that even with proper maintenance, the depreciating performance of aging equipment downgrades the life expectancy of industrial wind turbines to a mere 10 to 15 years.
Who pays for a project that has been designated to lose $1.6 million?
It is us – the taxpayers and electric ratepayers.
The hosting community pays in the form of reduced property values, loss of wildlife, environmental damage and noise pollution.
With massive projects proposed for Somerset County, wind is the Ponzi scheme of our day.
These projects cannot stand on their own without the backing of unsuspecting citizens.
Looks like the dirty joke is on us, while wind developers are laughing all the way to the bank and naïve politicians clamor for political favor.
Ask questions, get the facts about wind.
Tammy C. Truitt lives in Marion Station.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/07/01/wind-costly-kills-wildlife-damages-environment/