January 20, 2014
Letters, Wyoming

Romance with wind energy causes damage

Casper Star-Tribune | January 19, 2014 | trib.com

In the letters to the editor section of the Casper Star-Tribune dated Jan. 11 there is an interesting letter titled “In defense of wind power.” This letter is written by gentlemen representing the American Wind Energy Association Headquarters in Washington, DC.

There are a number of items they bring to our attention that might be questioned. On environmental issues, how you picture environmental impact is important? My picture is that wind-powered electric wind farms of the magnitude of the Chokecherry-Sierra Madre, to be the biggest in the U.S., will devastate many square miles of natural wildlife habitat.

This is the home of birds and other wildlife that have adapted to Wyoming’s uncluttered high plains. No other energy producing facility duplicates this massive disturbance of our natural environment.

It is true that all of man-made structures kill birds. The difference is that wind generating towers consistently kill birds and bats by the moving blades that operate 24 hours every day of the year. During the summer months the towers are located in the area where song bird species nest and are a threat. The figure of 2 percent (which is suspect) does not give the wind energy people the license to kill.

Concerning backup power, contrary to the authors’ position of predicting weather patterns and taking steps to shift wind-generated electricity on the nation’s grid does not work as smoothly as designed. If we would go to Denmark, Germany, or Great Britain, countries that have been in the business for many years, it would prove my point on this subject.

Some time in the future our romance with wind-powered electricity will change. Let’s hope that damage being done will be corrected.

FRED EISERMAN, Casper


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/01/20/romance-with-wind-energy-causes-damage/