Why all the sudden hype for wind energy?
Capital Journal | Dec 1, 2017 | www.capjournal.com
Have you noticed in the past few weeks the barrage of pro wind energy ads on television, facebook and newspapers? This again came to light this week with the Governor’s column “Wind Power Contributing to South Dakota’s Economy”. Why all the sudden hype for wind energy? Simple: The U.S. House of Representatives has included in their tax reform bill a couple items that could greatly hinder wind energy; the cancellation of inflation factoring in the PTC rate and a new definition of the starting date of wind projects that would prevent them from getting grandfathered in on a higher PTC rate without actually starting to build. Both of these measures would decrease the amount of the production tax credit. As Warren Buffet said in 2014, “we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason to build them”. Wind Energy is the biggest crony capitalism scam in our lifetime. Wind energy is 30-40% efficient at best, and AWEA records show when the PTC has lapsed in the past, construction goes down by as much as 92%. Look at wind turbines for what they are: “Subsidy meters”. To date the taxpayer has poured in over $176 billion dollars, mostly for the production tax credit, which was started in 1992 as a temporary measure to get wind energy on its feet. Have you seen the ads paid for by Next Era Energy?
Next Era Energy, the world’s biggest producer of wind energy, did not pay federal income tax in the eight years from 2008 to 2015, and instead received a net credit of $313 million over that time frame. Mid-American Energy (Warren Buffet) received 249 million dollars in federal tax credits last year and $5.5 billion in tax credits and subsidies from wind energy to date. Buffet is now building another 1000 turbines over the next couple years to add to the 2020 turbines he owns now.
According to OpenSecrets.org, in the election cycles 2016-2018 (to date) John Thune received $104,500 and Kristi Noem $5,000 from Next Era Energy, and Mike Rounds $61,100 from Berkshire Hathaway.
South Dakota once was a beautiful state and because of that it was known for its tourism. When the people that are supposed to represent us get done promoting the erection of several thousand more 600 ft. wind turbines, what will they have done? I think when our Governor retires to his farm to enjoy the good life in South Dakota that he has the opportunity to live within a thousand feet of a couple 600 ft. wind turbines. Then he will understand what he has let happen to the citizens that elected him and the beautiful state we once had.
Gregg Hubner
Avon, SD
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/12/02/why-all-the-sudden-hype-for-wind-energy/