Wind turbines pose environmental risks
Credit: January 11, 2024, newportthisweek.com ~~
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Recent letters slamming the Preservation Society’s lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management are an unfortunate result of all the misinformation about wind power that has been trafficked by the “green” lobby for years now. But I agree the lawsuit’s about money, all right: It’s the billions being made from taxpayer and ratepayer subsidies by the developers, without regard for the consequences.
Regardless of the approval and promotion of this project by other entities, permitting by agencies like BOEM is separate by law and not intended to be a rubber stamp on a flawed political decision such as this. And there are many important environmental reasons to object other than the view. But more on that later.
Would there be any public benefit? In the case of wind power, just the opposite. First, wind is intermittent, and cannot replace a single fossil fuel plant needed when the wind doesn’t blow. Every scientific study done to date has shown that because fossil fuel plants have to ramp up and down to keep the voltage right, it results in absolutely no reduction in combined fuel use and carbon emissions. It’s like driving your car in heavy traffic (see the ERCOT Bentek IV study). All the massive costs do is result in our manufacturing getting transferred to polluting coal-burning countries like China and India. Their carbon emissions are over three times as much per $GDP as in the U.S. and E.U. What we really need is to use gas as a bridge until the promising new modular nuclear reactors are on stream. But there’s more.
Windmills contain significant quantities of oil, up to 190 gallons, with related risks to the environment. In addition, the magnets on each turbine contain over 4,400 pounds of neodymium, a very toxic rare earth substance that has been proven to be deadly to humans. A gearbox fire, which is not uncommon, would release a large toxic cloud downwind.
In addition, the effects on sea life, including from the noise and electromagnetic fields from transmission grids, are potentially quite serious. The impact could be far wider than causing the extinction of whales and destroying fertile fishing grounds.
These projects also require trenches for transmission lines in an ocean floor that has previously been undisturbed for thousands of years. And pile driving may well release large pockets of trapped methane gas, which is around 22 times worse for global warming than carbon dioxide. In addition, safety at sea will be impacted at night or in reduced visibility. These towers with spinning blades will block out or confuse radar images for both ships and aircraft. This has already been shown to be a problem for air defense forces in identifying inbound aircraft.
Yes, this is about money, all right. But the only thing “green” about these wind farms is the money we have been duped into paying for them.
Benjamin C. Riggs, Jr.
Captain, U.S.N. (ret)
Newport
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