Wind Power News: Opinions
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Even Democrats adopt opposition to Idaho wind farms
This week the Idaho House of Representatives voted unanimously in voicing opposition to southern Idaho’s proposed wind farms. Consider that means all the Democrats and all the Republicans voted on the same page! How often does that happen? I can’t remember anything in recent memory. This morning I was floored when the leader of the House Democrats gave me some credit. Last week I was talking with House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel about wind power. She explained her correspondence was . . . Complete story »
Motvind Sjonfjellet: Å etablere et vindkraftverk på Sjonfjellet er det absolutt motsatte av bærekraftig!
[Establishing a wind power plant on Sjonfjellet is the absolute opposite of sustainable!] Gir ikke billigere strøm – overskudd selges ut I Rana Blad 10 februar kunne vi lese at Njordr ønsker å etablere vindindustri på Sjonfjellet. Daglig leder poengterer at alternativet til rask utbygging er høyere strømpriser. Det står nå 1392 vindturbiner og surrer og går langs hele kysten vår; noe som definitivt ikke har ført til reduksjon av strømregninga! Tvert imot, ny kraftproduksjon i Norge vil ikke ha . . . Complete story »
No measurable influence on climate change
Officially, offshore wind developers anticipate their projects will “have no measurable influence on climate change.” Knowing this, they offer a different rationale. In the “purpose and need” section of the draft environmental impact statement for Revolution Wind, Ørsted justifies the offshore wind project based on its ability to fulfill Rhode Island’s mandate for “renewable” energy. Meeting a political mandate differs rather significantly from combating climate change. Ørsted seems to understand this difference, but the public may not. First, although offshore . . . Complete story »
A portrait of offshore wind companies
First, we would like to reiterate that we recognize the threat of climate change and understand the urgency to drastically reduce carbon emissions. We cannot wait for the perfect solution; yet, nor should we hastily embrace a counterproductive one. Accusing those who question the wisdom of offshore wind farms with NIMBYism or allegiance to the fossil fuel industry silences valid concerns. Caring about our ocean aligns with a desire to address climate change. The ocean produces more oxygen than all . . . Complete story »
NYSERDA is right to decide against wind turbines
After almost two years of anticipation, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) recently released its Great Lakes Wind Feasibility Study, which concluded “that now is not the right time to prioritize Great Lakes Wind projects in Lake Erie or Lake Ontario.” Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie (CAWTILE), a grassroots organization of concerned citizens, has advocated tirelessly against installing industrial wind turbines in Lake Erie since it was announced over two years ago as a . . . Complete story »
Wind farm issue will soon be resolved, but …
After reading Don Smucker’s analysis of Montcalm County’s green energy conflict in the Jan. 21 Daily News, I am also very concerned – but for a different reason. The wind ordinance issue will be resolved, but I am concerned some people in our society hold democracy in such contempt. Smucker boils down the problem quite nicely: “(Some people) simply do not want to look at any wind turbine … because they do not like how they look.” A simple summation based . . . Complete story »
Whales are dying — Is there a link to offshore wind?
Today, as with many other issues, our country has politicized whale deaths. With each new whale stranding, politics intervenes to either whitewash, weaponize, or silence the facts. The facts, however, stand. With yet another dead humpback whale spotted off the coast of southern New Jersey, we are witnessing an alarming number of recent whale deaths. At least nine humpback whales have died along the coast of New York and New Jersey since December. During this same period, offshore wind companies . . . Complete story »
Questioning the wisdom of offshore wind
On April 20, 2010, the oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, releasing millions of barrels of oil into pristine ocean waters. Desperate to contain the spill, the U.S. government applied unprecedented amounts of chemical dispersants. While the dispersants helped diffuse the petroleum, they significantly magnified (52x) the toxicity of the spill, killing millions of additional fish and other wildlife. Such is the law of unintended consequences. After years of inaction, the U.S. is now aggressively intervening . . . Complete story »
‘Strategy’ to protect right whales from offshore wind development is recipe for extinction
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a draft of their strategy to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) from the hazards of offshore wind development this past fall. The report is a heartbreaking portrayal of the plight of the 336 remaining right whales. Approximately 230 animals have died over the past decade. Autopsies and photo documentation conclude that fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes have caused the . . . Complete story »
Who pays the bill when renewable energy gets old?
Wandering about Essex and Kent counties you may be struck by the number of abundant wind turbines and even an aggregation of solar panels. These structures provide renewable energy. However, how much attention is being paid to end of life for the wind turbines and solar panels? Wind turbines are mechanical equipment and like any equipment will eventually wear out. Indeed, life expectancy of wind turbines is roughly 20 to 25 years. Solar panels have a longer estimated lifespan of . . . Complete story »
