Viewpoint: Slow Down on Wind Energy

March 15th, 2010 • Filed Under

Letter to the Editor of the Star-Tribune (original source)

Why the rush for wind energy farms? Many will say yes the wind is free, so go for it. True the wind is free, but when the wind does not blow no electrical power is made. When this happens somewhere on the electrical grid coal-fired boilers will pick up the load. If we over-balance the electrical load on the grid with too much or too many wind turbines we may not be able to balance the electrical grid system.

The coal-fired boilers’ optimum operating is at 85 to 90 percent of capacity. This range is where most operate efficiently and with the best pollution control. As it stands now there are several hundred wind turbines running in Wyoming. I think that we need to drastically slow down this process before it gets totally out of control. Look at what has happened in the Pinedale area with the unbridled natural gas and oil drilling.

We also have the factor of wildlife displacement taking place. All you have to do is take a drive out to the sites that are already in existence to see the damage to the habitat. Each wind turbine has a road leading to it; that is a lot of land that is taken up with roads (miles and miles of roads). This factor poses a great threat to the wildlife of Wyoming and all of our Western states.

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There Is 1 Response So Far. »

  1. Comment by David Schlessinger on 3 July 2010:

    I don’t think your arguments hold water. Does wind power damage more wildlife than the BP oil spill? I’m sorry, but wind power does not cause global warming nor does it contain toxins that are harmful to human health, clean air, and wildlife. Wind doesn’t spill onto the earth or the ocean. The time for lame excuses to prevent renewable energy have passed.

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