Debate swirls as wind power grows rapidly across country

ap on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 1/1/06 | John Christofferson - ap

[NormsRevenge]

While windmills may evoke quaint images of yesteryear, they're sparking growing debate, particularly as the first offshore projects are proposed in popular tourist areas, such as Cape Cod, Long Island, N.Y., and the New Jersey shore. Critics, including a member of the influential Kennedy family, worry that some projects could harm national treasures.

"All of a sudden you're transferring an asset used by 5 million people into the hands of private industrial speculators," said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmentalist who has objected to the Cape Cod proposal.

[Mike Darancette]

Don't the climate fanatics worry that diverting and slowing the prevailing wind patterns will cause; a) climate change, b) changing the earth's rotation or c) heating by compression?

[babydoll22]

Probably knows he won't get his 40% markup.

[oxcart]

NIMBY syndrome alert!

If they did not have Kennedy and Kerry MA would have no wind.

[Fzob]

"If we could just find a way to make them invisible," Gray said, "we'd have something everybody could get behind."

I wonder how long it will be before some congresscritter tries to make a law.

[RightWhale]

experts expect wind to generate at least 5 percent by 2020.

Insufficient. Non-OPEC oil production will level out in ten years, and OPEC production will decline substantially by 2026 or 2030. Nukes is the only cost-effective way to go, or relax the constraints on coal plants.

[seppel]

Watch utilities grow parallel power capacity in nuclear and coal plants to keep power cached when rotors stand still [exerience in Germany which has highest prop power in world].

This drives up the cost of the whole system since it increases redundancy. Green logic for you.

[seppel]

agreed. nukes now, and then fusion.

[al baby]

Put some of those Windmills in D.C.plenty of blow hards there

[RobbyS]

Well, does this mean that Nuclear power is now back on the table?

[johnny7]

Kennedy & Kerry do not want eysores fouling up the vista's from their dacha's. Let the scum freeze in the dark!

[saganite]

I saw a report that said massive use of windmills does indeed have climate altering effects because the air is heated as energy is extracted. On a small scale there will be micro climate effects in the vicinity of a large windmill farm and on a macro scale there will be significant atmospheric heating. There is no free lunch.

[Cementjungle]

I saw a report that said massive use of windmills does indeed have climate altering effects because the air is heated as energy is extracted. On a small scale there will be micro climate effects in the vicinity of a large windmill farm and on a macro scale there will be significant atmospheric heating. There is no free lunch.

Sounds like hogwash to me. What about the energy transferred by bending trees as winds flow through forests? Or the energy used to form whitecaps on oceans?

[rellimpank]

--macro scale there will be significant atmospheric heating.--

--on about the same scale, it will slow down the rotation of the earth, thus making days longer and also adding to the sun's heating effect---WE'RE DOOMED--

[Mike Darancette]

What about the energy transferred by bending trees as winds flow through forests? Or the energy used to form whitecaps on oceans?

The laws of physics would say that there would be some heat generated by both.

[RightWhale]

Oh yes. Some power companies are already getting their permits.

[manwiththehands]

Wind projects have sparked complaints around the country that the windmills cause noise, obstruct scenic views and kill wildlife, including thousands of federally protected birds in California.

If the enviro-fascists weren't such hypocrites they might find themselves in bit of a pickle with these windmills.

[calcowgirl]

Nukes is the only cost-effective way to go, or relax the constraints on coal plants.

The envirowackos are making coal more expensive every day.

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[SampleMan]

Oil - Too icky
Coal - Too dirty
Nuclear - Don't even think about it
Wind - Kills birds and lowers the Kennedy's property values
Hydroelectric - Snail Darter
Wood - Tree killer