Clean Renewable Energy is Dirty Energy

The Washington Examiner ^ | 5/5/2011 | Ron Arnold

[Olympiad Fisherman]

Where does clean energy come from? Dirty places. Some of the cleanest energy sources -- wind turbines, for example -- come from some of the dirtiest places. Take those basic three-megawatt wind turbines -- the gleaming white towers that march in majestic phalanx over hill and dale, gracefully etching three-bladed Mercedes-Benz emblems against the azure sky (or those ugly, noisy, bird-killing scythes that desecrate land and water, take your pick). Where do we get one of those?

The bank, first. Or the U.S. Department of Energy, for a subsidy from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. You'll pay about $4 million to $4.5 million to install a three-megawatt wind turbine (more for all the bells and whistles, like a taller tower, de-icing for cold weather operation, and self-adjusting blades to catch the wind better). Figure another $1 million for incidentals such as Big Green lawsuits.

Now, to work: We start at the limestone quarry ...

[blueunicorn6]

I read a few years back that it takes more energy to build a windmill than the thing will ever produce in its lifetime.

[paulycy]

Have Your Say Every Day.

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[Olympiad Fisherman]

The author forgot to mention all the oil that these windmills are filled with.

[fella]

Here's a story about where our clean energy rare earths come from.

[WOBBLY BOB]

as long as some leftard college kids and Sierra Club donors can feel smug and righteous about saving Mother Earth and improving their self-esteem, that’s all that really matters.

[Olympiad Fisherman]

Wow - thanks so much linking me with that article.

[Olympiad Fisherman]

It is a form of religious self-righteousness that is actually buoyed by a lot of pollution.

[fella]

I really like that picture of the giant sludge pit with all the smoke belching, coal-fired factories around it. For the greenies as long as it's not on Cape Cod, San Francisco Bay or anywhere near their backyards it's OK.

[Olympiad Fisherman]

The ultimately fulfillment of the green NIMBY ideal.