A New Study Takes The Wind Out Of Wind Energy

Forbes.com ^ | 07.19.11 | Robert Bryce

[Hunton Peck]

Reality has overtaken green hope.

Facts are pesky things. And they're particularly pesky when it comes to the myths about the wind energy business.

For years, it's been an article of faith among advocates of renewables that increased use of wind energy can provide a cost-effective method of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The reality: wind energy's carbon dioxide-cutting benefits are vastly overstated. Furthermore, if wind energy does help reduce carbon emissions, those reductions are too expensive to be used on any kind of scale.

Those are the findings of an exhaustive new study, released today, by Bentek Energy, a Colorado-based energy analytics firm. Rather than rely on computer models that use theoretical emissions data, the authors of the study, Porter Bennett and Brannin McBee, analyzed actual emissions data from electric generation plants located in four regions: the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Bonneville Power Administration, California Independent System Operator, and the Midwest Independent System Operator. Those four system operators serve about 110 million customers, or about one-third of the U.S. population.

Bennett and McBee looked at more than 300,000 hourly records from 2007 through 2009. Their results show that the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and other wind boosters have vastly overstated wind's ability to cut sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide.

Indeed, the study found that in some regions of the country, like California, using wind energy doesn't reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at all. But the most important conclusion from the study is that wind energy is not "a cost-effective solution for reducing carbon dioxide if carbon is valued at less than $33 per ton." With the U.S. economy still in recession and unemployment numbers near record levels, Congress cannot, will not, attempt to impose a carbon tax, no matter how small.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Greetings Troll.

Since your sign up date is suspicious and you quote and promote wind energy scam propaganda, here are just a few facts that you would never consider;

My electrical bill has gone up 35% to support your “Wind Energy Scam”. It even says so on my electrical bill, which clearly lists “Additional Subsidy Fee for Renewable Energy”. (Wind Farm) On top of that, I also pay taxes which also went to support this Marxist crapola.

And one more thing for your tiny little Liberal Troll brain;
Those EVIL Oil companies create the materials and chemicals that those inefficient and extremely costly to operate Wind Turbines need, to be created in the first place. Without oil, they would not exist. PERIOD!

[Admin Moderator]

We ordered up a special zot just for you, wind troll: