Wind energy is heavily subsidized and inefficient when compared to fossil fuels
Posted on 08/16/2011 4:32:36 PM PDT by Hunton Peck
As California attempts to divorce itself from fossil-fueled electricity, it may be trading one environmental sin for another -- although you don't hear state officials admitting it.
Wind power is the fastest growing component in the state's green energy portfolio, but wildlife advocates say the marriage has an unintended consequence: dead birds, including protected species of eagles, hawks and owls.
"The cumulative impacts are huge," said Shawn Smallwood, one of the few recognized experts studying the impact of wind farms on migratory birds. "It is not inconceivable to me that we could reduce golden eagle populations by a great deal, if not wipe them out."
Windmills Generating Electricity
California supports roughly 2,500 golden eagles. The state's largest wind farms kill, on average, more than 80 eagles per year. But the state is set to triple wind capacity in the coming years as it tries to become the first state in the nation to generate 33 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2020.
"We would like to have no bird deaths and no bird injuries. But, once again, we have to balance all the needs of society. All the people who want to flip their switch and have electricity in their homes," said Lorelei Oviatt, Kern County planning commissioner.
Kern County has identified some 225,000 acres just north of Los Angeles as a prime wind resource area. Unfortunately, the area's rolling hills and mountains are prime hunting grounds for raptors and a layover spot for migratory birds traveling between Canada and Mexico. The updrafts enjoyed by birds of prey are ideal for generating power.
"I'm not against wind power -- it is a viable form of energy generation -- but it needs to be developed more carefully," Smallwood said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
good eatin’
No, it's not.
Wind power is a complete disaster
"Denmark, the world’s most wind-intensive nation, with more than 6,000 turbines generating 19% of its electricity, has yet to close a single fossil-fuel plant. It requires 50% more coal-generated electricity to cover wind power’s unpredictability, and pollution and carbon dioxide emissions have risen (by 36% in 2006 alone)."
I love it. All this earth worship and the lib-looneys still are screwing things up.
Regardless of the environmental impact of these windmill monstrosities (you should see the new one in Euclid Ohio), they’ll never admit they were wrong . . . never . . . Remember, it’s what their intentions were . . . not the results.
Wind turbines kill thousands of bats too.
All I have to say is: Clean, safe, nuclear power.
Murdering California Commies
Wind energy is heavily subsidized and inefficient when compared to fossil fuels
The area around the base of these monstrosities should be like a buffet for varmints.
Ban all eagle nests within a hundred miles of a wind generator - (there, that aught to fix it)
Its not pretty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na6HxKQQsAM
Envirogreenies battling envirowhackos. What’s not to like?
Liberals - most - never cared about bird - they cared about stealing land from citizens under the excuse protecting endangered species... Have you ever seen a liberal find a snail darter etc. on ugly land? Never.
“Wind turbines kill thousands of bats too.”
When I was in engineering school another student had converted his house to run on 12 volts and had a wind turbine driven alternator. The house was 1100 sq ft in a little subdivision and the blades were 30 feet total across. It worked really well, if you want to live with a closet full of 12 volt car batteries. He told me the real downside was every week he had to go out and collect a bushel basket full of bird carcasses. Apparently, they can’t see the blades turning and fly into them.
To think the greenies got upset with me that I let my cat run outside because, “cats kill ‘songbirds.’” I guess songbirds are better than ordinary birds. As far as I’m concerned, any bird that lets MY cat get them was thinking of suicide already.
Its ok when Greenies kill Birds.
It's more than just thousands of dead bats. The loss of the birds and bats are having significant negative impacts on farming.
Shame none of you get it. Let me elucidate. If you put wells off shore, you kill the fish which the birds eat. By building turbines, you only kill birds instead of killing fish and birds.
Hence you saved the fish. PETA would be proud.
Shut them down. Dismantle. Paint the parts red. Sell to liberals as modern art.
Not only that, but transmitting the “wind power” from where it’s generated to where it’s consumed by the urban-dwelling NIMBY watermelons requires miles of huge ugly towers and high tension lines disfiguring the rural and wilderness landscape.
So-called environmentalists don’t really care about the environment. It’s all about exercising power over other people.
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