Wind Turbines

Wind Turbines are not the final answer to our long-term fossil energy problems, but they do offer an encouraging alternative that can lessen dependence on non-renewable resources and offer a cleaner, healthier environment.

The initial cost of the mechanisms and its installation is high, but that cost is balanced by low priced maintenance.

The negative environmental impact has to do with issues like visual appearance, noise, and bat and bird mortality. Each of these issues has been dealt with, resulting in less noise and fewer birds and bats dieing by running into the blades. Visually, the appearance of wind turbines depends on the eye of the beholder. If you like windmills, they don’t bother you; if you don’t like them, they do. They are certainly no more of an eye sore than the giant electrical power poles we now have.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services has developed guidelines minimizing the impact on wildlife, and the service usually gets involved with the intention of following environmental guidelines when wind turbines are being installed on public lands. Once installed, there is little impact on fish or wildlife at all.

According to the Wind Energy Environmental Impact Statement, “in 1990, California's wind power plants offset the emission of more than 2.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, and 15 million pounds of other pollutants that would have otherwise been produced. It would take a forest of 90 million to 175 million trees to provide the same air quality.”

The good far outweighs the bad environmental impact. The cost is at worse equivalent. If the windmills are situated at a reasonable distance, noise is minimal, or no worse than what already exists in most communities. Farms are a good location for windmills, because they don’t disturb sheep or cattle and can provide some income for the farmer. While windmills won’t become the answer to urban electrical problems, small cities and towns can benefit from their use, and feel secure in the knowledge that they’re getting electricity from a renewable source while improving the environment.