Sunday, July 03, 2005
Energy future 'blowing in the wind'
From the RoundTable blog
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Quesenberry lives in Galax and is a retired safety director of a local furniture factory.
Michel A. King's June 14 commentary, "Foes are clouding wind energy debate," referring to the Highland New Wind Development project, was right on target.
Opponents are claiming that the huge turbine blades will endanger birds, bats and other flying foul. Nothing is ever mentioned about the thousands being killed by our vehicles on the highways. Can we blame Henry Ford for that?
Others worry about the turbines on the mountains and hillsides becoming an eyesore to scenic places. What about all the cellphone towers that are dotting the hillsides almost everywhere you go? With so much radiation being put out on us 24/7, I wonder how long it will take before cancer starts showing up in the population?
While my wife and I traveled across Germany, we were excited while in the former eastern sector that many wind farms had these big three-blade turbines gently lumbering along in the breeze. Residents told us that prior to tearing down the wall, thousands and thousands of homes were without electricity.
Then, the wall came down, so Germany became one nation, which enabled the western sectors to apply their resources and engineering skills in setting up these wind generators so that electricity is now available and making for a higher standard of living.
Lots of discussion has been made about wind turbines being useful only on windy days. That's true. However, by placing them in different areas, scattered about, miles apart, while being connected to the same power grid, some will receive wind while others are idle.
My brief experience with a couple of 1940s-era home units proved that point to me years ago. On some occasions, my little wind turbine would stop turning. Then, I noticed my neighbor's trees would be bending over from the wind. Wind comes in waves and at varying velocities.
We're all familiar with the issue of global warming and pollution from coal-burning power plants, factories and automobiles. This is where wind turbines would be a nonpolluting power source, while at the same time help to eliminate the dependence on diminishing foreign and domestic oil supplies.
Even the new hybrid automobiles that get exceptional gas mileage are not yet affordable to our working-class families.
King summed it up very wisely when he explained that some employment would be involved in manufacturing, sales, installation and maintenance of these astonishing machines. If possible, our government could become involved in some tax incentives and possible other ways to aid in getting the projects started.
Although I realize that wind power would be only a supplemental power source, it would surely help. Part of the answer to our energy and pollution problems might be "just blowing in the wind."
