Since
the wind doesn't blow all the time, how can wind power be
effective ? All electric power, regardless of the
mode of its generation, is managed and distributed through
regional networks or ‘grids’. Power distribution
is managed by control systems that employ highly complex
mathematical algorithms to determine when and where to generate
power in response to fluctuating demand. As a component
in a managed grid, wind generated power can be used whenever
it is produced and, depending on the demand at the time,
other power generating facilities in the grid can reduce
their production. The grid management algorithms
are very flexible and can be fine-tuned to adapt quickly
as conditions change. On any given day, the power you use
can be coming from a fossil fuel, hydroelectric, nuclear,
or wind generator.
Do
wind turbines kill birds and bats? Some early windfarms
did, unfortunately, kill a number of birds, but new technology,
such as tubular towers and lower blade speeds, coupled with
better siting techniques have significantly reduced bird
kill problems. Recent bat kill problems are currently under
study, but no evidence of this problem has been found at
the Searsburg windfarm. Pollution and climate change poses
an even larger threat to these avian populations.
Will
the power benefit the local community? Adding new
generation along the grid will improve its stability and
minimize the need for more power lines and capacity upgrades.
Are
windfarms noisy? In operation, from a distance
of 1,000 feet, a modern windfarm is as loud as a quiet refrigerator
or a soft whisper 15 feet away. Noise and odors from other
sources of power generation and delivery infrastructures
are often far more imposing than operating windfarms.
What
about the subsides to wind developers? All electrical
generation forms use subsidies. Wind power is among the
least subsidized of all our power options.
What
are 'Green Credits'; Can polluting power generation plants
use wind power Green Credits to increase their pollution
allowance? If so, doesn't wind power actually cause pollution?
The claim
that wind power causes pollution is based on a misunderstanding
of "Green Credits". The Green Credits (the correct
name is Green Tags")
program is run by the Dept.
of Energy. Green Tags are purchased
by renewable energy consumers and represent a premium (above
the base cost of energy) one is willing to pay to assure
some portion of your power is from renewable sources. (CVPS
Cow Power is a similar program.) The Emission
Reduction Credit (ERC) program is run
by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). ERC's are sold by power
producers (who have exceeded a pollution reduction target)
to other producers (who have failed to meet the pollution
reduction target). ERC's are tied to specific pollutants,
such as sulphur dioxide from fossil fuel plants. (Greenhouse
gases are excluded because the Bush administration doesn't
support the Kyoto Treaty.)Wind power generation produces
no sulphur dioxide, so wind turbine operators cannot directly
sell ERC's.
Will
it raise my electric rates? Wind power is among
the cheapest forms of electricity currently available. In
some places, cheaper power may mean lower rates. The cost
of wind power’s “fuel” is the same today
as it will be for your grandchildren…free.
Aren’t
windmills ugly? Some think so, others do not. Many
people find wind turbines elegant and majestic, a kind of
functional, moving sculpture. Windfarms have far less total
visual impact than most other forms of power generation.
Strip mines, oil rigs, oil spills, pipelines, fuel refineries,
nuclear cooling towers, smoke stacks, high tension lines
and smog are all, most would agree, far less attractive
than windmills.
Will windfarms affect wildlife habitats?
The proposed windfarms may have some effect, at least temporarily,
on ridgeline habitats. Careful planning, design and monitoring
should be established to preserve these habitats. Many of
the proposed windfarm sites are purposefully planned for
areas previously developed to a great extent, minimizing
impacts. The bigger picture question is, what will become
of these Vermont habitats if we don’t take immediate
steps to control pollution and climate change by implementing
clean renewable energy sources such as wind power?
