…The government subsidizes them.
Driving up Interstate 65 from Indianapolis to Milwaukee today, I was perplexed by an approximately 10-15 mile stretch of highway where there were hundreds of wind turbines dotting the landscape…and out of all the hundreds, I could only see one that was moving…and very slowly at that.
Someone likely made millions of dollars from building and installing these ugly machines….and they stood there…..unmoving….not generating one, single kilowatt of power. I am told that conditions have to be “perfect” for them to be turned on.
The good news, I suppose is that no birds were decapitated today, flying too close to the spinning blades.
I do not profess to be an expert on the topic of government involvement, but many of the articles in the above link shed some light on it, as do these articles…Indiana Wind Industry wants tax credit extended
Indiana is out in front with wind farms
“Critics say if wind power was a viable industry it wouldn’t need to be so heavily subsidized by taxpayers. They also point to studies that find jobs generated by the industry cost taxpayers many times more than jobs in traditional energy industries”.
I guess I consider myself a critic….If it was a viable, profitable business, the government would not need to subsidize it…the free market would be be all over it…but are they?
Wind turbines are cropping u here and there, and I must confess to finding them an eyesore when they interrupt what is otherwise a pristine view. I would like to think we can find another energy resource that is not such an eyesore.
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I would agree. As far as I am concerned, it is one of those topics that is not linear…it has many offshoots, (see below). I still lean towards not being in favor of them, though
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August is the summer doldrums and the time of year when the wind is laid, so it’s not surprising that the turbines are still. You caught them on a bad day.
“Alternative energy” is still far more expensive to provide than coal. Indiana still relies on > 90% coal for its energy resources. Most (all?) states substantially rely on fossil fuels for energy. Folks want less pollution and more renewable energy sources for power. Yet folks aren’t willing to pay for it in their monthly utility bills. Coal and natural gas is (relatively) cheap. This is why the government provides subsidies, to try to foster alternative energy until it can “pay for” itself. American are spoiled by an inexpensive standard of living (compared to the rest of the developed world).
I agree with your comments – the free market system should be allowed/required to drive development of alternative energy, but popular opinion and lobbyists tend to pull the government in other directions.
I live within reach of the Horizon Wind Farm (including the Benton County Wind Farm and the Goodland Wind Farm) – what you drove past. That farm is the oldest in the state, established in 2008. The newest wind farm going on line right now in Tipton County (about 80 miles east and a bit south) has turbines that are taller, leaner, and three times more powerful and efficient. Eventually, technology will make this a viable and consistently profitable energy resource.
You should see it at night with the blinking red lights on top of the turbines (mesmerizing), or when they are all turning in high winds (fascinating). If you look on a weather map of Indiana, you can see that the turbines generate their own weather. Most folks who live near the turbines don’t mind them so much, and the folks who own the land on which the turbines are located receive a nice annual rent payment and a bump in the value of their land. There is bonding and language in the lease agreement which requires removal of the turbines and remediation of the property if/when the turbines are retired. Benton County roads are marvelous, thanks to the millions of dollars provided by the wind development company to repair the roads after the installation of the turbines (which was negotiated with the county before the first turbine was installed). The annual property tax dollars assessed on turbines which goes to the county run in the $10K range – per turbine – so the county benefits greatly from the wind farm. Definitely a huge economic boost to an otherwise fairly rural county.
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Thank you for this well thought out response…it helps shed some light on this topic that I only recently became interested in. There is nothing better than a second opinion. Stay safe out there.
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