Wind Energy Will Save Us All
An optimistic article on wind energy appeared recently on the www.businessgreen.com website, by Maria McCaffery of RenewableUK.
Part of it read as follows:
.......Earlier this month a new high was reached, with wind generating 5GW of power for the first time at peak point; accounting for more than 12 per cent of the nation's electricity needs, that's enough to power more than ten million British homes. Based on current forecasts, by 2020 wind will be the biggest contributor of electricity to the UK apart from natural gas.
The wind industry is transforming the UK's manufacturing base, creating thousands of jobs up and down the country, often in the areas where they are most needed. By the dawn of the next decade, 76,000 of us will be working in the wind industry onshore and offshore, according to independent research.
Support for wind power continues to be undeniably strong: 69 per cent of the British public want to see the current level of wind energy increased according to the Government's own figures. This two-thirds majority is backed up by a series of independent opinion polls throughout the last 12 months which consistently show similar results.
The article attracted some comments.....
H21 said:
.....these polls are ridiculous - asking members of the general public whether they prefer wind energy or conventional energy. It's like asking vegetarians what they prefer pork or beef; they have zero interest in both.
JD said:
Can anyone tell me what is renewable about industrial turbines and concrete, with expected lifespan of 12 years? It is time to stop calling wind factories renewable. It is a lie.
ND said:
My recent electricity bill included a 15% surcharge for renewable energy, principally wind, but wind only supplies about 2% of my electricity. By my reckoning, using these figures, wind energy costs seven and a half times as much as coal / gas / nuclear.
We are also told about 'upgrades' to the national grid being extremely expensive. These upgrades are not debited to the wind industry, but they are a direct consequence of wind power. They should appear on the balance sheet.
This is not how our money should be spent.
habitat21
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