(Cape) Wind farm productive on hottest days, firm says - Boston Globe

[Eugene]

Source: Boston Globe

Wind farm productive on hottest days, firm says
Critics of turbines say report faulty

By Felicia Mello, Globe Correspondent | June 28, 2007

Critics of a proposed wind farm in Nantucket Sound have long
complained that the wind won't blow on the days New England
needs power the most, such as yesterday, when electricity use
recorded its eighth-highest peak on record.

But project developer Cape Wind Associates released a report
yesterday suggesting that offshore winds continued even as
city dwellers sweltered on the region's top 10 power-usage
days.

-snip-

"Ironically, the peak demand for electricity in New England
comes as those dog days of summer cause air conditioners to
operate at full throttle," Glenn Wattley, an energy consultant
for the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, has written on
the organization's website. "Yet, as any sailor knows, those
sultry days in August are precisely when the wind is not
blowing on Nantucket Sound."

But Cape Wind says wind speeds measured by its data tower
in the sound tell the opposite story.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/06/28/wind_farm_productive_on_hottest_days_firm_says

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The article goes on to describe both sides' arguments in detail.

[Berry Cool]

1. quote:

State officials signed off on Cape Wind's environmental impact report in March despite objections from opponents who say the windmills would decrease tourism, harm wildlife, pose a hazard to boaters, and produce only enough energy to meet 1 percent of New England's power needs.

I guess I just don't get it. Have these people read any studies on wind turbines' effects on wildlife to even know what they are talking about? Or are they just a bunch of knee-jerk NIMBY Luddites? How will the turbines be a hazard to boaters? What, are they going to run into one? How blind would someone have to be? What makes these people think they will decrease tourism? Is this part of the old "they mar the view, or at least I think they do, because I think they're ugly"? Or are they convinced that tourists won't be able to stand the "awful" noise they're convinced the things make? As for how much energy they will produce, they seem to be engaging in a "they said/we say" game in which they completely mistrust any information they receive about wind studies.

I guess I just don't understand the tremendous objection some people have to wind energy. From the way they piss and moan about awful they are sure it would be to have a turbine anywhere near their precious land--before one even goes up--you'd think someone was suggesting grinding up live babies for biofuel.

[dddem]

3. It's the same argument as prisons, section 8 housing, and other

programs that might generally benefit the population as a whole - as long as it's not in my neighborhood.
It's like how easy it is to talk about what's best for the poor - when you live in the suburbs.
Of course, I can't afford to even spend a weekend on Nantuckett, much less live there, so I guess it's hard for me to understand how harmful this could be.
Peace.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. We've got the same problem here on Long Island...

with various "environmentalists" fighting a proposed ocean wind farm.

None of them are advertising cutting their electricity use, and all almost just coincidentally happen to have ocean views.

We also have some of them fighting the local farmers putting up windmills-- it's not the "rural setting" that everyone comes here to enjoy. They don't fight so hard when it's McMansions or farmers selling to developers, though.

[Solo_in_MD]

4. NIMBYs never rest, or think of the common good

Unfortunately Ted Kennedy is being a NIMBY here