Wind Power Doesn't Get a Break
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 08. 1.06
We were taking an unusual route to the Head Office of our day job last week, when we had to stop to take a picture. We thought wow, could anyone think this is worse than an industrial pig barn or a chicken factory? Is this possibly generating enough income for the farmer to let him or her keep growing the food we need locally? Is this not an awe-inspiring sight, demonstrating how the best of technology can solve our energy supply problems with elegance?
Clearly not, for the Phase II of the Melancthon Wind Project (my poor picture above) is delayed for "community requests for a higher-level scrutiny of the project". Like so many other NIMBY's, they would prefer nukes or coal plants somewhere else rather than a change in the view from their hot tub. Tyler Hamilton points out in the Star, "The government....better figure out a way of streamlining approvals before private investors walk away out of frustration. Until that happens, this "up and coming" market will never rise to its full potential." ::The Star
this whole situation is so frustrating to me - I live in the area and I wish that I could show people how much benefit the farm has. I've been to a handful of the 'town meetings' on the subject, but the opponents just won't budge on the issue. Even after one of the landowners approached the podium and explained that his property value has gone up exponentially since the turbines were installed, the general community consensus was that it was "wrong for our area".
Sigh.
I don't understand oposition to things like this. I think huge windmills are faciniating. Nor opposition to nuclear power. New nuclear power plants are way cleaner than conventional power plants.
New nuclear power plants don't create radioactive waste? Awesome!
isn't it great that people refuse to allow their neighborhoods to become self sufficient but its perfectly fine for a new housing development to sprout up destroying the view they were trying to protect.
Lloyd Good work!
But hey can you cool it with the nimby junk....it's getting old! Every other article you write is nimby this nimby that!
You should know calling people names will not make them accept wind turbines. Where is the Love?
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editor note: NIMBY means "Not In My BackYard", it's not exactly "calling people names"...
I agree with the comment above about NIMBY - you have been over simplifying the issue. People have every right to oppose any development in their communities. Unless the wind proponents can offer something to local residents beyond speculative property value increases, then why would anyone support such an idea?
Wind farms owned by large companies are not as attractive as community wind cooperatives designed to serve local consumers. For example, community rents could be maximized by siting the windmills along fencelines so that more than one landowner could benefit, and to improve maintenance access.
Yes, let's streamline the process - for projects that make sense i.e. good designs and communty benefits.
It is totally off the wall to suggest that people opposing a wind farm would rather have a fossil fuel burning plant. Please name the cases where that was the choice for a community? Wind farms are the result of a developer not a community asking for more power. To label good people who care about their community is simply wrong-headed.
Please see this article on huliq.com
http://www.huliq.com/22087/because-you-are-green-doesnt-mean-you-have-to-love-wind-farms