North Carolina might actually want to consider sitting this race out. All along the East Coast, states are trying to be the first and most powerful energy producer of wind energy, the least reliable source of power available. Despite wind’s lack of consistency, lawmakers seem to view it as a soon-to-be “cash cow.”
Senate Bill 747, “Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development,” is seeking information on the creation of offshore wind farms. The bill reads, “the offshore wind industry presents North Carolina with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a new industry, attract major new manufacturing facilities, establish a robust export market, and create thousands of jobs.”
The bill would require the state’s participating electric utilities to enter into a long-term contract for one or more qualifying offshore wind generators that produces 2,500 megawatts of energy. The first facility would be built by Dec. 31, 2017. Any electric membership corporation, or municipality, could participate by submitting written notice to the state Utilities Commission 30 days in advance of entering a contract.
Harnessing wind for energy consumption has been going on (throughout the world) for years. Wind is not constant and maximizing its use is still being studied. Wind farms are rapidly being regulated by governments. As such, wind turbines don’t always produce anticipated energy results, inevitably leading to an increase in energy costs for consumers.
According to a Washington Post opinion piece, China “invests more than any other nation in environmentally friendly energy production: $34 billion in 2009, or twice as much as the United States. Almost all of its investment, however, is spent producing green energy for Western nations that pay heavy subsidies for consumers to use solar panels and wind turbines.”
The piece continues, “In wind power, China both produces and consumes. In 2009, it put up about a third of the world’s new wind turbines. But much of this has been for show. A 2008 Citigroup analysis found that about one-third of China’s wind power assets were not in use. Many turbines are not connected to the transmission grid. Chinese power companies built wind turbines that they didn’t use as the cheapest way of satisfying – on paper – government requirements to boost renewable energy capacity.”
You even have to ask this question? Wind power has been and remains a scam perpetrated solely to collect tax dollars. It’s useless as base load. It’s worthless as peaking load. It’s just one big giant spinning tax break. How much money could the government save by not giving tax breaks to people who buy useless “green energy” devices?
It’s nice to hear a voice of reason in the forest of PC feel good emos who think they are doing something good for the world. I expect emotional rationalization from the libs, but I’m shocked at the number of Republicans who are swallowing all this global warming hype instead of thinking logically. This wind energy thing will be a big bust about 5 or 6 years from now, and a lot of people will have sheepish looks on their faces.
The earth is alive with natural resources as we like to call it but think about it like a living body with it producing minerals to keep it in balance. If too much is stripped from it, it will cause imbalance. The sun and wind as a resource is stripping nothing from the earth. You cannot use the wind or sun out of existence. The problem is making the resources of materials affordable to the masses. Even if supplementing was a start we would bring less harm to the core of the earth. If your oils and minerals were depleated from your body you will have hormonal earthquakes and dry cravases and the like if you get this analogy. Just think about it for a minute.Positioning your house to the south and collecting passive solar, opening blinds/curtains to block or allow the heat or lack of it helps amazingly so form this habit over a 3 month period and check out your electric/propane/oil bill. Opening the door/windows to make use of cooler/warmer air is huge. These are habits we have forgotten sad to say. We are a push button dependant society. I have to admit I am guilty and since economy has bitten me I am more conscious to tilt the blinds downward for more sun or upward for less. I, like many others would like to harness the wind and sun in an affordable way. Whoever you are who knows how please step up to the plate!
After reading this bill, it looks to me like we would get proposals for projects, figure out the costs and benefits of those proposals, and then have utilities sign contracts only if they are an economic positive for the state. Doesn’t say anything about subsidies and doesn’t appear to use any taxpayer money. So pay no money, get real proposals to see what our options are and then only commit to something later if the economics look good…if we’re going to consider wind energy, that sounds like a fairly reasonable way to do it.