Wind at Sea GR: Alternative energy may reduce pollution, but it has its own problems. In the desert near me, solar farms are shading and destroying native vegetation, roads and transmission corridors are spreading habitat destruction and giving access to invasive plants. As explained in John Murawski’s article, just the wind-farm survey impacts will be significant. Construction will add more damage. So what? Well, I would like to see our leaders make some proposals for cutting our energy requirements. Otherwise, we are simply creating another major industry that will see growth and profit as far more important than protecting nature.

This map shows that the U. S. east coast is more attractive than the west.

Wind Resource Offshore

Following article posted by John Murawski on January 22, 2015

Federal environmental officials are seeking public comment on the environmental impacts of offshore wind farm-related activity proposed for an area of some 480 square miles of Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina’s coast.

The results of the environmental assessment could determine if the U.S. Department of Interior further shrinks the ocean areas deemed suitable for offshore wind farms. The currently proposed area was slashed from 1,900 square miles last August in response to concerns about conflicts with shipping routes, marine ecology and local tourism.

The Department of Interior will hold three public meetings next month in North Carolina, and will also start a 30-day public comment period Friday.

via NewsObserver.com.

Source: RobertScribbler

Running the world on renewable energy.

“If you listen to the fossil fuel cheerleaders, the possibility is more remote than ever. Earlier this month, a few oil and natural gas fracking boosters in the EU derided the high cost of energy in Europe. They claimed that shifting to a policy of climate and groundwater threatening fracking could free them from both energy price shock and dependence on threatening overseas powers like Russia.

(GE wind turbine with battery backup in the turbine housing stores power for times of peak demand or when the wind is not blowing. Image source: Smart Planet.)

“Unfortunately, such, unattached-to-reality, fossil fuel boosting by former industry professionals turned politician isn’t new. For these wayward ministers had missed recent developments in nearby Denmark providing a real long-term solution to both high energy prices and dependence on foreign suppliers, and all without the added hassle of threatening Europe’s water supplies or pushing the world one step closer to climate change game over.

Cheaper Than Other Forms of Energy

For according to a recent report from the government of Denmark, new wind power coming online in 2016 will cost half that of energy now provided from current coal and natural gas based power plants. The net price would be equal to 5.4 cents (US) per kilowatt hour.

Rasmus Petersen, Danish Minister for Energy, Climate and Buildings was far more sanguine than a number of his wayward peers regarding renewable’s prospects:

“Wind power today is cheaper than other forms of energy, not least because of a big commitment and professionalism in the field. This is true both for researchers, companies and politicians.”

“We need a long-term and stable energy policy to ensure that renewable energy, both today and in the future is the obvious choice.”