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Wind (and Bill Burton): Full of Hot Air or Promise

Dear Bay Weekly:

Bill Burton’s recent column praising wind technology [Tilting at Windmills: Vol. xvi, No. 4: Jan. 24] is yet another example of the most pretentious knowledge in service to well-intentioned ignorance and craven greed.

Wind energy provides no capacity to a system of electricity production and transmission; the grid system works because it insists upon reliability. One can never be sure random wind energy will be there when needed. Because of its volatility, it must be followed and balanced continuously with responsive conventional generators working inefficiently to do so, with grave consequences for the abatement of carbon dioxide emissions.

In the context of its claims to reduce reliance on foreign oil (which constitutes .3 of one percent of our electricity power); clean the air (it cannot); reduce carbon emissions (thousands of huge wind machines would have only marginal impact on this, according to the National Research Council); and back down the coal industry (not one coal plant would close because of wind technology), wind energy represents scam technology, fleecing rate- and tax-payers while providing no meaningful service.

That Mr. Burton would support such massive technology anywhere, especially on public lands, where each turbine is larger than all but three buildings in Baltimore City, suggests he hasn’t a clue about its real persona. And it is simply untrue that people in Western Maryland merely find wind plants “unsightly.” The reality is that we view them as the latest energy bunco scheme, and we resent the pillage of our mountains, the destruction of our wildlife, and the devaluation of our property to support an industry that is the poster child for irresponsible development. Burton would learn quickly about these problems if wind developers targeted the Bay, since concerned people there would oppose them in force, armed with the truth about this technology’s feckless energy output combined with its potential for environmental damage.

–Jon Boone, Oakland, Md.

Dear Bay Weekly:

I read with great interest the column “Tilting at Windmills” by Bill Burton and agree with everything he wrote. Green Energy Technologies of Maryland LLC is bringing a newly developed Wind Cube Windmill technology to Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.

There are many benefits to Wind Cubes.

They can be enclosed with screening on the front and back to prevent harm to birds and other animals.

The footprint is small, 25 feet square, and with two stacks of three each, 25 by 50 feet, they compete with the prop-on-pole systems requiring approximately a football field of space.

They can be put on buildings or stand in free space.

The acceleration design of the system doubles the wind speed at the propeller.

Only 30 decibels of noise is created.

  We are looking for exposure to interested parties and the public in general and are bidding with the state to put them in unusable state lands to assist our power needs.

–Dwain Kinsinger, CEO: Green Energy Technologies of Maryland, LLC

Dear Bay Weekly:

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has decided to conduct a public process to help guide the development of a state policy governing the use of public lands for wind power turbines and related infrastructure. Citizen input was solicited at a public meeting on Jan. 31 in Annapolis, and during a 30-day written comment period.

If a private company wants to generate electricity and profit, they should be allowed to do so under environmentally sound zoning. However, Maryland should not be opening its public lands for this purpose. These turbines will kill hundreds, if not thousands, of bats and migratory birds. And in the end, the energy generated may not even come close to satiating demand. Wind is an energy alternative well worth exploring, as is solar and other alternatives.

But would this exception set forth a terrible precedent regarding the future use of state lands? Should Marylanders soon expect to see wind turbines in Chesapeake Bay? There is much to be considered and discussed before the state permits our public lands to be developed for private industrial wind turbines.

Thank you for helping to protect Maryland’s open, natural and wild areas. I hope Bay Weekly’s readers get involved. 

Send your written comments to: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, John Griffin, Secretary, 80 Taylor Ave., Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401.

–Dan Haas, West Annapolis

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