Rumors have been circulating for a couple of weeks that the wind project planned for North East, PA and other surrounding areas had been put on hold. An article on GoErie.com confirms this is the case.
Federal tax incentives for wind energy development expired Dec. 31, and that’s affected financing for new projects, said Johnny Walker, of Texas-based Pioneer Green Energy.
The production tax credit is the instrument that has been used to finance projects for years. It’s imperative that it’s extended, or the industry is going to have to find another way to fund projects.
As we have stated over and over on this site, without taxpayer money handed to the wind industry, THERE IS NO WIND INDUSTRY! It cannot stand on its own two feet because no one wants wind energy at a price that actually covers the cost.
There are and will be many wind developers and wind equipment manufacturers trying to get the PTC reinstated because their entire business depends on government subsidies. You can be sure our opposition to these wind turbines has not expired and we will continue our efforts to fix what is a very poorly written wind ordinance with few protections for residents of North East Township.
It should also be noted that we will continue to be far more vigilant in watching the business of the township itself to make sure all residents are fully informed of anything that may affect their community, their lives and their wallets.
Abby Lynn says
Interesting article concerning Andy Bowman, president of Pioneer Green, regarding our tax dollars. Mr. Bowman has positioned himself well with President Obama, donating the maximum money allowed, and scoring an invite to the President’s 50th birthday party two years ago.
http://yellowhammernews.com/nationalpolitics/will-tax-dollars-go-help-fund-wind-farm-alabama/
Tammy C Truitt says
Yes Andy Bowman is a Slick one who knows how to turn $$$$s into political policy. Maybe that is why the Obama administration went against the request of the conservation organizations in favor of passing legislation to allow the issuance of 30 year Bald Eagle Programmatic (Kill) permits. I wonder how much the life of a Bald Eagle cost Mr. Bowman?
Pioneer Green is already testing the policy by applying for Bald Eagle take permits in the robust Bald Eagle populated region of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. If approved, this project will kill hundreds of Bald Eagles.
This region is considered marginal for its wind resource, which translates to the least favorable location for wind development.
Jake Kelton says
I am not an expert and I do not purport myself as being one but I think the wind turbines are a good idea. It may be in it’s infancy as many ideas are. Improvements in time will come I am sure. But I have been out West and seen these turbines. I have pondered the arguments for and against. Clean energy: everyone votes yes. Independent of foreign energy everyone votes yes. Block any view people vote no. Damaging to tax base people vote against it. It will kill migratory birds, people vote against. The speed of these turbines is so slow that if a bird flies into it…well maybe it was better that he did to better the gene pool.
I get the feeling it is like anything else, yes we need and want it, but not in my neighborhood. Even fracking comes under the same questions. If you don’t want ANY of these things then I think it is only reasonable to cut your power lines off your house, ride a horse to work and then you can complain. Other than that it is like wanting world peace. Lastly I have to ask, and I am not saying it is a fake..yet. But the picture in the “Good Neighbors” Poster looks to be out of proportion, making the turbine look much larger than typical. Is that a real picture? If so where is it from? I think another poster might say, “Thanks to this neighbor I am lighting my house tonight.” Just an opinion.
Paul Crowe says
Many of your observations have already been addressed on this site in great detail, but briefly to address your first paragraph:
The NIMBY (not in my backyard) accusation is simply wrong for the great majority of us. It implies a belief that wind energy is fine, just not here. As for myself and a majority of others, we believe wind energy is a loser everywhere, in our backyards and yours and everywhere else. Wind energy is unreliable, intermittent, and extremely expensive. It doesn’t make any sense as an energy source in a modern, high tech world that depends on 24/7 electricity.
You say wind energy is in its infancy when in fact, wind energy is one of the world’s oldest sources of power (the ability to do work). Sailing ships depended on the wind for thousands of years, but as soon as a reliable steam engine was developed, wind energy died on ships except for recreation because it cannot be depended upon. With steam, as long as you have fuel you have power. The same reliability issue applies to using wind to make electricity. No amount of modern materials and high technology can make the wind blow. A multimillion dollar 3 Megawatt turbine cannot even charge your cellphone when the wind dies.
Wind energy is very low density. What do I mean? A single large coal, natural gas or nuclear plant takes up a few hundred acres while an equivalent wind farm at nameplate capacity (the power the turbines are capable of producing at maximum output) can cover a hundred square miles or more. When you consider capacity factor, how much they actually produce over time, which is usually about 25 percent, you would need four times that area and still not be guaranteed they would be turning and producing electricity when you needed it. Wind turbines need dispatchable gas fired plants on standby ready to step in when the wind dies, increasing cost. This is especially irrational when you consider the gas plant by itself could do the job. Wind turbines always need a backup source of power.
If you want clean energy, natural gas is cleaner than coal and nuclear power has zero emissions and even many hard line environmentalists are coming around and finally seeing that nuclear is one of the best long term solutions.
Energy independence? Fracking produces huge amounts of natural gas and our current oil production is climbing at a steady pace. You might be surprised to learn that a recent anti-fracking movie with Matt Damon was funded in large part from the Middle East. They don’t want us to use our own natural gas because it threatens their income.
That “Good Neighbors” poster is a real photo from a farm in Wisconsin and that is indeed how large current wind turbines really are, 500 feet to the blade tip in the vertical position. Look around this site and you’ll see many more.
The best response to your comment is still to spend a bit more time on this site, it’s hard to summarize those many posts in one comment.
Sue Nunn says
Jake Kelton, I would suggest doing some research. You write, “The speed of these turbines is so slow that if a bird flies into it…well maybe it was better that he did to better the gene pool.” The spinning blades may look slow to the naked eye, but realize that the blades are sweeping a circle in the sky as long as a football field. In fact, the blade tips are spinning at an estimated 180 mph. See http://www.acua.com/uploadedFiles/Site/About_Us/WindFarm.pdf
Birds cannot compete.