Wind Energy Opponents Using Junk “Science”
August 5th, 2009 at 10:57 am By Andrew Guyton
Wind power has long been one of the key components of any alternative energy solution. It’s clean, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and extremely renewable, all extremely important factors to consider when deciding how to replace our rapidly-depleting supply of fossil fuels and move our country towards a green economy. Minnesota could potentially reap many benefits from expanding its wind power production, too, as a recent MN 2020 report showed that such a move would create upwards of 2,000 jobs and add more than $9 billion into Minnesota’s economy.
But as reported by MPR, the Public Utilities Commission is considering changing its regulations on wind turbines after some residents registered noise complaints, in most cases claiming varying levels of annoyance as the main problems. The proposed changes would increase the minimum distance between new wind developments and residential areas.
The issue now becomes whether these complaints are anything more than NIMBY arguments. If there truly are health risks associated with prolonged exposure to the low-frequency sounds produced by turbines’ rotor blades, they need to be addressed and regulated, preferably at the state level, as most currently proposed in-state wind projects span multiple municipal jurisdictions. But we need to remember that similar complaints were also made when high-frequency electrical transmission lines were first introduced in this country, and they’ve proven to be incredibly safe.
Still, if all this really comes down to is that a small group of people find the sound of the turbines annoying, that isn’t exactly a health hazard. If it was, we’d be hearing about the Minnesota Department of Health investigating late-night street traffic, buzzing streetlights, and barking dogs. Any health risks, if they do exist, need to be examined, but if wind power is to have any real place in our energy future, we need to make sure we avoid placing unnecessary roadblocks on its path to success.
LikeTags: Energy, green energy, Wind Power
