The Springwater Preservation Committee

Springwater Preservation Committee

Inappropriate Technology
By Kerry Lipp, Prattsburg, NY - submitted October 15, 2005…re-printed here with permission from the author

New technologies always bring with them hopes and fears, blind acceptance and paranoia. Armed with knowledge and truth we can accept appropriate technology, that which ultimately raises our quality of life, and reject inappropriate technology, that which ultimately lowers our quality of life. Is industrial wind power an appropriate technology?

To answer this, we must find the truth. Do not expect to get reliable, objective information from the corporate developers, the American Wind Energy Association (a trade organization) or lease holding landowners. That's like asking the big bad wolf or a used car salesman what his intentions are and expecting a straight answer. Where can one get objective information? The following web sites and their links have been helpful: http://www.aweo.org/, and http://windwatch.org/. We can also look at the experiments with wind power in Europe and California. Again, all information must be thoughtfully dissected. The wind industry is a very powerful multinational group already making billions and poised to make even more. They are a wolf in green clothing full of carefully loaded answers and convincing, sentimental propaganda. Don't believe it. Also do not be duped by Fenner. With a mere 20 small towers, Fenner is what they want you to see. Fenner is the poster child for the wind industry in NY.

It has been said that matter cannot be created or destroyed, that every kWh of wind generated electricity is one less kWh of fossil fuel generated electricity. I wish that were true. Unfortunately, this is not the way utility-scale wind power works. According to the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), an organization that oversees safe, reliable operation of NY's bulk power transmission system (the grid), there is currently a 5.8% (1800MW) Installed Reserve Margin (IRM) to prevent blackouts due to demand fluctuation. The IRM represents the difference between all power produced and that which is actually consumed. The NYISO further states:

1."Renewable resource availability may not correlate well with system peak demand periods."
2."Renewable resources may be less available than other resources.”
3."Resource availability affects Installed Reserve Margins. The addition of significant renewable capacity could require an increase in Installed Reserve Margins".

In other words, the more installed wind capacity, the more unstable and inefficient the power grid becomes. With a 10% installed wind capacity, the IRM could be pushed as high as 15.8%. It appears that every kWh of wind generated electricity is one more kWh of IRM.

When the turbines are generating and steady winds are expected, conventional generators can reduce their output thereby saving some fuel. However, they must remain generating at a standby level, called spinning reserve, ready to resume full output at any time. Having a conventional power plant run in spinning reserve, even if we don't need the power, is the equivalent of having you car idling in the driveway 24 hours a day, in case you need it. The torquing up and down of conventional power plants resulting from increased wind generated capacity is not the most efficient way to run these plants, and results in more, not less pollution. Denmark is considered the world leader in wind power. There, in a country the size of western New York, they have over 6,000 wind towers but have been unable to shut down a single conventional power plant. Flemming Nissen, head of development at the Danish utility Elsam, told a meeting in Copenhagen on 5-27-04, "Increased development of wind turbines does not reduce Danish CO2 emissions". Other countries, such as Sweden, Germany, Spain, Japan, Ireland, and Australia, that initially jumped on the bandwagon, are now trying to get off.

If industrial wind power can stand on it's own merits, why would wind developers threaten to sue the town boards of Italy and Prattsburgh for pursuing moratoriums? Maybe Global Winds and Ecogen are afraid to wait for the results of the national 20-month study on wind power, because they know what the sobering results will be. Pressured sales tactics are always a red flag.

I support appropriate technology such as residential wind and solar power. I respect the right of property owners to what they wish with their properties as long as it doesn't affect others. I support free enterprise using appropriate technology and ethical business practices. I do not support international corporate developers who sue small town boards for enacting moratoriums, and who are unable to give us truthful answers to real problems such as stray voltage, earth currents, increased IRM, improper siting, improper setbacks, long-term liability, lack of decreased CO2 emissions, strobe effect, shadow flicker, low frequency noise levels (also called infrasound, which may have a link to certain neuro-degenerative diseases), decreased property values, bat/bird kill, neighbor to neighbor animosity, groundwater contamination, etc... Why hasn't Denmark, with 20% installed wind capacity, been able to shut down one of its conventional power plants? Industrial wind is inappropriate technology. It is doing bad while feeling good about it. It is a cash cow for corporations with taxpayers picking up the check.

-Kerry Lipp, Prattsburgh

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