Maine's windmill follies

Baldacci administration wants to get these windmills in place before people realize that they are recommending tax incentives for the windmill companies so there is no tax advantage (a lower of the millrates) for the towns. And, of course, the biggest problem being that us Mainers receive not one little bit of the energy produced. It is awful and is about greed. Just like every other good idea, there are people lining up to make sure they benefit personally. What is awful about this is that it is our elected officials and the windpower companies who are benefiting.

If wind power doesn't make sense in the wide open flat lands of texas where houses are 50 miles apart, what makes anyone think they make sense in rural Maine Mountains where houses are 2000 feet apart.
XYZ and that's not a NIMBY response. That's the response anyone would make based on the best science. I've supported every environmental law and proposal from Earth Day in the 70's until now. I've been a member of Greenpeace and the NRCM. I will continue to support predator restoration, food safety, laws to limit pollution, control climate change, etc. But I will not sacrifice the quality of life of the people of rural Maine so Angus King can build another mansion with taxpayer dollars.

I want to power my car with clean, renewable hydro power from Quebec and my cost to run it will be $.06 cents per Kwh. I will be able to run my car 24-7.

Your wind turbine powered car is going to cost you $.26 cents per Kwh to run and you will be able to drive it only 30% of the time because that’s all the wind blows. No matter how many new and improved wind turbines you buy, the wind is still only going to blow 30% of the time (unless, of course, you find some way to control the wind and if that happened, I'll buy your car because I'd be scared to death of you).

I also like to operate a few things around the house 100% of the time (call me selfish). I don’t want to wait around till the wind blows. Nor do I want to pay $.26 cents per Kwh for a “fickle trickle” of electricity when I can get the real deal for $.06 cents.

Yes, call me selfish, call me spoiled, but I’ll take my car over yours 24-7. But keep me updated on that control of the wind thing, will you? I could change my mind.

I would like to change part of your letter Jean. You write "If windmills are so wonderful and a big energy saver," (my change) why don't they us their own money to build them?

You know, the first cars weren't very efficient. And the first plane really didn't fly very far.

But as successive generations are built, you learn new lessons from them, and get more and more efficient. These first wind farms are not going to be terribly cost effective. However, as we deploy more and more wind farms, and the technology matures, they will become a great source of green energy.

China knows this, and is working on some HUGE wind farms. Now Maine can once again sit on the sidelines, or we can help make the Northeast a green power nexus, bringing innovation, money and JOBS to the state.

"If windmills are so wonderful and a big energy saver, I would suggest to the investors to put them on their estates. And, Wall Street? Put them on their high rises."
That is the typical NIMBY response.