To my knowledge, these are the first actual wind energy production records ever to be made available to the public. I acquired them by contacting Southern California Edison's Renewable Energy Division.

The wind energy industry claims that they can provide power for thousands of homes with each new windmill development, but in fact, wind turbines can only generate kilowatts randomly and can't actually service even one home. By nature intermittent, wind is unreliable as a power source. At best, windmills intermittently generate 14% to 20% of their rated capacity. The small amount of power they do generate does not match the time of need profile. In fact, only 6% of this generation is at peak need time, 33% mid peak and 61% off peak (at night).

To put this in context, the 4,000+ windmills in the San Gorgonio Pass (approx. 565 megawatts of installed capacity) generate only approx. 100 megawatts per year. Edison uses approx. 13,000 MW of power in their service area per year. There is approx. 2,500 MW of installed capacity wind energy in the State of California which generates approx. 600 MW of power. California uses approx. 67,500+ MW of power annually.

The visual blight, myriad environmental impacts, adverse health effects, noise, and property devaluation from industrial wind energy development is a harrowing tradeoff for a minuscule amount of intermittent power.

Because wind is unpredictable, the utilities will always have to have the same amount of power from conventional sources ready to take over when the wind stops. Wind is a duplication of power that the utilities already have to have, otherwise there would be blackouts. As rate and tax payers, we are paying more than double for this duplication of energy. Wind energy is the most highly subsidized energy source in the US at $23-30 per MW.

Wind energy will not save oil and fossil fuels (an untrue claim frequently made by windmill developers) or preclude the need to build additional power plants. When there is a surge in wind power, the utilities back up wind with hydro, geothermal or gas turbines, because they are the easiest to manipulate to accommodate the vagaries of wind. California does not use oil for electricity generation.

In order for an energy source to be viable it must be able to perform on demand, which wind cannot do, and because of it's unstable nature, it's useless as capacity.

Perhaps knowing the amount of power windmills actually generate, from the very source that buys their power, will lead to an understanding of why this is happening. It's not about the negligible amount of power that they generate, it's about the huge tax credits and ratepayer subsidies given to wind energy developers (and SCE and other utilities who buy their power) and the wealth that has enabled them to buy great political influence.

Windmills haven't proliferated in the San Gorgonio Pass because of the minuscule amount of power they generate, but because of the tremendous wealth of local windmill developers from wind energy tax credits and ratepayer subsidies that have afforded them the luxury of contributing large amounts of money to Riverside County and Palm Springs elected officials who, for 25 years, have generously returned the favor by approving every one of their massive, land intensive projects, regardless of the consequences.

Alexandra Weit
Whitewater, CA
bobweit@msn.com

SCE__Wind_Energy_Production_Records.pdf

Important to attend, speak and submit written comments at the WCCS Budget Public Hearing - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:00 - 9:00 PM - LGI auditorium - WCCS Wayland, NY

Coalition would keep watch on state energy policy issues

By Matt Surtel
msurtel@batavianews.com

Jim Hall has a philosophy. The 60-year-old Steuben County resident is part of Cohocton Wind Watch one of numerous small-town groups opposing wind farms proposed in their communities.

Each group is up against the same cookie cutter” approach when a wind energy developer enters their town with a potential project, Hall says. And they’re often re-inventing the wheel in their efforts.

Hail is among those organizing the Citizen Power Alliance. The coalition of groups and activists aims to address the bigger, state issues involved in energy projects and policy.

The CPA will conduct an organizational meeting the morning of May 18 at Letchworth State Park.

We’re not limited to strictly wind issues,” Hall said Wednesday. “We’re an environmental and energy alternative group that encompasses energy and environmental policy primarily in New York State but we have members outside the state ax well.”

The CPA includes 14 member groups so far, including Citizens for a Healthy Rural Neighborhood of Perry. They’re primarily based in Western New York, though the CPA is a statewide group, with other members in New Hampshire and Ohio.

“The alliance coalition has been organizing over the past several months,” Hall said. The Letchworth gathering is more a get-together because we don’t have a tremendous amount of opportunity where people can see each other face-to-face.”

Members will discuss which directions they’d like to pursue, along with organizing leadership and committees.

Eminent domain and the state’s proposed Article X legislation are among the CPA’s biggest concerns. Hall said.

The former has traditionally been used by the government to seize land for public developments such as highways and hospitals. But it’s more recently been used for commercial development, and CPA members fear eminent domain could be used for projects benefiting private companies, and which are not in the public interest.

Article X was developed to speed up the review process for determining the locations of new power plants, but expired in 2003. Proposals to renew the law are under way at the state level, and opponents have often cited fears it would take away local control over wind farms and other projects.

“Were really concerned home rule will be thrown aside and New York state will allow siting of all kinds of power projects, without taking into consideration the local economics and environmental policy like (the State Environmental Quality Review process).”

State officials have denied Article X would allow indiscriminate siting of power projects.

Hall said the state’s pursuing the “fast track” for such projects, which would override local laws and ordinances passed by towns.

We’re looking for a sound environmental and energy policy on the state level,” he said. “We feel the current direction does not work.”

The state is pursuing policies which ignore all the implications of subsidies given to corporations, that won’t really produce the desired energy, he said. He cited energy credit trading and problems with turbine gearboxes at the Steel Winds project in Lackawanna.

The CPA members feel that’s fraud, he said.

Besides the existing member groups, the CPA has another 15 to 20 partner links on its Web Site, Hall said. He believes the group represents several thousand members cumulatively.

Those interested in working with the group will be able to attend the gathering, 9 am to 10 pm May 18 at the Middle Falls pavilion. It’s asked that those attending be constructive, and the CPA reserves the right ask disruptive people to leave.

“We’re quite interested to invite anyone who has interest in sound and community-based environmental interests and energy policy in New York State to attend,” Hall said. “We don’t keep secrets. Were very open.”

Visit www.citizenpoweralliance.com for information.