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| Danish mink farm (Photo: WCN) |
Solution Wind, a global awareness
campaign is also publicizing the wind industry in advance of the COP21 (U.N.
Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as “Paris 21”) climate
negotiations in Paris, November
30-Decemmber 11, 2015. http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en
The U.N. Framework Convention on
Climate Change was one of the three documents produced in 1992 at the U.N.
Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. President George H.W. Bush signed the U.N. Framework
Convention on Climate and U.N. Agenda 21 documents produced at this conference but
refused to sign the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity document. http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/items/2627.php
Having invested $100 billion in 2014,
the wind lobby advertises wind energy as “mainstream and the fastest growing
industrial sectors in the world.” Activities to convince the general public
that wind energy is harmless include “family outings, wind farm visits and
seminars with experts and leading industry figures.”
Their website explains that “In the EU
alone, the wind industry installed more than gas and coal combined last year with
enough cumulative installed capacity to meet 10.2% of the region's electricity
consumption, equivalent to powering 73 million households.” What about the
other 90% of electricity needs? http://www.ewea.org/globalwindday/
Mark
Duchamp, Chairman of the World Council for Nature has issued a press release in
advance of the “wind lobby celebration of Global Wind Day” on June 15, 2015. “Hundreds
of events are organized worldwide to convince people that wind farms are
useful, cheap, harmless to birds and people, good for property values and great
for tourism and the economy,” said Mr. Duchamp.
Calling this
celebration a “global wind scam day,” Mr. Duchamp lists many economic problems and
health issues associated with wind farms which have been operated on a
worldwide scale since the 1980s. They provide unreliable and intermittent
electricity at a cost that is “three times more expensive than that generated
by conventional power.”
He claims
that the wind industry, heavily subsidized in all countries, finances political
parties through kickbacks via a subsidy “revolving door.” The wind industry provides
and guarantees profits to a new “class of green crony capitalists.” In his
view, the wind turbine industry negatively affects the economy of some
countries, facilitating the political takeover of “anti-establishment parties”
such as “Podemos” (We Can) in Spain. Where have we heard that catch-phrase
before?
Making
references available to readers, Mr. Duchamp lists the unresolved economic and
social issues associated with wind turbines:
-
State
and countries who rely on renewable energy become less competitive and poorer
-
Wise
investors prefer states where energy is cheaper
-
Higher
energy prices and taxation related to “green energy” cause companies to
relocate abroad
-
Higher
renewable energy costs are subsidized by taxpayers and consumers, thus causing “fuel
poverty”
-
Deficits
increase when subsidies and other bailouts finance “unprofitable and unreliable
wind energy”
-
The
unsightly wind turbines alter the landscape, destroy the “view shed” touted by
environmentalists in this country, and depreciate the value of “heritage sites”
-
The
huge turbine blades chop millions of birds and bats every year, including the
majestic golden eagle in the U.S. and perhaps some endangered species
-
Properties
located near the turbines lose anywhere “from 10% to 50%” of their value
-
Just
because a turbine spins, it does not necessarily produce energy
-
Wind
turbines must use electricity generated by “dirty” fossil fuels in order to be
properly maintained and to prevent rusting of gears
-
Many
turbines have been abandoned or shut down as requested by residents who could
not stand the noise even after the community had invested millions in their
installation
-
Frequently
hit by lightning, turbines catch fire and threaten anyone nearby when the fire
cannot be put out or the blades literally spin out of control
-
Residents
living in the vicinity of turbines are affected by “shadow flicker” during
certain hours of the day and stressed out by the constant thump-thump noise
coming from the wind turbine, especially at optimal operating wind speed - “allowed
noise limits are frequently exceeded”
-
Residents
and animals are negatively affected by infrasound emitted by turbines and
exhibit disturbing behavior and serious negative health effects
Unfortunately,
Mr. Duchamp said, wind farm victims are ignored, accused of imagining their
real health issues such as insomnia, headaches, nausea, tachycardia, disturbed
menstrual cycles, loss of balance, genetic mutations during gestation, and
other ailments.
