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[quote user="ndbprr"]have to wonder if the greenies who think they are smarter than the rest of us have thought wind turbines out completely. Energy is not free. Turning those blades disipates and slow the air turning them. Build enough and it could be possible to create areas where wind is nonexistant leading to who knows what but certainly drought and areas of no rain are possible.[/quote]   The real problem with windmills is that they are being represented as a free source of energy because the wind is free.  The wind may be free, but windmills are not.  They are very expensive, high-maintenance, machines that face a variety of operating adversities.  To meet these challenges, they are evolving toward more and more mechanical complexity and higher cost.   <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> They are expensive machines with a finite life, and they only produce so much electricity during that life.  When you compare the value of that electricity to the life-cost of the wind generator, you get electricity that costs much more than electricity produced in fossil fuel power plants. <o:p></o:p> Furthermore, wind power is irregular and unpredictable, while the consumption market must have a constant and consistent supply of electricity.  That means that wind plants must have fossil fuel power plant backup to fill in the gaps in the wind energy production.  And while wind plants can merrily rise and fall in their production, fossil fuel plants cannot easily ramp up and idle down in response as wind backup.  So wind power requires fossil fuel backup power, which can be problematic, and also is redundant.  This also adds to the overall cost of wind energy.     <o:p></o:p> To get wind power started, this extra cost is being subsidized by averaging it out to non-wind ratepayers.  But, eventually, as wind power becomes more mainstream, we will all be paying a higher tab for electricity.   But one must consider that the point of wind power is not to produce cheaper electricity, even though the advancement of the wind energy movement is all wrapped up in that false promise.  The real purpose of wind power is to reduce the emission of CO2 in order to prevent the destruction of the planet.  Wind power is an extra financial burden, just like a tax, and the purpose is to save our lives.  It is basically a civic responsibility just like jury duty.
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