Research shows wind power is too good to be true

I grew up in Bristol. Spent a delightful childhood swimming in Newfound, hiking Cardigan, sledding the old Mayhew Turnpike Ski Hill, cycling everywhere, and just basically loving everything the Lakes Region has to offer. I've lived in Atlanta for 21 years now, but every summer, I return, family in tow, to relax at my family's property in the 4 Corners region of Alexandria. My 18-year-old daughter has sworn she will be married here, surrounded by some of the most stunning vistas in New England.

This trip, something new and sad has been added. Here in the land of "Live Free or Die," an invasion has begun. I've seen the vanguard in Groton. 400-ft tall titans looking like something out of a science fiction film, dominating the very landscape that inspired "On Golden Pond."

Wind power. It sounds so nice, so warm and fuzzy. What is it they say about "too good to be true?" Do the research. You'll understand.

Does it really make sense that a foreign corporation is able to take advantage of U.S. Federal subsidies in order to build generation facilities to provide power to other states? NH is already a net energy exporter. The concept that these industrial wind installations are needed to meet local demand is misdirection. Wind energy is heavily subsidized. Without the subsidy, the economics fall apart. Did you like Solyndra? This ought to be right up your alley.

The other great misnomer is that this is a "green" form of energy. Here's the dirty little secret-every industrial wind installation requires fossil fuel backup. Why? Because the grid can't handle intermittent input. Basically, the wind doesn't always blow. Ask German businesses that have sustained major damage from fluctuations. The problem is real. Generous estimates put the efficiency of industrial wind at 25-30%. So, let me get this straight. We're going to destroy pristine ridgelines for something that sits idle 70+% of the time. And I challenge you to name one fossil fuel plant that has come offline because of wind. I'll save you some time. You can't.

Turbines kill birds and bats. In huge numbers. The most conservative estimates I've found show 100 birds and 100 bats per unit, per year. How exactly is this green? And when these units finish their lifespan (latest research: 12-15 years, far below industry estimates), good luck getting them replaced or decommissioned. Just ask Saco, Maine. Even repairing them is a nightmare. Ask Portsmouth.

The folks behind the development put on a good show. They send out happy looking ads, and buy favorable coverage in local newspapers that are more than happy to cash the check. But, like they say in any good crime drama-follow the money. These companies are not here to help the area. They are here to make profit. Period. And I would have no problem with that, if they were able to make a go of it without subsidies. But they can't. The business model collapses without Federal intervention. That's not the free market.

Why do people vacation in, and move to, this beautiful region? To relax in the pristine beauty of one of the most unspoiled regions of our nation. The visual pollution these behemoths produce is amazing. You can see the lights of the Groton installation from Alexandria village at night. Imagine Newfound Lake with 100+ turbines in the immediate vicinity. In a region dependent on tourism. How many people are going to flock here now? How many businesses will be affected as folks decide their homes, cottages, and summer homes would be better off elsewhere?

The turbines might make sense. If NH actually needed the power. If the power was actually staying here. If the business model worked without federal subsidies. If they didn't turn our ridgelines into avian killing fields. If they didn't permanently destroy the pristine beauty of the Lakes Region.

That's a lot of ifs. I hope my daughter doesn't have to tell her grandchildren how all those rusting towers got on the mountain tops. I hope you'll take the time to do your own research. Don't just swallow the PR from companies with vested interest. If you look at all the data, all the developments in countries that chased the mirage of wind, and you decide it's worth it, I'll shake your hand, and we'll agree to disagree. But please, be informed. You are the stewards of something special. Remember that.