News
Sep 08, 2009Solar and Wind: Oppositions from Residents Fearing Visual Blight
This article, written by Jeffrey Ball of the Wall Street Journal, discusses the conflict between renewable, clean, energy and the negative response from those who do not visually enjoy these resources in their immediate surroundings.
The majority of people will say that they are all for alternatives to fossil fuels; however, they are not prepared to deal with large wind turbines and solar paneling where they can see them on a day to day basis. Another fear is that these renewable resources will take up vast amounts of land to produce enough power comparable to that produced by fossil fuels.
Ball comments that there are only two options: “Either renewable projects would have to be centralized and sprawling, covering many square miles apiece, or they would need to be distributed in pieces across millions of rooftops and lawns.” This may be true for resources such as wind and solar, but he (and everyone else) is forgetting about another renewable source of clean energy: Geothermal Energy!!
Here are a few quick facts about Geothermal Energy
- Geothermal energy is reliable, clean, and renewable
- Geothermal power plants have a very small footprint compared to other types of power plants
- Geothermal electricity plants provide a steady source of power, operating more than 95% of the year
- Iceland generates 17% of its electricity, and 87% of its heating from geothermal energy
- Geothermal energy is used in more than 20 countries to generate electricity, including Iceland, USA, Japan, Italy, Indonesia, New Zealand, Mexico, the Philippines, Kenya, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua!!
Clearly, geothermal energy is the way of the future!!
Renewable Energy, Meet the New Nimbys
Solar and Wind-Power Proposals Draw Opposition From Residents Fearing Visual Blight; a Dilemma for Some Environmentalists
To view this article click here.
