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I hear a lot about wind power. Is it a good or bad thing? People seem to love it or hate it.

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	Wind power is a renewable resource – this means it will never run out. Wind is the result of sun warming the atmosphere, which results in air movement. Moving air causes the blades of a wind turbine to rotate and create electricity. For centuries, humans have harnessed the power of the wind. During the past thirty years, wind power has undergone a revolution, becoming more widespread and efficient, and it continues to improve. Experts project that wind has the potential to provide as much as 20% of the nation’s need for electricity. Wind power has many environmental, national security, and economic benefits. Especially compared to traditional fossil fuel technologies such as coal, wind power is a clean energy. All technologies have an impact on the environment, but that impact is relative. Right now, given the crisis of climate change, wind’s impact is particularly minimal relative to that of fossil fuels (which emit the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide when burned, as well as other pollutants). Wind power produces no emissions, little noise, and no waste, and it is also compatible with other land uses such as farming and ranching. Since wind is a domestic power source compatible with distributed generation, it increases the nation’s energy security. For the Midwest, wind is also a local source of energy, which can lessen the region’s dependence on resources imported from other states. Given the emergence of a new energy economy focused on increasing renewables, wind development is also an important route for rural economic development. Why, in some areas, is there such debate over a clean energy technology? Wind power is neither inherently good nor bad. Just like most technologies, humans can use it wisely and sustainably, or they can use it in ways that are not necessarily good for the environment or for human communities. Wind power isn’t necessarily appropriate for everywhere. Also, size matters. Some communities might be interested in large scale utility developments, others in community wind, and others in small wind. Why are these debates happening now? Mainly because of two factors: (1) there is a wind boom going on. Wind prospectors, developers, and communities are rushing to solve the problem of climate change and also find their place in an emerging clean energy economy, while (2) few state or local governments have developed comprehensive siting guidelines, so wind can be placed in the best place for communities and the environment (ie, avoiding migratory pathways of birds). The result is often conflict. Like all technologies, wind also has its limits. The wind does not blow steadily all the time, so this inconsistency makes wind an intermittent power source. Our electrical grid needs a stable power source to provide base load capacity. To get around this problem, experts are working on technologies like compressed air storage, but (just like clean coal technologies) these solutions are still a ways away. Other renewables, like biomass, geothermal, solar, etc., can help diversify our energy sources even further. One criticism of wind is its cost per kilowatt hour, compared to traditional fossil fuels. This argument must be considered in the context of how climate change and pressure to cut carbon emissions is transforming our energy economy. Carbon regulations are expected to soon pass the U.S. Congress. One effect will be that traditional fossil fuels will become more expensive energy sources. Developing new sources of energy will cost money, but it is an investment in a new energy future. The best energy investments are those that will provide reliable energy and mitigate the risks of climate change.
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