I'll be the first to tell you that I don't believe in the man-made global warming hysteria that some keep trying to sell us. At the same time, that does not mean that I ma not eco-friendly in my outlook on things. For example, I am a believer in wind-generated electricity. That's why I find this WaPo article interesting.

Two hundred towering windmills, each so tall that its blades would loom over the U.S. Capitol Dome, could be built in the Atlantic Ocean near one of Washingtonians' favorite beach retreats, under a plan being considered in Delaware.

The plan, which could create the first wind "farm" in waters along the East Coast, envisions a thicket of turbines offshore of either Rehoboth Beach or Bethany Beach, Del. As the blades are spun by ocean winds, designers say, the wind farm could provide enough power every year for 130,000 homes.

The wind farm is one competitor in an unusual kind of power-plant bake-off: Delaware officials are also considering plants that would burn coal or natural gas as they seek ways to generate more electricity. A preliminary decision could be made tomorrow.

So far, the debate over the windmills has turned on global questions about climate change and very local concerns about the impact on the ocean view. But from the beach, the wind farm's backers say, the giant turbines would look smaller than a boardwalk french fry.

"Toothpicks, with maybe little pinwheels on the top," said Jim Lanard, a spokesman for the company proposing the windmills, describing how they would look on the horizon more than six miles offshore. "You probably wouldn't be able to tell what they are."

Wind farms have sprouted all over the United States in the past decade. There are about 150, from California to the West Virginia highlands. But, so far, they have sprouted only on land.

There was, of course, a plan for a water-based wind farm in Massachusetts -- but it was blocked by Teddy Kennedy and his rich and powerful friends who were concerned that it might mess up their view from Hyannis and Martha's Vineyard. But the reality is simple -- wind power is clean power. Situated away from from shore, they have teh advantage of being relatively inconspicuous -- something that cannot be said about coal burning plants on shore, or even natural gas plants. And if we are really searching for energy independence, where is the logic of leaving this natural form of power untapped?

Posted by: Greg at 10:06 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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