Wind Power Rally In Rehoboth
November 3rd, 2007 by Maria Evans
Former Delaware Congressman Thomas B. Evans, Jr. (R) surrounded by a group of local children at the wind power rally in Rehoboth Beach.
With it gusting around 40 mph, you just couldn’t have picked a better day for a wind power rally in Rehoboth Beach. As pinwheels whirled in the crowd, organizer Marc Weiss kicked off the rallly,
“It’s absolutely vital that it (the wind farm) get built and that the project be approved now.” - Marc Weiss audio
And while some politicians felt that sending their regards was enough, two Delaware politicians were in Rehoboth Beach Saturday to take a stand for clean, renewable energy.
Former Delaware Congressman Thomas B. Evans, Jr., (R), who lobbys for environmental causes (like not wasting tax payer money to build roads in the Tongass National Forest for lumber companies), lectures at Florida Atlantic University, and grew up in Seaford, Delaware, (he’s also my father-in-law), took the time to show his support for clean energy and talk about the realities of burning coal,
“…it’s a calculable cost to people here, to their lives, to their futures and the young people.” - Thomas B. Evans, Jr. audio
Yes, that’s gubernatorial candidate, Mike Protack (R), (in the back of the crowd to the left with the baseball cap and the moustache), supporting “renewable power.”
Mike Protack (R), who’s running for Governor, was also at the rally and more than happy to share his views on wind power and Delaware’s energy future,
“Delaware is selling itself short if we don’t make that gradual and necessary move to renewable power.” - Mike Protack audio
Wilmington blogger Tom Noyes of Tommywonk, spoke about letting the state know that you back the Blue Water Wind project, and he had some encouraging words for the crowd,
“The Public Service Commission and other state agencies need to hear from you….I’m convinced that these numbers can work and they can work in a way that’s going to save us money over the next 30 years.” - Tom Noyes audio
The general consensus at the wind power rally today in Rehoboth Beach was that there was still hope for the nation’s first off-shore wind farm to be built in the First State.
Citizens for Clean Power was in attendance and helping with the rally. I spoke with Pat Gearity from CCP, and she also wanted to tell people to “get involved,”
“Get involved right away with writing the Public Service Commission and making your feelings known about the Blue Water Wind project.” - Pat Gearity audio
Delaware’s Public Service Commission chose Blue Water Wind’s wind farm proposal to be the new source of energy in the state. However, after the PSC reduced the size of the project from 200 to 150 turbines, and made BWW and DP & L negotiate terms of agreement, the PSC rejected the newly negotiated BWW proposal, (because it wasn’t like BWW’s original proposal anymore, duh), sending the state’s energy future back to square one. So here’s how you can get involved, and since you’re on the internet right now, I’m going to assume you can e-mail:
Delaware Public Service Commission
Arnetta McRae, Chair
arnetta.mcrae@state.de.usOffice of Management and Budget
Jennifer W. Davis, Director
jennifer.davis@state.de.usController General’s Office
Russell T. Larson, Controller General
russell.larson@state.de.usDNREC
John Hughes, Secretary
john.hughes@state.de.us
And wait, to give you some of that, “This blog post made me almost feel like I was there,” feeling, HERE is the rally’s chant.
November 4th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Ms. Evans was very cavalier this morning. So what if ‘Wind Power will cost 1 billion dollars’ - so what if it doesn’t work, ‘just take them down and there will be a fishing hole’. Why not investigate other Wind Power areas in the United States or the world. See how they are working. The taxpayers aren’t as cavalier about paying off the billions of dollars.
Wind Generated Power?
“The principal problem with wind generated power is that turning on the light switch does not cause the wind to blow.”
November 4th, 2007 at 9:39 am
[...] See the complete WGMD blog article here [...]
November 4th, 2007 at 9:59 am
lorry wind turbines are currently generating power all over the USA and off shore wind power is working in Europe. That’s why the PSC initially chose the Blue Water Wind proposal. And where do you get “billlions” of dollars? That’s not accurate.
The people who are being “cavalier” are the ones who think that we can keep spewing mercury in the air as we burn coal for power, and who think that coal prices will have more long term stability than the price of wind.
It’s 2007, time to think of new, clean, renewable ways to generate power. Where is the innovation?
November 4th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I’m telling ya’ll we need to wait but no one is listening. There is a technology coming out that is going to blow conventional wind turbines out of the water. They are going to be cheaper and way more efficient. We are wasting our time and money with this eye sore. Right now wind turbines are just growing and still haven’t worked out all the kinks to say they are a good choice to replace fossil fuel burning electric producers. First, they are insufficient. You need a steady wind and over a wind gust of 15mph just to get these things going and produce a steady electricity output. The new technology in the works will be able to produce as much power as 10 of these wind turbines. These things are loud don’t let them fool you, just go to Atlantic City. They will scare away marine life with noise and vibrations. Yes, they do produce an artificial reef but they fail to mention noise and vibrations that can’t be minimized. The fishermen won’t like that. It’s an easy target for terrorist to hit. How will it be protected? Then 100,000 people are without electricity. Ya’ll are getting sucked in by a good marketing job by BWW which happens a lot in Delaware. Everyone hears it will help stop global warming and they jump on the bandwagon. Wait wait wait. Don’t be suckered into having an insufficient ugly wind farm off our shores.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
“The principal problem with wind generated power is that turning on the light switch does not cause the wind to blow.â€
Apparently, for lack of original thought, you’re parroting this quote from someone who is as small-minded and unenlightened as you, whom you chose to do your thinking. By this logic (or, lack thereof) I can only surmise that you find comfort in knowing that every time you currently turn on the light switch that you expect energy which is spewing pollutants into the air that you may not have to reckon with, but our children will. Take a deep breath before you repeat the propaganda from the power companies.
Fabio,
If you’re so disillusioned by the ability of us uneducated Delawareans to make a decision about our future, why are you still here? There’s probably a think tank over in DC that could benefit by your wisdom. I can’t believe you mentioned aesthetics (look it up) in your myopic tirade against alternative energy. Just stand on the beach at Indian River and look west for a view of a real natural wonder. Sure… let’s wait for the next technology. or the next…
November 4th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
I’ve always been in favor of wind technology here, in whichever way it would ultimately take form with either existing product or that which is being built down in Fabio’s basement. (just kidding Fabio). However, in a State where it’s ‘business as usual’, where NRG and Delmarva power supply the troughs of the politicians, where they can’t even get a bridge up and operational, do we truly think this is a reality?
November 5th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Realistic, I don’t think you truly read my post. Now if someone can find where I said “aesthetics” in my post above I will give them a cookie because I couldn’t find it and neither could the word finder in Mozilla. I don’t know if Mozilla and I are the idiots or Realistic. I believe it’s Realistic not being realistic. Now Realistic, I don’t know if you’ve done your homework on wind turbines, if your an engineer, or took a class in Thermodynamics but if you did or are then I don’t see how you can sit here and back it at that cost. I’ve brought up legitimate arguments against it and you haven’t argued one point. Instead you bashed me. If you did your homework you would understand that the wind farm is still dependent on that little natural wonder west of Indian River beach because a wind farm can’t produce a constant electric power. Therefore, power plants are needed in lingo with the wind farm to produce a constant power.
As for the new technology on it’s way. It’s not my technology. It’s a guy I know and he has had investors invest millions of dollars into this new technology. Right now it is in a testing phase at a simulator lab in South Jersey. It is supposed to put out constant power with the need of low wind speeds to power it. The build cost will be very minimal (10x less than now). There is no noise with high efficiency. The guy did his homework and is a very bright man.
Lastly, let me add I am a true Delawarean/Sussex Countian. Born, raised, and lived here my whole life. I am all for clean power but this technology is not going to totally solve that and for the money it cost it’s a stupid decision. Why see a return in 30 years when we could wait 3 years and see a return in 3 more years. That’s nine years of pay off instead of thirty. Seems logical to me.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Link
18.5% of Denmark’s power comes from wind farms. That’s 18.5% less coming from sources that pollute, like coal plants.
Fabio-the wind farm off the coast of Delaware was NEVER INTENDED to supply ALL of Delaware’s or Sussex’s electricity needs, just 13%. The PSC said that with the wind farm and a back up source, (gas plant), Units 1 & 2 at Indian River COULD STILL be “mothballed” as (revised) scheduled and the remaining Units can still get fitted with pollution controls.
Of course power plants are needed in conjunction with wind farms, that was ALWAYS the plan. I don’t know where you came up with the idea that anyone was proposing JUST wind power for Delaware, that was never the case.
Now the U of D studied the proposals and they said that with the wind farm, the back up gas plant wouldn’t be necessary. The back up gas plant leaves you with a toxic gas by product that one proposal suggested pumping into saline aquifers.
You keep talking about this “new technology.” Have your friend sell his idea to BWW. But waiting 3 years will just make the materials needed to build turbines and their installation cost more.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
Thanks Maria. So we are going to decrease pollution by 13% at the max. That’s to say the power plant isn’t running while the wind farm is going and that the wind farm is producing at max capability. Don’t get me wrong I think the IRPP needs to clean up it’s act and I’m all for clean air power but again like a broken record this is a cost effective and efficient solution.
To shed some light on this new technology. I told my friend he needs to submit his idea to BWW. Right now it is in the testing phase to work out all the kinks and the next phase would be production. I don’t want to give too much away but the idea is the use of solar sails. If you look into solar sails you can find they can be powered by the force from just the sunlights’ photons due the lightness. You may think this new technology would be very expensive but he says the cost is surprisingly cheap compared to the conventional wind turbines. You may question durability but he says they are just as durable and much more safe. It is going to be used to go into space and as ship sails to power big tankers. It supposed to save 40-60% on fuel alone. Sounds good enough for me to wait. I don’t know about you?
November 5th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
BWW is going to resubmit their proposal, and then we’ll see if it’s cost effective or not.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:50 am
In the new religion that is “GLOBAL WARMING”, is Al Gore a patron saint? And who really stands to make $$$$ from the wind power? Gov. Minner took a trip to Denmark to study wind power- what are the costs of electricity in Denmark compared to USA?
November 6th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I heard Gov. Minner just wanted to pick up a few tins of those Dansk Butter Cookies in Denmark for the holidays.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I could just as easily ask, “Who really stands to make $$$$ from the continued burning of coal?” Or how about, “Who’s making the $$$$ now, and who stands to make $$$$ from shelving the wind farm?” And you can’t compare costs in Denmark to the USA, different taxes and factors effect the cost that we don’t necessarily have here.
I’m not sold on the global warming, but I will always want the cleanest air, water and land possible. I’m not willing to trade in people’s health for a $2 savings on my electric bill, it’s not economically smart.
And I’m not going stand for the sacrifice of a clean environment AND people’s health while having to simultaneously suffer through the CEO of NRG whining about how he’s going to destroy the earth if the federal government doesn’t hand him my tax money to clean up his emissions. The money from my electricity bill should be enough to pay for that.
As for the Governor’s trip to Denmark, what a waste. Denmark puts out a report on their energy generation. She could have read that online for free.
January 17th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
[...] That’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Protack in the back of the crowd and to the left with the moustache. He was the only candidate for governor who bothered to show up at a wind power rally in Rehoboth Beach last November, though all of the candidates claim to support it. [...]