Should the Use of Wind Power Be Encouraged?

Of late, scientists have announced that the world's reserves of fossil fuels cannot continue to support our exponentially growing population. Hence, much effort has been put into the development of new and renewable sources of energy, among them, wind power. With the implementation of wind power projects by several nations, a number of related problems have surfaced. Despite its much touted benefits, the use of wind power should not be encouraged because it is inefficient, expensive, affects the local economy

and disruptive to the livelihood of people living around wind farms and can cause environmental damage.

Firstly, wind power is a poor substitute for fossil fuels because it is inefficient. To be effectively harnessed for power generation, wind has to blow at speeds greater than 20 km per hour. However, this does not always occur and thus wind farms can only generate power 35% of the time (Environment.action.org n.d.). On less windy days, fossil fuels would be needed to as a supplement for power generation. Besides, wind power cannot be stored for later used (Renewable Energy: Wind Power 2004). Hence, it is proven that wind power is a poor substitute for fossil fuels because it is inefficient.

The high cost of producing energy from wind is another reason why wind farms should not be encouraged. In Australia, for instance, the cost of producing one megawatt of power from wind is $80 which is still high compared to $60 for both hydroelectricity and biomass energy (The approximate costs of producing power in Australia n.d.). Besides, wind power is inconsistent and would need to be supplemented by fossil fuels, hence increasing costs. Advocates of wind power have also failed to note that harnessing wind power from farms that are located in rural areas for use in cities will be a further expense (Dr Nguen cited in Environment.action. org n.d.). Therefore, it should not be encouraged as high cost of producing energy is needed.

Apart from that, wind power has a negative impact on the local economy. Farmers living around wind farms have estimated that the value of their properties would be reduced by 40% due to construction works and vibration. Not only has that, house prices dropped drastically at places near wind farms. Furthermore the large steel towers would destroy the scenic view of the countryside which may adversely affect the tourism sector (McBain 2005). These brings negative impact on the local economy and thus, it should not be encouraged

Besides, the lives of people living near wind farms will be disrupted in many ways. Members of the local community have complained that the constant noise from the rotor blades is discomforting and irritating (Professor Sorensen cited in Environment.action.org. n.d.). Some people have expressed fear that for the safety of children who walk by wind farms during high winds. Dr. Susan Woods of the Rural