Subsidies mask the real cost of producing electricity from wind, says a recent U.S. report

The wind power lobby is currently putting forward the idea that generation of electricity from wind energy is actually dropping in cost, and is one more reason for governments to choose wind over other forms of power generation.
Not so fast: a U.S. institute has done a review of the actual costs of wind power. They include funny things like transmission, the cost of idling or spilling other forms of power generation when wind power gets first-to-the-grid rights, as in Ontario, and — amazingly–the social, environmental and health costs of wind power.
Their conclusion? “[T]he growth of wind energy in the U.S. is not the result of new technology and favourable market forces. Rather, wind energy’s rapid emergence is largely a response to general federal and state subsidies intended to boost the technology … ,” says energy Economist Robert Lyman, in a summary document.
“What seems clear, however, is that the actual cost of wind-generated electricity is higher than most published cost estimates indicate,” Lyman says.
“Mandates requiring the use of wind energy increase electricity costs for consumers, and subsidies mask the actual cost of doing so, while penalizing taxpayers.”
Read Mr Lyman’s summary document here: THE UNSEEN COSTS OF WIND
 
MEDIA: To get in touch with Mr. Lyman, please email Wind Concerns Ontario at contact@windconcernsontario.ca