AFP goes after Ellmers on corporate welfare

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afpAmericans For Prosperity (AFP) is targeting a group of 25 Republicans — including our very own Renee Ellmers — who have not yet committed to opposing federal subsidies for wind energy producers.  On her website, Ellmers boasts about being a fan of “renewable energy” (including wind).  She’s also co-chairing a “Grid Innovation Caucus” with a liberal Democrat from California that pushes for — among other things — increased usage and support of alternative energy sources.

AFP has sniffed out rumors about an extension of wind production tax credits being passed in the lame duck Congressional session.  Ellmers is one of 25 targets of an ad campaign they’ve launched.  Here’s more from AFP-NC’s Donald Bryson: 

[…] “Extending the Wind PTC another year will cost $13 billion over the next decade. Putting taxpayers on the line for this credit would be another instance of an overreaching federal government picking winners and losers. Despite 20 years of taxpayer subsidies, wind energy has yet to show independence and accounts for less than 3% of electricity production. The paying consumers, not Washington’s special interests, should decide which energy companies win and which lose.” […] 

North Carolina-based scientist John Droz raises some interesting points about wind energy: 

[…] Mr. Droz said his main objective Tuesday night was to get people thinking. He said while he knows a lot about environmental energy issues, he doesn’t know everything.mouth

“My main concern is our state energy policies aren’t based on science,” he said, “but on lobbying from people with political and financial motivation.”

Wind energy has become a major issue in Carteret County since Torch Renewable Energy proposed to build a hybrid renewable energy facility to the east of the Newport corporate limits on 7,150 acres owned by the Weyerhaeuser Co. and a private owner. The facility will have 40, nearly 500-foot-tall wind turbines between Newport and Mill Pond, as well as a 50-75 acre solar panel farm between Little Deep Creek and Little Deep Creek Road.

Mr. Droz compared wind energy proponents to historic snake oil salesmen, saying they’re very good at convincing people that wind energy is an energy source that has no faults or drawbacks.

“Today, with the Internet, it’s easier than ever to spread misinformation,” he said.

Mr. Droz said one of his primary issues with wind energy is his research shows it doesn’t “deliver the goods.” He said wind energy turbines have a capacity value – the ability to be available on demand – less than 10 percent.

“Because of this profound technical difficulty,” Mr. Droz said, “wind energy must be augmented, usually by gas.”

Mr. Droz also said wind energy isn’t completely “green,” i.e. without any environmental impact. He said rare earth elements are used in the production of wind energy turbines, and that the process of building them destroys vegetation, produces air pollution and even radioactive waste.

“A more important matter is human health,” Mr. Droz said. “Dozens of human health studies show that wind energy causes many health risks.”

Ms. Crittenton backed up Mr. Droz’s statement about the concern of health risks. She said after his presentation that not enough information has been brought out about the decibel level and frequencies of noise created by wind turbines.[…]