I was relieved to find that I’m not the only one with concerns about the way wind power is being peddled as “the solution” to the world’s increasing energy woes.
Whether it’s massive industrial wind farms or micro-turbines on the roofs of suburban houses, it often appears to me that a lot of the claims being made are no more than snake-oil.
Writing for Guardian Unlimited, Terry Slavin writes that “there is no guarantee that putting a turbine on your roof will produce enough electricity to make worthwhile savings“.
He then goes on to put together a well-researched critique of the mounting push to sell micro wind turbines to credulous consumers who want to display their green credentials to their neigbours.
And don’t get me wrong - I think wind turbines can be a useful and green source of energy if used in the right place and the right way.
But the search for a commercial, consumer-friendly and easily marketed, one-stop solution is a blind alley that is intended to benefit the pockets of a few.
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