Learn the truth about the myths surrounding San Bernardino County wind projects and get the answers to wind frequently asked questions.
GRANITE MOUNTAIN WIND MYTHS
MYTH: It will look like the next Palm Springs.
FACT: It won’t look like Palm Springs because one modern wind turbine produces the same amount of wind energy as 20 or 30 old generation wind turbines. The turbines will be located on a ridgeline, with wide open spaces in between, will rotate much more slowly and will all be the same make and model.
MYTH: W ind Energy Is Heavily Subsidized And Costs More For The Taxpayers Than It Is Actually Worth.
FACT: Every Energy Technology Is Subsidized. Wind receives a tax credit that provides an inflation-adjusted 1.5 cents for each kilowatt-hour generated, over the first ten years of the project.
- This Credit Reduces The Tax Liability Of A Wind Farm, But Is Not A Subsidy Of Public Money Flowing To The Wind Farm Owner.
Other Energy Sources Receive Subsidies In Many Forms, Including Tax Deductions, Loan Guarantees, Liability Insurance And Leasing Of Public Lands At Below Market Prices. Some, like the depletion allowance for oil and gas, are permanent in the tax code. Additional indirect subsidies include federal money for research and development programs and policy provisions in federal legislation.
From 1950 to 1977, US subsidies for oil, natural gas, nuclear and hydropower totaled approximately $500 billion (in 2004 $). (US Department of Energy) In 2003 alone, federal energy subsidies ranged from $37-$64 billion, according to a study prepared for the National Commission of Energy Policy. Wind energy accounted for less than 1% of the total.
MYTH: Wind Turbines Are Noisy.
FACT: Modern Wind Turbines Are Quiet. You can stand right underneath the blades and still hold a conversation without raising your voice. Sierra Renewables follows rigorous and independent noise standards when designing its projects and would not locate a turbine where it could cause a noise nuisance to local residents. Moreover, wind farms are subject to strict planning conditions that monitor noise levels to ensure they never exceed proscribed levels.
- The Turbines Make A Noise Similar To The Swooshing Noise A Kite Or Large Bird Makes, And In Some Areas This Noise Is Hidden By The Sound Of The Wind In Nearby Trees Or Other Vegetation. In technical terms, turbines generate 34-45 dB (at a distance of 350 meters), for comparison a car traveling 40 mph at a distance of 325 feet generates 55dB.
- An Operating Modern Wind Farm At A Distance Of 750 To 1,000 Feet Is No Louder Than A Kitchen Refrigerator. The sound turbines produce is similar to a light whooshing or swishing sound and is much quieter than other types of modern-day equipment. Even in rural or low-density areas (where there is little additional sound to mask that of the turbines) the sound of the blowing wind is often louder.
Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
MYTH: Wind Turbines Will Decrease Property Values.
FACT: Studies Have Shown That The Typical Impact On The Value Of Land And Tourism Near Wind Farms Is Positive. A study conducted by ECONorthwest out of Portland, Oregon on the impacts of wind energy development in Kittitas County found that in five counties there were no negative impacts on property values for lands adjacent to or within view of wind energy projects. (“Economic Impacts Of Wind Power In Kittitas County,” ECONorthwest, 11/02)
A Study Commissioned By The U.S. Government Found No Evidence Showing That Wind Farms Negatively Impact House Prices. A study conducted by the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) indicated no change in property values of 25,000 homes within a five-mile radius of various wind farms – other than a small increase, likely due to a general increase in overall property prices. (George Sterzinger, Fredric Beck, Damian Kostiuk, “The Effect Of Wind Development On Local Property Values,” Renewable Energy Policy Project, www.repp.org, 5/03, Accessed 8/31/07)
