Mr. Frank O’Hara has confirmed to AT that the citizen’s group, Allegheny Front Alliance, has appealed the WV PSC ruling granting a citing certificate to Pinnacle Wind Force LLC for the construction of an industrial wind project on Green Mountain above Keyser, WV.

The AFA Petition to Reconsider is consistent with the growing dissatisfaction among citizens facing the potential of industrial wind projects in their community.  Legislators from the states of Maryland, Montana, and New York are feeling pressure from citizens as they learn of the wasted tax money and generous subsidies provided to this remarkably under-performing industry.

As has been discussed here in previous posts, there seems no question that, provided with accurate information, people begin to questionthe high cost and poor performance of these gigantic machines that consume such an enormous chunk of real estate and air relative to their “capacity” to produce electricity.  We use the term “capacity” simply because the historic output of industrial wind ranges at 20-30% of rated nameplate capacity.  As noted in Dennis Avery’s piece, A Chill Hits Wind Power, ”The Texas power grid’s experience is to rely on no more than 9 percent of the wind farm’s rated capacity.”

The claim that industrial wind will replace fossil fuel power plants and reduce CO2 is challenged by some of the best minds in the country and, when called upon to produce evidence of power plants shut down or evidence (not estimates from industry sources) of CO2 reduction, the reality is this, “With nearly 100,000 huge wind turbines now in operation throughout the world—35,000 in the USA—no coal plants have been closed anywhere because of wind technology. And there is no empirical evidence that there is less coal burned per unit of electricity produced as a specific consequence of wind.”  Even wind developers, when pressed about the CO2 issue tend to minimize industrial wind’s contribution.

The LA Times, in a surprisingly candid piece about the lack of job growth as promised by the wind industry, noted that “even though a record 10,000 megawatts of new generating capacity came on line, few jobs were created overall and wind power manufacturing employment, in particular, fell…”

So, when folks start to realize that industrial wind costs more, provides few jobs, very little and infrequent electricity to the grid and all the while sacrifices our environment and wildlife in the process, there’s bound to be a shift.  The industrial wind folks fight back with their propaganda and call doubters NIMBY (not in my back yard).  Well, as we said here in a previous post, Industrial wind calls it NIMBY. Perhaps! But “this problem runs from the arctic to the tip of South America — and that is one helluva big backyard!”

So, do as we and others have and challenge your political leaders to look past the curtain that is the industrial wind scam.  Reach out to your Governors and legislature to challenge their thinking.  Make them aware that you expect them to invest your tax dollars wisely.

The full text of the Allegheny Front Alliance appeal is provided here for your convenience: