In short: resounding yes. Many are against wind turbines and wind farm building and I have to admit they have a few good reasons other than the childish “I don’t like the look of wind mills in the countryside”. Well, I don’t like that the Arctic is getting smaller and smaller every day, and the fact that maybe my children won’t be able to experience the world as it is today. Letting go of the untouched view is a small sacrifice in exchange for nothing less than the whole future of the Earth.

Other than the “threat” to the panorama there are a few reasons why one wouldn’t choose wind turbines over regular electricity generation. Here are a few examples.

- Wind turbines do not produce constantly. Their performance varies based on the actual power of the wind. This can be from zero to storm force!

- Efficiency is not the best available: a modern turbine running at its desired speed can deliver electricity to 500 households. Count quickly how many would be needed for a city with a population of 20 million?

- It is not true that wind turbines are 100% environment friendly, because when factories build them, they do emit some pollution into the air. But that is a onetime pollution against the constant negative effects of regular electricity production with for example burning of coal.

- They are noisy mechanisms. One turbine can produce the same level of noise as a car travelling at 60mph on the highway! You certainly don’t want that under your window constantly. But almost all of these are against the larger, industrial versions, not the ones built for home usage.

Now let’s hear a few pros!

- The wind is free, and it can be captured with good efficiency nowadays compared to the results some decades ago.

- They do not take large portion of lands like solar farms do! The land around these small towers can be cultivated or used in a different way without any problems!

- A large group of people thinks they add to the view of the landscape!

- If you live on the top of the hill or miles away from any civilization you can still generate your own power with smaller wind turbines!

By Mark Gavalda