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Wind Energy: The Answer is Blowing in the Wind Oregon has been a national leader in harnessing the wind and providing alternative energy for Oregonians. In 1980 the Wind Task Force of the Alternate Energy Developing Commission found that Oregon had the potential to produce a significant amount of its energy through wind power. Since the first commercial wind operation opened in 1980, Oregon has continued to grow and expand the number of wind farms throughout the state. Today, Oregon is home to five major commercial wind farms: The State Line Project, the Klondike, Vansycle Ridge, the Condon Wind Project, and the Condon Wind Project Phase II. In addition, a project known as the PacifiCorp/Eurus Project is being developed. Unfortunately, these projects are jeopardized by the Bush administration's policy plan to dig, drill, and destroy our natural resources for polluting natural gas and coal. Instead, we should be moving our country toward clean, renewable energy sources, like wind and solar. Jeff Bissonnette Jeff Bissonnette, the Organizing Director for the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), commissioned by Oregon voters in 1984 to work on utility issues related to electricity, natural gas and telecommunications, has been working on energy issues in Oregon for five years. CUB is a membership-based organization that acts as a watchdog for utility consumers, with the goal of ensuring that renewable energy is given equal opportunity in the rate-making and policy-making processes. According to Jeff, the Bush administration continues to undercut the effectiveness of Oregon's renewable energy program. Already, wind turbines in this country produce enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 1 million households. Standing as tall as 300 feet to capture the full force of the wind, modern wind turbines use state-of-the-art technology to turn wind into electricity. When the wind blows, the blades rotate, turning an electric generator to create electricity. This electricity is then carried through the turbine tower underground where it feeds into the electric grid. Like consumers everywhere, Oregonians want cheap utilities, but not at the cost of harming the environment. Residents have consistently supported investments in the state's future by encouraging energy sources that do not pollute the air or harm public health. Oregon's sustainable energy program is a national trend-setter, but instead of regarding Oregon as an example of how we can do better, the Bush administration continues to subsidize dirty coal and nuclear power. According to the Northwest Energy Coalition, Oregon has the wind potential to produce 1,482 average megawatts per day from wind; the state is currently producing only 72 megawatts per day from wind. To put this into perspective, a city the size of Seattle (slightly more than half a million people) would require 1,000 megawatts per day to meet its energy needs. It is clear that Oregon has the opportunity to be a national leader in clean energy produced by wind, but encouragement and support from the Bush administration is sorely needed to translate this potential into action. President Bush signed a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) into law for the state of Texas during his time as governor, but he has adamantly opposed amendments that would set a national RES on power generation. Renewable Energy Standards encourage the use of greener energy technologies by setting standards on the percentage of energy generated from the sun, wind, and earth. The Texas RES turned the state from a renewable energy laggard into a national leader in alternative energy. A national RES to provide 20 percent of the country's electricity from renewable sources would stimulate the market for renewable energy, making it even more affordable, easier to obtain, and, thus, more widely used. Oregonians have a long history of supporting renewable energy, and recent polls show that Oregonians want economic improvement, job creation, and a healthy environment. In an attempt to give residents what they want, the state has created laws requiring energy companies in Oregon to offer their customers a renewable option. Additionally, Oregonians pay 3% of their overall utility costs to invest in renewable energy and conservation programs. Instead of supporting states' attempts to encourage the use of renewable energy, however, the Bush administration has clearly demonstrated that it is firmly committed – some might say addicted – to polluting, 19th century energy technology. Rather than investing the nation in renewable energy-or even encouraging states to invest in it-the Bush administration has chosen to dump billions of dollars into outmoded power plants and dirty fossil fuels which emit more than 4 million tons of smog, soot, mercury, and global warming pollution into the air per year. This pollution has led to the dubious distinction of Oregon having the third-highest rate of asthma in the country.1 Investing in Oregon's renewable energy programs could help foster a clean environment while creating jobs nationwide. When wind turbines are erected, jobs are created. If energy companies commit to using union labor and paying employees a family wage with benefits, Oregon's workers and the state's overall economy would benefit. "We are doing better here in Oregon," says Jeff Bissonnette. "We have demonstrated that there are creative ways to boost renewable resources through means that don't hurt or threaten our natural resources." For more information contact: Brent Foster, Sierra Club Volunteer (503) 238-1241, brentfoster@ecoisp.com Greg deBruler, Columbia Riverkeeper (509)493-3950, cruwa@gorge.net Fred Heutte, Sierra Club Volunteer (503) 222-9572, phred@sunlightdata.com Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Center for Disease Control and Protection, Self Reported Asthma Prevalence Among Adults, August 17, 2001, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5032a3.htm. Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club