Wind turbines blowing smoke?

Although gas prices may be down, our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil is not going away. Only seven percent of the U.S. energy consumption comes from renewable sources. Only five percent of the renewable resources come from windv. When I first read the numbers I was really surprised how little wind contributed to the overall picture.

Besides the cost to build the turbine and occasional maintenance, the wind is free. But there are a lot of variables that go into making a successful wind farm. You can’t just stick one anywhere. Check out this weeks News Illustrated page to see some of the considerations and how it affects Florida’s wind chances.

Along with the logistics, there are some environmental concerns One concern is birds flying into the blades. After doing a little research I found out two things. Yes, birds do get chopped up in the blades, but it is more likely for a bird to die from flying into a building than a turbine.