Monday, November 25, 2013

Ah, Yes, That Alternate Energy...

Brad_in_MA sends in yet another green energy "success" story...

Eagle deaths at wind turbine farm: Duke Energy agrees to pay $1 million
WASHINGTON -- The government for the first time has enforced environmental laws protecting birds against wind energy facilities, winning a $1 million settlement Friday from a power company that pleaded guilty to killing 14 eagles and 149 other birds at two Wyoming wind farms.

The Obama administration has championed pollution-free wind power and used the same law against oil companies and power companies for drowning and electrocuting birds. The case against Duke Energy Corp. and its renewable energy arm was the first prosecuted under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act against a wind energy company.
Boy, that's a tough position to be in, isn't it? I mean, pretty much every solar company out there has gone bust - right after they got the Obama administration to slap heavy tariffs on inexpensive solar panels from China - so solar's out. Now that they're starting to enforce existing laws against killing birds, wind power is going to take a decent hit, too.

It's going to be interesting to see how this prosecution ripples through the alternative energy community. One of the long-standing complaints about wind power is the danger posed to avian life, and now that it's starting to be addressed in the only form businesses understand (fines), how much will this affect new wind power production?

I wonder when we'll start getting serious and building more nuclear power plants?

That is all.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

5 comments:

Dave H said...

Cynical me wonders if maybe Duke Energy's political contributions didn't meet expectations.

Anonymous said...

Electrical producers have been smacked around because eagles have fried themselves on power lines. Eagle would appear to be rather dumb.

http://decorahnewspapers.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=29732

Just understand those fines will be passed along in some shape or form to the end user.

Gerry

Anonymous said...

It's all part of the plan to plunge the US back into the Dark Ages and kill off the excess population. Obama wants people worried about trying to keep warm and not asking questions or fighting against the tyranny he is setting up.

Old NFO said...

They'll never get Nuke plants through...

Peripatetic Engineer said...

If you had shot 14 eagles you would be headed to federal jail!