12. Part II: Wind Power in Maine – The Upsides and the Downsides
13. Wind Power in Maine -There are currently 18 wind farms either under development or in use, from Mars Hill to Vinalhaven -The two largest wind farms in the state are home to 28 and 38 turbines, and located in Mars Hill and Stetson Ridge, respectively -Those two wind farms on their own are able to supply 50,000 homes with power. Even at half capacity, Mars Hill could power 22,000 houses
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15. -Wind power, such as the Beaver Ridge Wind Project in Freedom, Maine, are part of the smaller community scale wind projects. Three turbines were constructed in 2008, and help power Freedom as well as the nearby communities of Palermo and Montville. The wind project has also caused controversy, ending with the neighboring towns to ban all wind power from being developed.
20. Problems with Wind Power: -Mountaintop wind is also just 25% efficient – meaning much of the time is it not economical. Only two mountaintop sites in Maine would make sense economically, those being Sugarloaf and Katahdin -In Maine, 300+ miles of ridgeline have been approved for wind sites – on the other hand if the same money being given to wind power was given to forest restoration, there would be a bigger CO2 impact -Since so much power is created, it is sent right to the grid, resulting in a scenario where if the power isn't used immediately it is sent out of state
21. Affect on Animals: - The noise from wind turbines severely affects animals – it takes only 3 Db to mask animal sounds; sounds needed to communicate and also to detect predators and prey -Habitats are destroyed by miles of access roads; wildlife simply disappear -The rotors of the turbines rotate at around 200 mph, wreaking havoc with any bird that comes near it
22. My Conclusion: Alternative energies must be developed. Although there are obvious flaws with wind power, it must be developed now in order to be effective in the future. In terms of community island wind, it is a huge benefit to be able to produce your own electricity, and I think community wind in general should be invested in before huge mountaintop wind projects. As one of the top locations for wind power in the country, the state of Maine has a big opportunity to become a leader in wind power, and it is our responsibility to make things happen.
23. A Very Special Thanks To: Suzanne Pude Beth Callahan Ed Schwabe Jonathan Carter Coach St. John Ken Boulier Melanie Woods Brian Scalabrine & Ben Garant Jared Allen Mrs. Aronson Ruth Pease & Greg Blanchette
