The Hidden Costs and Harms of Wind Energy

The Hidden Costs and Harms of Wind Energy: A Systems Perspective on Economic Waste, Environmental Destruction, Wildlife Impacts, and Community PowerlessnessIntroduction Wind energy, touted as a "Net Zero" solution, promises low-carbon electricity. Yet, its economic waste, vast land use, unreliability, health impacts, vista destruction, wildlife mortality, and abandonment risks--evident in Washington’s Palouse Hills and Columbia River Gorge--reveal a flawed technology driven by subsidies and eco-idealism. Fierce opposition to wind is arising in Washington and Oregon. This paper, based on discussions with a concerned citizen driving these regions, exposes wind’s true costs and urges alternatives.Economic Inefficiency and Subsidy Dependence Wind relies...