• Not the best approach
    February 13,2013
     

    Not the best approach

    As a supporter of Bernie Sanders I am floored by his lack of knowledge on the realities of ridgeline wind. In his recent interview on VPR’s “Vermont Edition,” Sanders states, “We have got to move as rapidly as we can to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, into energy efficiency and into sustainable energies ... not excluding wind.”

    Bernie doesn’t seem to understand that wind, as an intermittent renewable resource, does not replace fossil fuels.

    Bernie doesn’t seem to realize that energy produced from Sheffield and Lowell industrial wind is being curtailed due to the transmission grid instability it causes.

    Bernie seems unaware that this grid instability problem is well documented in other areas of the country where turbines have been curtailed to the point of total shutdown.

    Bernie appears to be clueless about the need for battery storage to be developed before wind could ever be integrated into our transmission system in a way that reduces the need for fossil fuels.

    Bernie also seems to be blind to the benefits of intact ecosystems in combating global warming.

    But what is most concerning is that this issue has shown me a different side of Bernie. That is, his total disregard for well-documented facts; his digging his heels in and using his influence to blindly push this agenda forward; and his inability to consider the benefits of taking a reasonable pause to understand the facts.

    Is this how Bernie approaches all the decisions he makes in Washington?

    Carol Maroni

    Craftsbury

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