OPINION:
Paul Driessen presents a grisly picture of the slaughter of eagles, whooping cranes and other “majestic sovereigns of the sky,” large and small (“Wind-energy tax credits fund bird murder,” Commentary, Tuesday). What Mr. Driessen omits is perspective on the paltry amount of electricity generated by what he aptly calls “bird Cuisinarts.”
Total electricity from the existing and planned wind turbines in the six whooping crane flyway states will amount to only one-quarter of the output of one nuclear plant. Even worse, wind farms provide electricity at full-power output for only an average of eight hours a day, and output can drop to zero without warning.
Full nuclear-power output, and the electricity from smaller coal- and gas-fired alternatives, is available 24 hours every day and never drops to zero. Since an intermittent megawatt generated by wind is no substitute for a dependable megawatt generated by coal, gas or nuclear power, and each wind megawatt must be backed up by a coal, gas or nuclear megawatt, why can’t we just stop with the wind turbines and save the birds?
GEORGE F. STEEG
Potomac Falls, Va.
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