Wind power

Electric rates may be increasing for many Kansas consumers. Why? To pay for a new coal-fired plant? According to Notice of Public Hearings & Comment Period available at the Kansas Corporation Commission, the reasons Westar Energy cites as creating the need for a rate increase are repair costs from a recent ice storm, investments in new natural gas plants, and investments in wind energy. It turns out that electricity generated by wind is expensive, even though the federal government pays producers $.015 for each kilowatt-hour of electricity generated by wind. (This payment, made through a tax credit, is set to…

In the post Is Sebelius' call for more wind-power all hot air? Kansas Liberty reporter Holly Smith provides excellent analysis of the current situation regarding additional wind power generation in Kansas. Some important findings: With more wind power, electricity bills will be higher. Wind power generation is costly, and costs are rising rapidly. There aren't enough transmission lines from where the wind farms are located. There is no scientific basis for associating emissions with public health risks. T. Boone Pickens says "I'm not going to have the windmills on my ranch. They're ugly." The Wall Street Journal editorial Wind Jammers…