The drawbacks of wind power

Re. “Wind power can be stranded as easily as oil,” Opinion, Dec. 29

Nick Martin has written a concise analysis of why wind power must be a costly and inefficient means of generating electric power in Alberta, and then refuses to acknowledge the most reasonable conclusion of his analysis, which is that Alberta should not invest in wind power.

The only point in favour of establishing wind power is that wind turbines do not emit greenhouse gases. To defenders of wind power, this advantage overrules all the disadvantages, such as the inherent unreliability of wind, the cost of manufacturing and erecting the towers and the attenuations of quality of life that befall people who live near wind turbines.

If we applied Mr. Martin’s valuation of the benefits of wind power to ocean travel, we would now be investing in a fleet of sailing ships.

Ian Coleman, Edmonton