Wind is the future

Whenever I observe the large wind turbine situated on the Forbes property, I find myself satisfied by its presence. I would welcome the sight of hundreds of comparable turbines scattered throughout the landscape, all working to produce renewable electricity while reducing our consumption of foreign oil—a drain on the nation’s financial resources. That single turbine at Forbes represents what lies ahead. We witness tomorrow’s possibilities each time that turbine rotates and generates power. Recently enacted legislation permitting an offshore wind turbine farm approximately five miles into Cape Cod Sound marks yet another step toward the future becoming reality. Yet rather than embrace this development, many Cape Cod residents are fighting against it. Rather than accept emerging technologies for sustainable electricity generation, the predictable resistance has emerged from opponents claiming wind turbines would diminish ocean vistas for Cape Codders and ocean enthusiasts everywhere. Wind-generated electricity, in my view, is what the future holds. The Cape Cod undertaking will demand substantial upfront investment, and genuine financial returns will be limited initially—though local employment opportunities and construction contracts will create immediate economic activity. Once the project is financed over 10 to 15 years, however, and those massive blades are rotating while producing approximately 850 megawatts of electricity annually, the United States will move substantially toward energy independence—provided that comparable wind farms are built across regions where consistent winds occur throughout most of the year. Should this model expand nationwide, American dependence on foreign oil and the Middle Eastern Arab dictators controlling it would end, along with their accumulating wealth from these resources. In the case of wind-powered electricity generation, opponents of such projects offer no alternative solution to break free from foreign oil dependency. Rejecting wind farms amounts to rejecting the future that has already arrived. If the United States transformed itself into a coast-to-coast wind farm network, oil would trade at $20 per barrel, economic growth would accelerate, and prospects would brighten considerably. Continuing to rely on imported oil represents the surest path toward national financial collapse.