Green energy’s biggest obstacle

The nut of the deeply dividing wind power debate in the North Country has been this: some people just don’t want to look at 400-foot tall turbines in their natural viewshed. And/or they believe they’re bad for the ecosystem.

Wind power isn’t alone. A similar debate is going on out West over solar power. Today, the New York Times reports Sen. Dianne Feinstein has essentially scuttled 13 solar farms by moving toward protecting part of the Mojave desert:

The debate over the monument encapsulates a rising tension between two goals held by environmental groups: preservation of wild lands and ambitious efforts to combat global warming.

Not only is the desert land some of the sunniest in the country, and thus suitable for large-scale power production, it is also some of the most scenic territory in the West. The Mojave lands have sweeping vistas of an ancient landscape that is home to desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, fringe-toed lizards and other rare animals and plants.

The technology/infrastructure behind solar and wind power will continue to progress to address other perceived flaws: the intermittency, the distance from population centers where electricity is consumed, etc.

But if people don’t want solar/wind farms built in the first place, the two most promising/ready “green” energies will be dead on arrival. And our hopes at seriously addressing climate change – and achieving energy independence – will dim considerably.

What would be the next great hope? Nuclear? Natural gas? Turning cow poop into power? All have their downsides and/or limitations. And maybe that’s the point. All energies are a mixed bag, and our profligate energy usage comes with a huge cost, regardless the source.