From: hal@finney.org
Date: Mon Jun 25 2001 - 14:10:31 MDT
The L.A. Times has an article this morning which mentions, somewhat in
passing, a solution being followed in Denmark to objections from locals
about building new power plants in their vicinity. In this case the
plants are windmill farms, but the same principle could apply to other
plans as well:
COPENHAGEN--A graceful arc of alabaster windmills rises out of
the midnight-blue waters of the Oresund strait, visual testimony to
Danes' commitment to clean energy and the health of the planet.
Until recently, wind parks were also sources of bitter resentment
among those who saw the stark white poles, whining turbines and
jerky rotors as a blight on their bucolic landscape.
But beauty is in the eye of not only the beholder but also the
shareholder.
As Europe embarks on a major push to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions, the Danes simultaneously have discovered how to reduce
public opposition to wind parks: They are organizing local residents
into investor co-ops so that the pinwheel vistas they gaze upon are
their own proud--and profitable--projects.
"To create this enormous wind park right at the doorstep of
Copenhagen, well, it's just beautiful," enthuses Erik Christiansen, a
clean-energy consultant and private investor in the Middelgrunden
park in Oresund. "It looks even better when you think that it's putting
money in your pocket."
It does make sense that the NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard, people who
protest about the local negative impact of plants whose benefits are
felt over a larger area) should be compensated for the damage which is
done to their views, property values, air quality, etc. when a plant
moves in. I don't think our current policies do a good enough job at
this, as witnessed by the fact that few communities welcome plants.
If they're being hurt, they should be compensated. Otherwise we're not
making the most efficient economic decisions, not including all of the
relevant information in plant-building decisions.
Most of the Times article is about windmills and their increasing
importance in Europe. I was surprised to read, "A full 13% of Denmark's
electricity comes from the wind, and the country expects to generate
enough renewable power to account for 23% of its energy needs within
two years and 50% by 2030, mostly from wind." I guess it's pretty
windy there. Germany also is moving heavily into wind power.
We have a lot of windmill farms in California; probably some of you
drive past them every day. I tend to find them ugly, but that is in part
because most of the time when I've seen them they aren't spinning, or only
a few are. Maybe if they were all spinning merrily it would look more
attractive, or at least useful. According to the article, after falling
off in recent years U.S. spending on new wind power installations has
surged again last year to double its previous peak level. So we might
start seeing more of them.
Hal
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