Regarding Justin R. Turco’s May 25 letter about wind energy in Maine (“Massive wind projects will never offer real value”): The truth is that wind greatly benefits our state.

Harvesting Maine’s wind resources diversifies our energy mix, which benefits ratepayers by saving money and keeping the lights on while keeping our air clean.

Wind energy is increasingly more affordable. Due to wind power’s advancement in technology and relative policy stability, in just four years wind power’s costs dropped 43 percent. Those savings are being passed on to the consumer.

An ISO-New England study found that for every megawatt of new wind that is added to the system, New England wholesale rates may be reduced by $354,000 annually. And during the recent polar vortex, wind’s high output across the region reduced very high electricity prices and natural gas prices all across New England.

Developing wind farms carries a small environmental footprint while yielding tremendous environmental benefits. A very small amount of the land used to host wind farms is needed for turbines, roads and electrical substations, while the vast majority of land remains available to be used as before.

Wind energy emits no air or water pollution, requires no mining or drilling for fuel and creates no hazardous or radioactive waste requiring permanent storage, yet it’s held to the highest environmental standards.

Plus, wind’s impact pales in comparison to other sources of avian mortality, like buildings (97 million to 970 million a year) or oil and wastewater pits at oil and gas production fields (2 million to 3 million).

And with more than $1 billion in capital investment attracted to Maine by this clean energy development and 620,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided a year, it is clear that wind energy is a good deal for Maine. This should help you breathe a little easier.

Jeremy Payne

executive director, Maine Renewable Energy Association

Augusta

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