AUG 15

I hate to disagree but your last statement that any state can reach 20% of their electricity being generated by wind is a logical fallacy. Wind farms are expensive to build (one of the reasons companies are able to afford it are the tax breaks they receive for building them, otherwise it isn't that cost effective). They also require vast tracts of open land outside of civilization, have you seen one up close? They're big, ugly, and there's a constant drone in the background that is annoying at best. Finally there are weather conditions which must be met in order for the wind generators to work, I'm betting that not all states can meet the conditions in large enough areas of land to be able to have enough wind farms.

Iowa is also around rank 30 when it comes to state population size, so it's easier to generate the energy requirements than for states with much larger populations.

I know you mean well by your supposed lesson, but the US will not hit 20% electricity generation via wind anytime soon, if ever, we're not really moving in that direction. It would make more sense to invest in other alternate forms of energy (which we are doing), and keep the wind farms in open empty places that don't have much going for them in terms of scenery or people.

While this won't work a lot of places, as the previous poster pointed out, it's great that a place that can succeed is moving forward with it.

I agree Robert. The expense is just too enormous. Yes it helps the environment but the cost to set these up is astronomical. I had an estimate to put solar cells on my house. The sales pitch was that it cut my electric bill trmendously. GREAT!! But it would cost me $400 a month for 15 years to finance it. Cmon. Same thing with these wind farms. Yes it saves energy but someone has to pay for the set-up and maintenance which far exceeds the savings.

Robert is right. Also, wind farms are green washed not green. Environmental impact studies are not occuring and aren't being shared with the public. Wind turbines kill many bats and many birds, including Golden and Bald Eagles. They aren't an alternative to energy they are in addition to what infrastructure is already there. Wind energy is also a heavily subsidized industry.

While I agree that wind power won't work in every state the characterization of wind farms as ugly and producing a "constant drone" are simply not true. They certainly produce less noise than a truck on an interstate and those criss cross our country, and many people think they're beautiful. Lots of things are heavily tax subsidized as well, oil for instance both by direct payments to oil companies, and the military cost necessary to bring about stability needed to ship it around the world.

There is one advantage that Iowa does have. Lately I've seen a collection of the biggest windbags ever in Iowa. Maybe in the near future New Hampshire can have many wind turbines as well.

True on one windbag seen recently - initials B.O.

We need to get over the idea that there is a single mega-solution to our energy needs. Wind turbines are a great idea where there is lots of wind, especially in the High Plains states and off-shore. Certainly solar farms are the best solution in states where there is a lot of available sun such as the Southwestern states. Coastal states can look to ocean current and tidal generation. The point is, all of us are surrounded by some form of renewable energy. It's up to us to learn how to use it efficiently.