Op-Ed

Oil and natural gas prices continue to rise, seemingly endlessly

Editor's Note: Since this was written a few days ago, the price per barrel of oil has risen to $140 with OPEC ministers predicting on Thursday that the price will reach $170 a barrel by late summer.

To free our nation from imported oil
Wind Turbines Can Produce Power and Jobs, Reduce Oil Dependency

By Jim Liedell

Oil and natural gas prices continue to rise, seemingly endlessly.  How can we cope with skyrocketing energy costs, air fouled by fossil fuel power plant emissions, which cause respiratory illnesses and medical bills, and other perpetual price jumps?

We need cheaper, cleaner power.

To get it, we must use the successful path European countries have taken to benefit from offshore wind turbines.

As Reuters reported recently, Britain will build 5,000 more offshore wind turbines by 2020 to produce 25 gigawatts of electricity; added to the eight gigawatts already in place, wind will power 25 percent of Britain's total electricity supply.

Minerals Management Service's analysis of Cape Wind's project concluded its many major benefits far surpassed its few minor negative impacts; and of the 42,000 public comments, more than 41,000 (97.6%) supported the project.

 A U.S. Department of Energy report released in May on wind power concluded, "The U.S. can increase its use of wind power over the next two decades to supply 20 percent of the nation's electricity . . . U.S. coastal states can harness 50,000 megawatts of offshore wind in shallow water depths of less than 100 feet," and "increasing the use of wind power to supply 20 percent of the nation's electricity will create up to a half million new American jobs."

Nearby land wind turbines are increasing: one at Mass. Maritime Academy, with a second planned, two at Hull, at Hyannis Country Garden soon, two north of Falmouth expected soon - at the town wastewater treatment plant and at Notus Clean Energy - and at Cape Cod Community College soon.

Our call to action as concerned citizens is to support offshore and land wind turbines, thus assuring we will receive wind power benefits locally.

Jim Liedell, Yarmouth Port

Previous articles by Mr.Liedell;

• Everything goes up except our leader's wisdom
  
• Glowing grades don't lie, Cape Wind is not the villain
  
• Coming to a military reservation near you