From Allen Pincus

Barneveld

To the Editor:

There is a lot of opposition to the Cardinal Hickory-Creek (CHC) high voltage transmission line and to the proposed gigantic Uplands wind turbine installation covering parts of Iowa and Lafayette counties. The opponents’ arguments boil down to this: Yes, we need to replace fossil fuels with renewable sources like solar and wind. But unless we also replace the outdated model of generating electricity in large central plants and delivering it over long distances, we will not realize the benefits of renewable energy, namely environmental protection, lower costs, and reliability.

Acres of farmland and large sections of the unique Driftless Area are being cleared for the CHC transmission line. Once built, it will likely attract more wind turbine installations, like the Uplands project, and huge solar farms. So much for protecting the environment. And lower utility bills? The high cost of constructing industrial scale solar and wind installations and transmission lines like CHC could result in higher not lower utility bills. As for reliability, high voltage lines are vulnerable to fires, storms and hacking. 

Local generation and distribution, like roof top and community based solar, is the model we need to follow to realize the benefits of renewable energy. However the model needs to be embodied in the laws governing the generation and distribution of energy, Which brings us to the November elections. Find out how the candidates envision our energy future before you vote.