LET THERE BE WIND

I have heard the radio ads repeating over and over again during the past weeks vying for the hearts and minds of Delaware citizens. The winner gets to provide Delaware’s energy needs for years to come. Will it be provided through the usual commodity markets at the prevailing price determined by a world market or by a wind farm generated off the Rehoboth shore? The battle is blazing through the air waves and I still have no idea what the final details are that they are fighting for. Blue Water Wind cites the long term benefits of continuous renewable power and Delmarva Power the inequities of Blue Water Wind‘s contract agreement with Delaware as opposed to deals offered to other states.

What exactly is the subject here?

Is it about bringing new energy technologies to Delaware or is it keeping our current power source supplier unchallenged to perform better for us. I know for me, I want the subject to be a lower power bill. I want to know that my family can stay warm in the winter, turn the lights on and not find the bill is suddenly double what it was last month for the same number of kilowatts. How many times is that going to happen? I know I do not want to rely on an uncertain future for our energy.

We have elected our representatives to understand the issues and to make good deals for us. One legislator stated recently that the state’s agencies were in for a “wake up call” at budget hearings since Delaware was in a money crunch. I am guessing that means Delaware’s citizens are going to have less services and higher taxes and that the “wake up” call is ours. Now, more than ever we need some certainty in energy costs.

So what is the deal that our representatives plan to make for us? If you read the University of Delaware and the Audubon Society studies about costal wind generation I wonder why the battle still rages. Off shore wind projects are reported to be a win wind situation for our small state. We need to start depending on ourselves and not leave things to others who don‘t care what we have to pay for energy. The deal is only as good as the contract, so write one. Instead of a green decision we can make a blue one.