...AND CHEAPER...:

Just look at the Department of Energy's big new Wind Vision report. It shows that wind could plausibly provide 10% of U.S. electricity by 2020 (up from about about 5% now), 20% by 2030, and 35% by 2050. Which is a hell of a lot.

What's more, wind should be cheaper than fossil fuels within the next decade (without subsidies) and can do a lot to reduce pollution. The report says today's wind farms already prevent the equivalent sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter emissions of at least 10 conventional power plants. That's to say nothing of preventing greenhouse gas emissions. By 2050, wind could prevent 21,700 premature deaths from pollution-related diseases and save the country $108 billion a year in associated costs, the report says.

And wind can reduce the amount of water we need to make power, which could be a significant issue in places where water is scarce, like the U.S. Southwest. The report predicts a 23% fall in water use by 2050, assuming wind replaces fossil fuels.

Wind looks marginally expensive in the short term but a great big bargain going forward. 

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