I'm not suggesting wind or solar is 100% wash - but painting rosey pictures of people living in bliss in a world without pollution based soley on reports provided by the very government that negotiated the contracts is not exactly unbiased. What would you expect them to report?
Here in Ontario the cost of eletricity in some areas has increased 3 or 4 fold in a relatively short time (1 or 2 years). Its complicated, and certainly cannot be blamed entirely on green energy and I don't profess to be an expert. However I don't believe its over-simplfying to state the Province negotiated initial wind contracts to lure investors at rates which we know now are too high but since they are guaranteed, and because we don't need the excess power - we end up subsidizing other provinces and even states like Michigan to take our electricty.
Quote from link below: "He's over-billing seniors and families by increasing [electricity] rates 75 per cent, and then subsidizing exports of power to Quebec, New York, New Jersey," said Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak.
"These jurisdictions are paying less for Ontario power than what Ontario families are being charged." Unquote.
The point here is that while statistically it may be generate a profit - if you happen to have a Grandma that is now paying 75% more for electricity and lives on a fixed income ...only to find out your neighbours to the south and east are the benefactors - its hard to stomach.
Statistics can mislead. And yes, politicians do their share. But I know actual people and initially I was skeptical until I saw their bills.
As far as living with wind, in some cases, wind turbines have interfered with flight paths of local airports because of poor planning and lack of transparency between Province and county and if you just DRIVE through northern Ontario - you will see signs everywhere - NO MORE WINDMILLS.
Then there is the debate on the safety of the turbines and the province has (under constant pressure from local government ie municipalities actually living with the stuff) declared a moratorium on further wind turbine development until an actual study can be completed (none were done -Wind power is exempt from Environmental Assessments and provincial decisions were made without inviting comment or opinion from locals )
Professing wind to be the saviour of all people will not make you popular in many parts of Ontario. If people are wrong, or misguided, then the government sure has a lot of explaining to do to convince them otherwise.
Its a frequent topic in local newspapers and on radio.
Finally, to say its a job creator is to exclude Nuclear - Ontario has 3 huge Nuclear generating stations in the south East, northwest, and south west, (Darlington, OPG, BP) that employ thousands of workers full time - people who live in the communities and have daily employment and a good standard of living with a reliable and cheaper source of power. Sure, wind power has created some jobs and I don`t know what if any impact it has had on manufacturing (which is hardest hit in Ontario in all sectors and would be nice if some of the components were manufactured here) - but that aside, investors who hire some contractors to set up some turbines on a farm and then let everyone go is a blip on the radar in comparison.
Anyway, I'm not going to invest more time because it doesn't really matter what I think and I respect your right to believe whatever you wish. I also realize it is unpopular to state that "being green can be mean".
However, you asked. Here are some links.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/s ... eaway.htmlhttp://toronto.ctvnews.ca/moratorium-on ... o-1.606518http://www.recorder.ca/2012/07/12/worri ... -windmillsThe last is the most recent dated July 12 2012.