Many conservationists are saying that CO2 is going to kill all life on earth and turn us into a replica of Venus. One would think that the minor environmental impact of wind turbines would be considered a more favorable approach.

However, it seems many environmental groups will only be satisfied by the demise of industrial civilisation.

... as long as it doesn't affect them of course

Has anybody studied the effect of wind turbines on the climate? Both the local & the global climate could be changed.

For wind turbines to make a BIG contribution to global energy needs, then they would have to take an ENORMOUS amount of energy from the wind.
This ENORMOUS energy drain should change the weather. Less wind may mean less storms, larger temperature gradients, & possibly less rainfall! This could occur locally, regionally or even globally. Before we change the world we should know the consequences. They may be far worse than killing birds!

I can remember when CO2 was considered a harmless byproduct of automobiles & power generation. I can also remember when nuclear energy production was considered completely safe.

LET'S NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!

Nuclear energy production is completely safe, if you follow rational procedures. One analogy would be using powered saws, if you use them correctly, they are perfectly safe. This includes maintenance, proper clearance and not sticking your freaking fingers in the way of the blade. Hearing protection helps too.

Now if you want 100% absolutely, positively, totally safe (IOW, you worship at the utopia shrine), then powered saws must be banned or regulated too.

As Patrick Henry pointed out, AGW supporters are at best semiLuddites and many of the pop part of the faith are full blown ones.

Steven: "For wind turbines to make a BIG contribution to global energy needs, then they would have to take an ENORMOUS amount of energy from the wind."

I doubt they would take any more energy from the wind than trees or other structures. The atmosphere is several miles thick. 100 ft. tall structures will not alter the climate significantly and if there is anything they can do to cut down on the headwind in Wyoming across I-80 - I'm all for it. In fact maybe they could replace all the billboards with windmills.

Patrick Henry,

Have you ever studied this? Do you know of any study on this? Do you have any idea how much energy we are talking about for wind power to make to make a significant contribution to global energy consumption? I would not want to change the world based on only your doubts.

STEVEN GOODHUE

Did you really say someone would change the world?
Be serious.

Global Deforestation will balance out the problem/

Power grids right across the nation have claimed the lives of millions of birds but as it�s happened over time and thousands of miles, no one seem to have noticed. The wind farms are located in small areas which makes the death toll obvious. No one looks at the sides of free ways or worries about bird strikes from aviation, so the bird deaths caused by man made structures is not really a concern.
Wind farms represent just one small way to increase the volume of available energy. No one should expect that an alternative energy will replace current demand; because demand will always increase so wind energy will only manage to supply increased demand and only when its windy.
Hydroelectricity only works only when there�s enough water; Italy has drought trouble, along with Australias snowy mountain scheme, thats two regions where climate change has interrupted power supplies. Himalayan glacial melts have threatened the long term future of China�s Hydro dream and Zimbabwe has switched off the power to conserve water for its irrigation needs. I wonder how many ecosystems were destroyed, leading to bird deaths are caused by hydropower.
The alarming thing is that hydropower and wind power has been designed to harness the power of established weather patterns. Traditional regions of high rainfall catchments are exploited where rainfall has now decreased and wind farms are erected where wind speeds may decline. As climate�s change and weather patterns re-establish elsewhere the future supplies from the current batch of alternatives can not be guaranteed.
Around the world people seem convince that clean energy will enable consumerism to continue without any lifestyle change. This occurs while ending poverty is achieved by G8 visions of globalization.
The reality is that our lifestyles plus ending poverty will only increase world demand for more power from all sources of energy. Developing nations will burn just about anything and forests are already being cleared to prove the point, for fire wood and the biofuel crops that are planned. Global ecosystem destruction happens at a faster rate now than before and so wind farm construction is nothing against the backdrop of far worse clean alternative greenwash.