By BASIL J COULE, CPA

June 11, 2007 8:31 PM | Link to this

THE CITRUS GROVES AND CATTLE RANCHES IN THE STATE ARE WELL POSITIONED TO REAP MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PROFIT BY PARTNERING WITH WIND FARM DEVELOPERS. A 300 FOOT TOWER CAN BE INSTALLED PER 3 SQUARE ACRES OF LAND WITH VERTUALLY NO IMPACT TO THE GROVE OR FARM ITSELF. THIS CO-GENERATION FEATURE ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT TREES AND COWS DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LOOK OF A TOWER OR THE MINIMAL SOUND TRANSMISSION SAYS TO ME FLORIDA SHOULD JUMP TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE IN PRODUCTION OF GREEN POWER.

By JDB

June 10, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this

Wind should be tested in Florida. But the biggest efforts need to be made in more conservation. In Tallahassee we may not even have one Green Home yet technology exists for making homes that require very minimal electricity. It the smaller home trend continues we’ll need even less energy. I met a neighbor whose electric bill was $75 last month for about a 1800 sqfoot house. I am from WVA and the devastation of mountaintop coal is BAD. They even took protection away from 30% of their “Blue Ribbon” trout streams. No coal, no nuclear until we do MUCH more conservation. JDB

By David Rockwell

June 10, 2007 1:30 PM | Link to this

Wind along the FL coast is too fickle to justify much expenditure. Consider that wind mainly blows consistently for 4 months during the winter. For about 4 to 6 months, it blows maybe for 8 to 12 hours a day. The remainder of the year is even less wind. Therefore, it will be very difficult to rely on a source of energy with this pattern.

By kent beuchert

June 8, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

FPL is soaking up the massive Federal tax vbreaks and subsidies for wind power. They are strictly in it for the money - they have said point blank that if their were no subsidies, they would never build another wind turbine. If you want to make power when you don’t need it, and want to spend 6 times as much as you would to build reliable nuclear power , that will have a lifespan twice as long, then you would want wind. Wind is a terribly inefficient way to make unreliable, uncontrollable small amounts of electricity. 100 turbines can’t even produce 50 megawatts of their supposed 150 megawatt capacity.

By Dr. JoBo

June 8, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this

As a leading authority on energy in the United States, I would like to suggest an alternative power source that would solve many problems this country is currently facing; the use of mexicans for the generation of methane gas! Let’s face it; why are mexicans referred to as “beaners” anyway; because they love beans and it only follows that they fart as well! Instead of deporting them, let’s attach thier asses to one big gas bag and use the energy to power Ft. Pierce and other slime-pits in the general vacinity.

By EE

June 8, 2007 8:28 AM | Link to this

Nuclear is one of the cleanest power generation options available. Unfortunately, a new nuke in Florida, or anywhere, is 10 + years away due to all of the red tape and bureaucracy.

Wind power generation is a great idea but it is not reliable because no power is produced when the wind doesn’t blow. Where do you think the replacement power will come from? The increasingly natural gas dependent power industry. Also, how well do you think a 300 ft. wind turbine will fare against a hurricane? And, yes, the largest wind turbines available produce 2.5 megawatts and are 300 feet tall. A new nuke unit will produce between 800 and 1200 megawatts.

Nukes all the way.

By Dave Spokely

June 8, 2007 5:16 AM | Link to this

FPL is what I call a responsible company, unlike Enron and some of the other electrical power companies like Enron. Why? Because it is regulated by the State of Florida. I think we will need nuclear, wind, and any other energy producers to take us away from the need for oil from the Middle East.

By Fred D Starr

June 8, 2007 3:49 AM | Link to this

Build more nuclear plants! Modern Nuke plants are very safe and clean.

By matt

June 7, 2007 8:50 PM | Link to this

Wait ‘till the animal rights people hear about this…….and the rich people who do not want to see wind mills in there back yard. This will NEVER happen.

JUST AUTHORIZE A NEW NUKE PLANT AND GET IT OVER WITH!