After decades of research and millions of dollars invested, wind power is finally catching its stride. For years wind and solar energy have trailed coal and oil in terms of price-per-unit output, despite the favor of heavy government subsidies. The unveiling of the Maglev wind turbine has changed traditional paradigms by vaulting wind power into direct competitiveness with coal.
“Maglev” is short for Magnetic Levitation, and it is the same technology that enables Japan’s Bullet Trains to travel high speeds at low cost. The beauty of Maglev is that unlike traditional wind generation systems, it will have almost no internal friction. The energy normally lost to friction will now go directly into producing electricity, plus no friction means less wear on parts and lower repair costs.
Today’s wind turbines generate power at 4 to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with 2 to 3 cents for coal and 5 to 6 cents for natural gas (solar power is much more expensive at 10 to 40 cents). According to the company responsible for manufacturing them, Maglev turbines are capable of producing power for as little as 1 cent per kilowatt-hour. That is even more efficient than new coal gasification plants, and of course a good bit cleaner. Wind power generation releases no carbon dioxide.
Unfortunately, one obstacle to acceptance of wind power is aesthetics. Despite the fact that a traditional field of windmills would require more than 1,000 units on more than 64,000 acres of land to compare with one Maglev turbine, the new turbines are still not very pretty to look at, and it’s probable that many city residents will resist attempts to build them where they are needed most.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind having a turbine in my backyard, knowing that it is much cleaner and more efficient than many other forms of energy, and that it is providing energy for 750,000 of my neighbors.
The greatest part about the development of Maglev wind power generation technology is that it does not require subsidies to be economically viable. Wind power doesn’t need the government’s help anymore — in fact, it needs the government to get out of the way. It’s time for Washington, D.C., to stop subsidizing less efficient technologies, so the market will more quickly accept new advancements.
That means the government should stop its hidden subsidies for oil and gas too. A barrel of oil for $100 and $3 a gallon for gasoline are prices that do not accurately reflect the costs involved in bringing those products to market. Once the price of the military intervention used to ensure delivery is factored in, Americans are already paying $5 for a gallon of gas. So much for the government’s claim that it’s trying to end America’s “oil addiction.”
If we really want to encourage development of clean and efficient alternatives to our carbon-based economy, we will demand the government stop its hidden subsidy for oil.
What do you think about having a Maglev train coming through your backyard? E-mail [email protected] and tell us.
