A large shipment of wind turbine components that will be part of one of the world’s largest wind farms eventually powering 250,000 homes according to a press release from the Port of Indiana arrived today in Burns Harbor Ind.
That is good news, I guess. But the real benefit of alternative power, at least to those of us more bottom-line focused and perhaps less green, is it gives the United States the opportunity to build things again. With this week’s announcement of the long anticipated General Motors bankruptcy as a reminder of just how far as a nation we have fallen in terms of manufacturing, we are reminded that a nation built simply on consumption is not sustainable.
While clean air and water are vital, part of the excitement of the push for clean energy was as an opportunity for America to lead in an emerging industry. The turbines for the wind farm were built by Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world, we are told.
While perhaps GM can reemerge from bankruptcy and return from past glory, the United States needs to be a leader in new technologies. While I am all for going green, green has multiple meanings and if America is to get out from under this huge debt we are building we will need to lead the charge in alternative energy sources for both economic and environmental reasons.
