Cruel irony: Do renewable power plants threaten their surrounding environment?

Do the potential benefits of plants that use renewable sources such as wind and solar to generate energy outweigh the environmental damage that could be caused to make way for them? Californians are grappling with that very question as the state moves ahead with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to have utility companies generate one-third of the state's energy from renewable sources by 2020; today renewables account for 12 percent of their output. Full Story »

Posted by Derek Hawkins

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Lee Barry
3.9
by Lee Barry - Mar. 27, 2009

Scientific American is a storied publication, and one can safely assume its accuracy. I like it when reporters play devil's advocate on popular issues. With deployment of any new technology, you have to think 50 years into the future and contemplate the possible ramifications.

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