The U.S. Department of Energy just released a report in which it claims that consumers and the environment would benefit from increasing the proportion of electricity derived from wind power. As the White House press release puts it:

"The report shows that with continuing technological advancements, cost reductions, and siting and transmission development, the nation can deploy wind power to economically provide 35% of our nation's electricity and supply renewable power in all 50 states by 2050."

The "continuing technological advancements" and "cost reductions" mean the White House's estimate is based on hope — hope that some as-yet unimagined future technology will change the economics of wind power, making it more cost effective than fossil fuel-based generation. That's not impossible — but it is very unlikely. And hope without change can be both costly and unpleasant...

Read the full article at the Reason Foundation: Obama Administration Report Overstates Wind Power's Potential, Understates Costs and Limitations