by Paul Jacob

In the past 20 years the cost of electricity derived from wind has been cut down by a whopping 80 percent. Wow!

But it's still not enough to make it even comparable to traditional energy sources, such as coal. Besides, it's unpredictable and, worse yet, distributed unevenly in time. That is, it ain't always blowin'.

This is the unsurprising conclusion reported in a fascinating article by Matthew Wald in the International Herald Tribune. Unlike energy harnessed from burning coal or natural gas, or harnessed from nuclear fission -- or even from water in reservoirs -- energy drawn from wind can barely be controlled. When there's wind, harness the energy. When there isn't, can't.

Unfortunately, when demand is highest, to feed summer air conditioners, the atmosphere tends to stand still, so to speak.

Of course, scientists and engineers are thinking of all kinds of clever ways to even the situation out. At present, though, wind as an alternative energy source is like a bicycle. You may use the bicycle sometimes, but you can't just sell the car. Energy experts say traditional power plants must be built along with every megawatt of wind capacity.

And when I look at the costs per megawatt, I shake my head at the rising popularity of laws requiring so- called "green energy": you can't just legislate technological improvements.

Don't look to the wind for our energy solution, especially not the hot air from politicians.

Paul Jacob's "Common Sense" is published by the Sam Adams Alliance. Their website can be visited at www.samadamsalliance.org.