| − | [[Great Britain]] decided to "go green," and built 3,000 wind turbines, with the goal of 10,000 by 2020 to produce as much as thirty percent of energy needs; this would also be in conjunction with the closing of gas and [[coal]]-fired power stations and coal mines. As of the winter of 2010-11, one third of these turbines are shut down due to a lack of wind; the remainder are producing a mere 1.8 percent of the nation's electric needs. The result: higher prices for the importation of [[oil]] and coal, and a large segment of the public forced to go either on reduced energy consumption or without energy at all, and this during one of the coldest winters on record.<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/8234616/Wind-farms-becalmed-just-when-needed-the-most.html</ref> | + | [[Great Britain]] decided to "go green," and built 3,000 wind turbines, with the goal of 10,000 by 2020 to produce as much as thirty percent of energy needs; this would also be in conjunction with the closing of gas and [[coal]]-fired power stations and coal mines. As of the winter of 2010–11, one third of these turbines are shut down due to a lack of wind; the remainder are producing a mere 1.8 percent of the nation's electric needs. The result: higher prices for the importation of [[oil]] and coal, and a large segment of the public forced to go either on reduced energy consumption or without energy at all, and this during one of the coldest winters on record.<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/8234616/Wind-farms-becalmed-just-when-needed-the-most.html</ref> |