To the editor:

While I applaud Dwight Dial for being a no-till convert back in the ’80s, I can’t get enthusiastic that he managed to install his $85,000 solar unit for $22,050 out of pocket costs. Who paid for the remaining $62,050? Good old Uncle Sam! That’s right boys and girls! We poor schmucks-the American taxpayer!

Cellulosic ethanol, (environmental disaster) wind and solar will NEVER compete in a free energy market w/o massive government subsidies! Grain ethanol is the ONLY renewable that can compete with fossil fuel. In fact, more fossil fuel is used than will ever be recovered over the life of solar panels or wind turbines.

Why are we still throwing government dollars for renewables that are proven losers? One person-Chuck Grassley “wind subsidies will cease over my dead body”-single-handedly got a 5-year extension because he extended the deadline on renewable subsidies set to expire in 2015.

Ironically, Senator Grassley, who welcomed whistle-blowers exposing government waste through his first 5 terms as senator, is now in need of a whistle-blowing on himself! History will record the billions and billions spent on wind, solar and cellulosic could well become the biggest fraud of all!

Did Dwight do anything illegal? Of course not, but the question is would you do it? As a fiscal conservative, I couldn’t knowing they are NOT sustainable!

But, at least solar panels are less intrusive than a wind turbine. I don’t know how any land owner could erect a wind turbine w/o contacting their neighbor, but, unfortunately, less than 10% do! Turbines bring out the greed of local supervisors, the wind companies and landowners, who, for some unknown reason, can only see green of $10,000!

Jerry Crew

Webb, IA