The U.S. Defense Department has become one of the largest hurdles for wind power projects, arguing that large wind turbines can cause interference with the military's communications technology.
"Although the military says no serious incidents have yet occurred because of the interference, the wind turbines pose an unacceptable risk to training, testing and national security in certain regions, Dr. Dorothy Robyn, deputy under secretary of defense, recently told a House Armed Services subcommittee.
Because of its concerns, the Defense Department has emerged as a formidable opponent of wind projects in direct conflict with another branch of the federal government, the Energy Department, which is spending billions of dollars on wind projects as part of President Obama's broader effort to promote renewable energy."
More than 9,000 megawatts worth of wind energy projects were stalled or cancelled in 2009 due to concerns over interference.
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