Wind: An Inconvenient Truth ----- Meanwhile, Coal: The "New" Alternative Energy

Two interesting stories on the front page of today's Boston Globe.

The one above the fold: regulators looking at noise impact of slice-and-dicers:

Days after state environmental officials found unacceptable noise levels from wind turbines in Falmouth, they are considering new regulations that would require the state to review potential noise issues before wind turbines are built in Massachusetts. [ Update, May 25, 2013: the citizens voted. The wind turbines in Falmouth will continue to turn for now.]

Wind turbines: not one redeeming feature.

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The one below the fold: Massachusetts alternative-energy start-up firm inks $1.25 billion deal with China. Alternative energy? Solar? Wind? No, coal.

A Massachusetts alternative energy start-up finalized a $1.25 billion deal Monday to build a plant in western China to convert coal into synthetic natural gas, an agreement that underscores China’s growing hunger for power and the state’s position as a global center for energy technology. The deal, one of the biggest yet for the state’s alternative energy industry, creates a partnership between GreatPoint Energy, a seven-year-old Cambridge firm with just 30 employees, and China Wanxiang Holdings, an industrial conglomerate.

So, coal is now called "alternative energy." I can't make this stuff up.