Wind farm construction grows across the U.S.

Houston Chronicle ^ | 7/28/17 | Ryan Maye Handy,

[Timpanagos1]

The number of wind farm projects under construction in the U.S. has grown by 40 percent since this time last year, according to a second quarter analysis released Thursday by the American Wind Energy Association, a national trade group. Most of that construction is in Texas, the Midwest and the West. Texas remains a leader when it comes to installed wind power capacity -- with more than 20,000 megawatts -- but wind power still accounts for only 13 percent of the state's power mix.

[CodeToad]

“This is a taxpayer money transfer scheme”

To get everyone on board, they allow funneling of the monies to farmers as leases on their lands, so the farmers keep quiet about it.

[DiogenesLamp]

To get everyone on board, they allow funneling of the monies to farmers as leases on their lands, so the farmers keep quiet about it.

"Mercantilism" appears to be another name for "bribery."

[Timpanagos1]

“Coal, natural gas, and nuclear work.”

The power generated from wind is cheaper than nuclear and in Texas, cheaper than coal.

Why should Texans not be able to buy the cheapest power on the market at any given moment?

[DIRTYSECRET]

If Vegas was supplied with nuclear power could the Hoover Dam release more of it’s water to Mexico & the Salton sea? Just asking. There goes Lake Mead.

[Timpanagos1]

“The Night They Drove the Price of Electricity Down
Wind power was so plentiful in Texas that producers sold it at a negative price.”

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2015/09/texas_electricity_goes_negative_wind_power_was_so_plentiful_one_night_that.html

Please let me know if any other sources of electricity that can be cheaper than negative.

[minnesota_bound]

Whoosh whoosh whack kaboom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5COAi6KM8o

[hadaclueonce]

Wind Generators have very many lobbyist.

Whores in Congress like lobbyist monies.

Simple math.

[Timpanagos1]

“Wind Generators have very many lobbyist.”

Good point.

All of us should only use electricity that comes from sources that have no lobbyists.

[Ray76]

Berkshire’s CEO, Warren Buffett, explained why his companies are in the wind business. “We get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason to build them,” he said. “They don’t make sense without the tax credit.”

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/436228/wind-energy-subsidies-billions-and-billions-your-tax-dollars

[CodeToad]

Windmill Rating Megawatts (MW)	2
Revenue Rate, from each Kilowatt Hour (KWhr)	$                   0.07
Hours in a year	8760
Average Utilization per year at max capacity	0.269
MW Hours per year at average caapcity	2356.44
Revenue (MW * Revenue Rate)	$            164,951
Install Cost	$        4,000,000
Life span in years (real world stats)	15
Amortization Install  Cost	$            266,667
Maintenance Costs per hour per megawatt hour	$                      26
Maintenance costs per year per megawatt hour	$              61,267
Land Lease Cost to farmer	$              10,000
Lifespan Cost	$            266,667
Total Annual Cost	$            337,934
Revenue	$            164,951
Balance	$         (172,983)	Costs more than it produces.
Federal Payment per Megawatt Hour	$                      23
Total Federal Payment	$              54,198
Average State subsidy	Unknown	Can be zero through over $350,000 per windmill.

[CodeToad]

“The power generated from wind is cheaper than nuclear and in Texas, cheaper than coal.”

NO, it is not. Total outlay far exceeds NG and coal in Texas.

[Ray76]

1. To Get Wind Power You Need Oil
2. Reliability of Renewable Energy: Wind
3. Deep De-Carbonization Would Increase Electricity Costs 20–90 Percent, Says J.P. Morgan
4. Electricity Prices Soaring In Top Wind Power States
5. MidAmerican Energy customers rattled by electric rate hike

[napscoordinator]

I don’t see what the harm in having all kinds of energy ptograms. I don’t think having one source of anything is a good idea.

[DiogenesLamp]

These numbers demonstrate exactly what I want to show to my friend. What is the source of them?

Are these specific to a certain site? Because I don't think all wind turbines have exactly these same costs and outputs.

The point remains, how can any of this be built if it is not economically viable? How do we get to this level of insanity?

[CodeToad]

The sources include federal and States sources. Sorry it isn’t an academic paper, but no time right now for that. The sources exist on the Internet is public form. Anyone can google and get them. No secrets there.

[DiogenesLamp]

The sources include federal and States sources. Sorry it isn’t an academic paper, but no time right now for that. The sources exist on the Internet is public form. Anyone can google and get them. No secrets there.

Thanks. I'll look. What I would really like to find is some contract numbers for the crap they have been building in my area for many years. There is now a virtual forest of these huge bastards around here.

[CodeToad]

Check your legislative information. Odds are the payment amounts and to what company are in there.

[central_va]

it is a waste of resources to have a fossil fuel generating plants AND wind turbines. The fuel savings are not worth the investment in electrical transmission infra structure.

[DiogenesLamp]

Thanks.

[hadaclueonce]

You must be getting some of that mailbox money for having wind turbines on your land.

If not, your opinion is worth what I paid to read it.