Posted on 05/31/2017 4:51:54 AM PDT by rktman
Its 102 degrees, just north of Palm Springs. White wind turbines, two stories high, dot the desert landscape all of the way to the base of snowcapped mountains in the distance.
Seismologist and earthquake expert Lucy Jones is standing on a small hill looking south, towards Californias most consequential fault: the San Andreas. It runs nearly the length of the state, from the Salton Sea to near Mendocino. From where were standing, the only evidence of the fault are slight indentations in the earth, snaking through the landscape. There are rocks and soil thatve been moved by years of tectonic plates shifting below us.
Jones is surrounded by scrub brush and government officials from across Southern California. Shes brought them to bake in the desert sun to convince them that they need to do more to get ready for the big one.
(Excerpt) Read more at ww2.kqed.org ...
Haven’t seen from the air yet. Or haven’t paid attention while flying over. I did see quite a few last summer when driving through Idaho. One doesn’t realize how large they are until you’re up close.
Perfect!
That's for sure!
I have seen them being shipped via 18 wheeler. One blade per truck. Takes a long convoy to ship one windmill.
We already have our Doomsday Scenario - Yellowstone goes “Krakatoa” on us. That is pretty much the end of North America.
And, of course, for a less apocalyptic doomsday, there the New Madrid fault.
Lucky for us we live west of Yellowstone so we get an extra couple days unless some stray debris rains down on us. Let’s see algore complain about that one.
When one can see these monstrosities from 30,000 feet while riding in an airliner across the country, it’s clear they’re a lot taller than two stories.
Not all of them. The ice rink near my house has one and the blades aren’t as ‘long as a boxcar’. There are various designs and heights depending upon the area they are placed, local wind, generator placed on the pylon, etc.
Some aren’t much taller than the old traditional windmills of old, though they tend to be thinner.
They could be of some use in west Texas. Connect a nuke plant to those wind farms and feed power in the reverse direction, turning the windmills into huge oscillating fans. Come July, the breeze will be welcome.
Heck, put enough of 'em near the coast and it might be possible to blow a hurricane south towards the Mexican beaches. ;-)
Might be reminiscent of the fields of oil derricks sitting idle...only taller.
July nothing. It gets above 75 and I’m ready to move North, way North. But I like where you are going with this ;)
That explains things! San Francisco built two windmills in Golden Gate park, to pump water for irrigation. The first one was completed and operational in 1903. The big SF earthquake happened in 1906. They fell into disrepair later on. In 1981, one windmill was restored to active use. The Loma Prieta Earthquake happened in 1989. It's the wind shifting geological formations!
I hear you - and I grew up in Louisiana south of I-10. At least in the hottest weather there, you can sometimes feel a cooling breeze. North and West Texas is more like a convection oven - the air moves well enough - it’s just hot. Dallas feels like it’s 500 miles closer to the sun than the surrounding area.
Concrete heat island :) I’m in Ft. Worth. Could be worse. It could be Houston. And people wonder why I want to move to the mountains
Way taller and without much character. There is something about those derricks. A holdover from my childhood.
Way taller and without much character. There is something about those derricks. A holdover from my childhood.
Agree - first time I ever saw the derricks was in ‘74 when I was in Texas for Basic Training and taking little road trips with friends during Tech School - had heard about “Texas T” but this was evidence of taking energy out of the ground.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.