[newgeezer]

In Altamont we're looking at the equivalent of Chrysler K cars, it's only 20 years not 80.

Your (as you put it so well) "ASSumption" is that wind power generation technology has advanced no more than that for automobiles over the past 20 years. That is wrong. But, it might explain why you continue to focus on Altamont Pass.

Windpower simply isn't there yet, the technology isn't efficient enough or reliable enough.

If 3-to-5 cents per kWhr isn't good enough for you, what will it take? Oh, I know. You're hooked on that "land use" thing. Well, maybe it won't work for the coastal folks. But, here in flyover country, we normally have such a glut of corn and soybeans that the farmers welcome the chance to produce something more profitable on the land.

Maybe it's a matter of perspective.

[discostu]

Car technology has actually advanced quite a bit in the last 20 years: electronic fuel injection, anti-lock brakes, airbags, side mounted airbags, hemis, computer controlled everything, now the new Mazda engines.

That's right land use is important to me, land is a non-renewable resource after all, we only have so much of it and if we use it all up on an inefficient method of generating electricity it'll be a pain to tear those crappyt things down and put up something that actually gives us a good ROI. I live in fly over country, more lame ASSumptions on your part. STOP ASSUMING START READING.

[biblewonk]

But, here in flyover country, we normally have such a glut of corn and soybeans that the farmers welcome the chance to produce something more profitable on the land.

Tut tut. Farmers give up 10 percent of their land to earn 3 to 5000 dollars per year in electricity. The land is not "used up".