Skip to comments.
GE workers work for wind: Lynn plant will benefit from project off Cape Cod (Unions vs. Dems!)
The Boston Herald ^
| 2-19-2005
| Jay Fitzgerald
Posted on 02/19/2005 11:39:33 AM PST by DTogo
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-23 last
To: DTogo
With the absence of fuel cost, such a system will obviously be feasible over the long haul, barring unusual maintenance costs. The "kinks" to be worked out will be the resistance of the usual suspects who want no progress in this country, who ironically are the same ones who pushed this concept to start with, and the vested interest in existing systems, including oil, natural gas, and coal companies as well as those who transport them.
I assume when the wind farms connect to the existing grid they are paid by the grid operator who then sells to the end user or to a final distribution organization of some sort. If so, it may take awhile for savings to trickle down.
In order to become the dominant technology, there will have to be enough of them to meet today's needs as well as have the ability to expand to meet future needs. I know you addressed that potential limitation, but it comes to mind that inland sources of supplies will have to supplement the offshore generation. I doubt solar will have the capacity so it is either oil/gas or nuclear, pronounced nuke-u-lar. :-)
That will put the left in a bind. Do they fight the emerging technology which they previously supported, or do they still fight the existing systems? Since they have had no problem with hypocrisy in the past I guess they will fight them all.
21
posted on
02/20/2005 12:46:25 PM PST
by
Mind-numbed Robot
(Not all things that need to be done need to be done by the government.)
To: Mind-numbed Robot
In the US wind energy is purchased by the local/regional utility under a long-term contract, with or without an inflation adjuster. As such, unlike oil, gas, or coal, wind is not subject to price fluctuations or the cost of delivering fuel. Whether or not the utility passes along any savings of wind energy to consumers would be up the utility.
Wind is certainly not a baseload form of power generation, but it is a good alternative to supplement baseload power and/or allow for the retirement of older, less efficient and more polluting power plants. In fact, there are several old oil-fired power plants in New England that GreenPeace wants shut down, and the Cape Wind offshore wind farm could help supplement (replace?) the power these oil-fired plants currently generate.
But you're right, the Left will have to battle its own hypocrisy.
22
posted on
02/20/2005 1:01:40 PM PST
by
DTogo
(U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
To: DTogo
Thanks for putting things in perspective. Lots of good info.
23
posted on
02/20/2005 8:02:14 PM PST
by
Mind-numbed Robot
(Not all things that need to be done need to be done by the government.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-23 last
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.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson