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Newly Installed Wind Turbines Idled by Minnesota's Winter
TwinCities.com ^
| 01/23/2010
| Tad Vezner
Posted on 02/01/2010 10:54:44 AM PST by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: truthguy
Yes, it's the worst of all worlds. They don't generate much energy. They cost a lot. They need tremendous maintenance. They are an eyesore. They kill incredible amounts of birds. They use up tons of space. They need governmental subsidies.
It'll end up being a financial disaster...
To: count-your-change
The heating coils will be powered by electricity from the windmills which will be able to produce power because the heating coils thaw the windmills which will power the heating coils.....but fear not, any excess power will be diverted to the peasantry shivering below. You don't sound too positive about the shivering peasantry getting their heat....
To: Tax-chick
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/37748654.html
Biodeisel.
Stupid is as stupid does.
63
posted on
02/01/2010 1:21:08 PM PST
by
Dead Corpse
(III, Oathkeeper)
To: Dead Corpse
64
posted on
02/01/2010 1:23:21 PM PST
by
Tax-chick
(Thou hast well drunken, man - who's the fool now?)
To: Dr. Scarpetta
They need govt subsidies to operate. Best reason of all not to do it. Like Amtrak.
I attended a wind power conference a two years ago and learned a lot. The amount of concrete for the foundation is enormous. The gearboxes (GE) are very large and massive. The gearbox and generator is way up in the air making a huge bending moment on the stalk of he windmill. Oh, and the bird problem, there is a company that manufactures an electric device that emits a high frequency tone that makes birds avoid the area. It was expensive as hell. We were looking into becoming a parts supplier to the OEM’s of these condor cuisinarts, but we started to add up how much these big toys cost and decided not to play. Good move.
To: Dr. Scarpetta; truthguy
66
posted on
02/01/2010 1:23:58 PM PST
by
SZonian
(I see people who claim they are victims of "hatred" and say we should be more "productive".)
To: Dr. Scarpetta; newgeezer
The hint is that they are $400,000 windmills which is some tiny unit. The “workhorse” GE 1.5 mw turbines, which I’m sure were all running just fine, are about $2-2.5 million.
67
posted on
02/01/2010 1:24:59 PM PST
by
DungeonMaster
(A Christian Democrat is better than a heathen Republican)
To: clodkicker
The bio-diesel has proven to gel up at much warmer temperatures (bio-diesel 15F, winter diesel -4 to
-20F) thats why some people install a second tank which is insulated & heated.
There are so many proven cases of ethanol water attraction, phase seperation and engine damage that marine boards and the FAA either do not reccomend its use or ban it outright.
I personally pulled a large cruiser off a sandbar which had grounded when the ethanol contaminated gas killed all three of its engines.
Ethanol gas does not have as long a storage life either. Many chemical companies have come out with additives just to counteract the harmful affects of the ethanol.
Oregon had a law mandating all gasoline sold in the state be ethanol contaminated. Due to many complaints from consumer agencies, marine board and the FAA, Oregon has modified the law to allow non-ethanol contaminated gas be sold under certain conditions (Aerogas, marine, small engine and premium).
To: Dr. Scarpetta
"It'll end up being a financial disaster..." They'll be running just fine once the LED heat lamps are installed.
69
posted on
02/01/2010 1:29:41 PM PST
by
Joe 6-pack
(Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
To: ClearCase_guy
Every time I see or read anything about these enviro windmills I can't help but think about the parallels between the global warmers and
Don Quixote. Both may have the very best of intentions, but they are also both quite literally, tilting at windmills, expending all their energy and passion doing battle with a nonexistent enemy, making themselves look like fools to the rest of the world.
The fact that one of the world's largest wind turbine makers is the Spanish firm Gamesa, makes the irony all the more delicious.
70
posted on
02/01/2010 1:36:13 PM PST
by
Joe 6-pack
(Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
To: SZonian
As I said any good electrical engineering or mechanical engineering student at a good university could tell you the deficiencies of wind power. Treehugger of which I'm familiar with is just such a group of energy charlatans as I mentioned. I'll bet not many (if any) of the people at Treehugger have direct experience with power systems at any level. I don't even need to look at the background of these folks. I already know it without even looking. Regardless of the fact that windmills do have a high tally of bird kills, the other factors with windmills should convince anyone that they are a bad deal. When you read the letters you get the typical types. The Power Companies are engaged in a conspiracy, etc. I can read these clowns like a book. When I come across them in real life I destroy their arguments. As I've stated Wind and Solar are niche power sources and will never be viable. They are going backwards.
71
posted on
02/01/2010 2:40:40 PM PST
by
truthguy
(Good intentions are not enough!)
To: Obadiah
Minnesota has two nuclear power plants.
To: Dr. Scarpetta
No, I’m not. I find it hard to imagine depending upon wind with a chill factor a way below zero for heat. Kind of violates good sense, like putting ice in my shoes to warm my feet or something.
‘Course I don’t live in Minnysoda either.
73
posted on
02/01/2010 4:47:12 PM PST
by
count-your-change
(You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
To: Red Badger
A coal fired heater would work just as wellBut what about all that pollution? It could kill you! (that is if you don't freeze to death first) /SARCASM
The plant in Arkansas to build wind turbines went belly up! Of course you have to have government to bribe people to invest in them with TAXPAYER'S MONEY. Who else is stupid enough to do it?!
74
posted on
02/01/2010 4:53:10 PM PST
by
kcvl
To: Lurker
What kind of a idiot buys a no-yield bond?They're usually called zero coupon bonds, and there are still quite a few of those issued. The US Government used to isse them, maybe still do.
75
posted on
02/01/2010 4:53:29 PM PST
by
Balding_Eagle
(If America falls, darkness will cover the face of the earth for a thousand years.)
To: Texas resident
I attended a wind power conference a two years ago and learned a lot. The amount of concrete for the foundation is enormous. The gearboxes (GE) are very large and massive. The gearbox and generator is way up in the air making a huge bending moment on the stalk of he windmill. Oh, and the bird problem, there is a company that manufactures an electric device that emits a high frequency tone that makes birds avoid the area. It was expensive as hell. Apparently nothing is too expensive for the govt.
To: COBOL2Java
Yes I was wondering that myself. Also how much does it cost to power the heaters? Won’t make much sense if they are using more energy to power the turbines to create less? Epic fail!
To: truthguy; Dr. Scarpetta
Using emotional arguments as you did is what brought me to post that. Charlatans or not, the bird killing information is relevant. You and the other poster were using it as one point of an attack against wind energy. I was posting information that other FReepers may have found useful in forming an informed opinion on the matter.
Here in CA we have thousands of them and if we could, we would build more. I don’t give two rats if they kill a hundred birds or 100,000. Many times more are killed by various other means than by wind turbines.
I won’t argue the merits of wind power, here we use it and more of us here want it. We’re prevented from getting it. The libs have us in a stranglehold and you guys are whining over some damn birds.
You can’t have everything, pick your poison.
78
posted on
02/01/2010 5:52:57 PM PST
by
SZonian
(I see people who claim they are victims of "hatred" and say we should be more "productive".)
To: SZonian
Using emotional arguments as you did is what brought me to post that.
Emotions? Are you joking? I just gave you a list of very specific technical reasons windmills are a joke. Did you read my posts on all the negative aspects? Can you refute them?
Honestly.
79
posted on
02/01/2010 9:34:22 PM PST
by
truthguy
(Good intentions are not enough!)
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