Getting past the hype behind wind energy (anti-wind energy misinformation)

The Hill ^ | Nov 16, 2012 | John Droz, Jr

[DTogo]

...Here are some other PTC tidbits that those smooth-talking AWEA hucksters won’t be mentioning…

A one year extension of the PTC will cost taxpayers over $12 Billion — how is that a good idea?

All that $12+ Billion will increase our deficit — how is that a good idea?

Almost all of that $12+ Billion will be borrowed from China — how is that a good idea?

A large part of that $12+ Billion will go to foreign conglomerates — how is that a good idea?

[DTogo]

A one year extension of the PTC will cost taxpayers over $12 Billion — how is that a good idea?

FACT: For a one year extension to "cost" taxpayers $12Bn (over a ten year period) at a paltry 30% net capacity claimed by the ill-informed author (few wind farms get built today with a 30% NCF), that would require close to 21,000MW of wind to be installed in one year, which has never happened to date, and is not going to happen in 2013.

FACT: Every tax deduction or credit does not "cost" taxpayers one penny, it keeps private citizens/corporations' money out of Mordor's pocketbook. When is that a bad thing, or does private money belong to everyone now?

All that $12+ Billion will increase our deficit — how is that a good idea?

Maybe Mordor could/should cut $12Bn (bogus number) of actual spending elsewhere to make up for it?

Almost all of that $12+ Billion will be borrowed from China — how is that a good idea?

Or possibly printed in Bernanke's basement.

A large part of that $12+ Billion will go to foreign conglomerates — how is that a good idea?

FACT: The PTC is received by investors who pay taxes in the US and can claim the credit. If they happene to be a "foreign conglomerate" that's part of free trade.

FACT: The "P" in PTC stands for production. If a wind farm doesn't produce 1 kWh of energy there is not $1 of PTC to be claimed and the wind farm investors/owners, not Mordor, will lose their money.

[DTogo]

Yeah, I like wind energy, where it’s windy. Flame away!

[backwoods-engineer]

Wind energy IS nothing but hot air. I am in the utility business, so I know what I am talking about here. You cannot generate baseload power from wind generation. That is power that MUST be available 24x7x365. Wind generators are notoriously unreliable, especially those with hydraulic transmissions. Even the greenies don't like wind turbines, because of the low-frequency noise and the number of birds sliced and diced.

Wind energy is going nowhere. It is another feel-good "green" luxury we can no longer afford.

[DTogo]

I’m not claiming that wind can generate baseload power, it can’t. But there is free energy in the wind that can obviously be harnessed. The harnessing isn’t free, but the energy is.

[Cold Heart]

How’s this for a flame. The government is forcing my utility to buy the more expensive wind electricity even when cheaper alternatives are available.

[mountainlion]

Wind energy causes pollution in coal fired power plants. The wind generated electricity has priority and the wind comes up the coal plant must shut down. When the wind dies down the coal plant must immediately increase power to make up for the loss of wind. Guess what, the coal then smokes in an emergency start up. Most of the wind plants here are idle as the owners collect money for electricity they do not generate so as to avoid the pollution.

[mountainlion]

But there is free energy in the wind that can obviously be harnessed. The harnessing isn’t free, but the energy is.

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It costs more for electricity generated form wind than conventional but the wind is free? Coal is free but the harnessing isn't. Nuclear is free but the harnessing isn't. weirdo green ideas are free but the harnessing of them is the most expensive.

[cripplecreek]

We slapped down a green energy mandate in Michigan last week thank God.

[dalereed]

Eliminate all subsidies and we won’t have to deal with wind eneregy!!!

Same with solar!!!!

Build nuke plants and burn coal and oil!!!

[cripplecreek]

If you want green energy there’s nothing cheaper than hydroelectric. Fortunately my state is relaxing the regulations for retrofits on hundreds of dams in the state.

Its like anything else, cost effectiveness is related to availability.

[hinckley buzzard]

Several countries in Europe have given up on wind power. That "free energy" is running them bankrupt.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Always told my kids “quit bitchin bout not having and build your own” people throw away enough garbage to build a house car and all your applies every day use your head and use the refuse .....

http://www.instructables.com/id/Smart-drive-wind-turbine-3/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wind-Turbine-1/

http://www.instructables.com/id/wind-powered-ametek-30-wind-generator/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Small-Wind-Powered-Generator/

Don’t take 12 billion to use and reuse anything nor a loan from the chinese to make anything work most of the junk thrown away in any given day was made by the chinese any way !

[Kozak]

I hope you have a 300,foot tall windmill as your next door neighbor. Then get back to me on how much you love wind power.

[okie01]

Wind energy is going nowhere. It is another feel-good "green" luxury we can no longer afford.

It is especially telling that, whenever a wind farm has outlived its 25-year federal subsidy, it is immediately abandoned -- as "no longer economically feasible".

"Wind energy" is a chimera. Practically useless in all but a few special circumstances.

[Dutch Boy]

There is a small business owner that put one up in my home town. People that worked there said it cost about $450K to install the tower and windmill. He got a lot of it subsidized (aka we paid for it). There is also a life expectancy of about 10 years on upper unit. Long before they make back in energy savings for what they spent on the tower and unit, you have to replace it. It’s a money pit.

[Parmy]

Any knowledge on the incidence of maintenance for these monstrosities?

[mosesdapoet]

You have a regime which by design is driving up the costs and uses of energy the most a basic resource because it suits its socialist matrix. What’s even worse is the massive corrpution resulting from that regime doling out tons of funds towards its campaign donners for so called alternate forms which don’t work or are laughingly inefficient . This got a pass by the Romney campaign and a huge mistake because this policy affects everyone. It was a bread a butter issue that affected every “demographic in their pocket book Romney chose to ignore.

[mountainlion]

Colorado? Loveland had a hydro plant that got destroyed by the big Thompson flood. It was quite effective. Longmont had a hydro plant that they planned on closing when the operators retired. It generated more than enough to power the water plant as some other utilities. Some of these do not even require a dam, just a diversion structure. There is a greater energy density with hydro than with wind.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Wind energy is going nowhere."

I agree. As a source of power to feed the grid it will be for show mostly.

However I could see individuals putting up small units to subsidize their electricity needs especially if they invest in a low wattage illumination system like LEDs and such but then only if the systems warrant the cost of installing them.

I watched a doc on Wind Power called: Windfall. Most of the big units are heavily subsidized by Uncle Sam and they have all sorts of issues on the downside. For instance the really big units look like the blades are turning slowly, however the tip speed can exceed 140 MPH (according to the doc) Ice flung from the blades can be a problem so you need some fairly large "setback" rules so roads and walkways and private property is far enough away so as not to be hit by "ice missiles" coming off the blades.

There is also the constant noise issue of the blades and the turbines. then there is the sun hitting the blades at certain times of the day which gives you a strobe effect. It doesn't sound like anything but people living near the units say it drives you batty after just a few minutes of experiencing it.

[NYFreeper]

Build nuke plants and burn coal and oil natural gas!!!

Use oil for mobile consumers of energy (cars, trucks, boats, trains and planes).