Wind farm project dies down with bill: Senator slips in provision

Boston Herald ^ | Thursday, October 7, 2004 | John Strahinich

[Willie Green]

They're prettier than high-tension towers, but just as much an eyesore.

IMHO, the Corps of Engineers should be required to paint the windmills in a standardized color scheme that coordinates well with the festive atmosphere desired by summer vacationers on Cape Cod. That way, EVERYBODY's concerns will be addressed!

Ain't it purty???

[newgeezer]

Did you check awea.org? They have [Congressional passage of the Production Tax Credit] in the news section.

Yes, you're right. It seems the bill I heard Grassley talking about is yet another one entirely.

[Radix]

The magnetic flux is thought by some to be especially harmful to whales who rely on very low frequency sound that travels for hundreds of miles.

I have read over the years a nbr. of articles which fault the US Navy for a plethora of problems caused by experiments with sonar which supposedly result in whales beaching themselves and other things.

Invariably the complainers are left wingers or fanatics of some sort or another. That does not make them wrong concerning the facts of Sonar effecting whales and other critters by the way.

[biblewonk]

Now this is exciting news. http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/2004_press/093004a.htm

http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/2004_press/100504.htm

[aardvark-pitcher]

Ridgelines up and down the east coast are being threatened by taxpayer subsidized wind projects. These projects are not pursued out of environmental goodness by environmentalists, or for clean energy by power companies, or to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Each of these possible benefits are convincingly refuted by straight facts (no cars with windmill are planned that I know of). Rather these projects are of financial investment companies taking advantage of tax benefits. And in 5 years when the capital expenses are written off, they will sell the business or shut it down, possibly leaving once inefficient now unused wind towers to rust. The decapitated mountain tops will remain a testimate to knee-jerk "clean energy" policies that have no basis in market viability on their own.

[LisaS]

Only a matter of time before the people in Canada realize the detrimental impact of these towers. Take note - Europe is denying these project today and for good reason.

[biblewonk]

Only a matter of time before the people in Canada realize the detrimental impact of these towers. Take note - Europe is denying these project today and for good reason.

That might be an interesting argument if Europe was actually doing that. As it is they are building them faster than Ever with the exception of Germany since it already has so many and is looking to huge offshore developments.

[ZULU]

They have to find a beach area that the leftist elites like the Kennedys don't populate - maybe Sandy Hook, New Jersey or Point Barrow, Alaska - which have more in common than meets the eye.

Ted The Swimmer is such a hypocrite. I think they should put the windmills there anyway, and send up 10,000 illegal aliens to construct and maintain them.

[whd23]

In a marine enviroment, the magnetic flux developed by the generators will penetrate the water surface and will prove harmful to various marine mammels relying on sound for navigation.

So let me get this straight: some marine mammals can hear magnetic lines of force? Amazing!

[newgeezer]

Speaking of GE 1.5MW turbines, here's one for you...

MidAmerican Energy Announces Sites for its Wind Generation Project

DES MOINES, Iowa – (Sept. 24, 2004) – MidAmerican Energy today officially announced the locations for its previously announced 310-megawatt wind project in Iowa.

The $323 million project will be located on two sites in north central and northwest Iowa. One site is an area north of Blairsburg, situated in Wright and Hamilton counties. The other location is southwest of Storm Lake in Buena Vista and Sac counties. Approximately 100 GE Wind Energy 1.5 megawatt wind turbines will be constructed at each location. (...more...)

[bert]

Flux capacitors are not very efficient in salt air environment. If sealed, The efficiency drops off precipitously.</p>

When augmented with static monitors the capacitors will work well but the cost goes through the ceiling.

[Freebird Forever]

the upkeep costs, along with associated logisics, would be quite expensive.

Are you saying that the wind farm would produce high skill, high paying jobs which could not be outsourced?

Oh the horror!

[bert]

....some marine mammals can hear magnetic lines of force....

It is my understanding that the force fields are disruptive to the water borne sound and they do not actually hear the macnetic field.

I'm a little uncertain about the relationship.

[newgeezer]

A spill in aisle 45 screams for your attention, boss. :-)

[ninonitti]

I agree there's a nice spot called Louisberg Square. You could drop that sucker in there on the little park paint some hip hop murals on it and it would just diasppear into the cityscape.

[stuartcr]

It depends on if you consider running boats out to a windfarm and cleaning and maintaining the equipment skilled.

[stuartcr]

The complaints are valid. These are extremely powerful tones, which will harm/kill marine mammals...even human mammals that are in the water....and they travel very long distances.

[DTogo]

The Cape Wind project's website:

http://www.capewind.org

[The Inspector]

It is true that many libs on Cape Cod are opposed to the wind farm but so are many Republicans including Gov. Romney. It's not really a left/right issue. It certainly is a NIMBY issue but there are legitimate reasons why people here don't want these things built. The waters here are populated with many conservative and Republican folk and not just Kennedys, Cronkites and Kerrys.

[Freebird Forever]

It depends on if you consider running boats out to a windfarm and cleaning and maintaining the equipment skilled.

I'd put them on a par with electricians and offshore oil workers.

And since I've made the acquaintance of several wind turbine maintenance guys from West Texas, I know that what they do requires skill.