Posted on 12/06/2016 9:58:36 AM PST by lowbridge
Three windmill-like turbines loom motionless over the city of Port Angeles’ new Waterfront Park.
The $107,516 spires stand immobile more than two months after they were erected and more than a year after the city council approved them.
Once they are working to generate electricity, they will produce so little power — $1.50 worth of electricity a month in savings — that at least one council member is regretting her decision to purchase them.
They have not been activated because the city is involved in an inspection-related dispute with the manufacturer, UGE International Ltd. of New York City, Community and Economic Development Director Nathan West said last week.
The impasse could be resolved by January, after projects with a higher priority are taken care of, West said.
The turbines will power the 31 lights that illuminate the park, Deputy Power Systems Manager Shailesh Shere said last week.
They can generate up to 3 kilowatts an hour but under normal conditions will generate a quarter of that, Shere said.
Shere said they are expected to generate $1.50 worth of electricity a month, based on current retail Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) rates.
City Councilwoman Sissi Bruch said last week the turbines were intended to do more than generate electricity.
“They were also meant to educate folks about wind power,” she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at peninsuladailynews.com ...
“On the good side, it will pay for itself in less than 6 thousand years.”
(assuming no maintenance costs, like paint or bearings)
This certainly should educate the public about wind power...
Right now, Texas has the Wind Capacity to generate 18% of the power in the state.
Texas is a big state and 18% of the power generated in Texas could power any number of state’s entire electricity consumption.
Wind Power works in Texas, there have been times when wholesale electricity prices became negative in Texas due to Wind Power generation.
The actual capacity of wind generation in Texas is 18%.
Also, Texas electric utilities are deregulated on the retail level and that permits the consumer to choose their utility company and even the source of their electricity.
“They can generate up to 3 kilowatts an hour but under normal conditions will generate a quarter of that, Shere said. “
From elsewhere:
“This report estimates that a dishwasher unit uses somewhere around 1.5 kWh on average to run a load of dishes”
“The average price people in the U.S. pay for electricity is about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.”
So if they are buying these things for $107,000 what am I missing. This would not come close to making sense.
Wouldn’t ya know it! Those evil rednecks are actually better environmentalists than the hipsters in LA.
----- and his name is T Boone Pickens.
“Also, Texas electric utilities are deregulated on the retail level and that permits the consumer to choose their utility company and even the source of their electricity.”
What a farce. Choose the source of electricity? How does that work when we share the same power lines? Can we choose our own source of public supplied water? I’m getting Perrier from the city tap, not me, I only drink Ozarka!!
Ha haa, here is my laughing face : ;-)
“This certainly should educate the public about wind power...”
Here in Texas, we are very educated about wind power.
We see the wind mills, we see our lights on, we see utility bills falling due to deregulation and the impact of wind generation on natural gas prices.
A $100k wind turbine is pretty much a toy or experimental.
Most commercial wind turbines used by power companies are $2 million or more. And they have serious maintenance costs seldom mentioned.
I checked you specs with a number of Texas energy websites.
It appears as if you are quoting non-peak power demands.
Its easy to meet power demands in AZ in Dec, MN in May and Texas in the winter.
Texas wind generation is NOT generating 18% of demand in the summer.
Real numbers are about 3%.
Here is an interesting article about wind...
http://theoildrum.blogspot.com/2005/08/guess-who-opposes-cape-wind.html?m=1
Of course it is all the same power lines, but being that electricity is fungible, a consumer has the option to buy electricity generated from a certain source.
Essentially, if 10% of a utility’s customers want wind power, their utility will purchase at least 10% of their power from wind power sources.
Because of wind power, there have been times where wholesale electricity prices have gone negative. That means that not only is electricity free, but you are paid to consume.
I don’t think I mentioned summer, but over the course of a year, including summer, wind generates 11% of the power consumed in the state.
You didn’t answer my questions. Also government intervention through subsidies causes market distortions, hence negative pricing. From what I know the negative pricing mainly occurred at night when surplus energy was being produced “off peak” when heavy industrial demand was at the lowest. Negative pricing occurred to spur demand during those times and this situation only exacerbates the “hot standby” issues.
Claims in Iowa are wildly exaggerated too. Supposedly, 30-40% of Iowa’s electricity is from wind turbines. That’s likely BS based on turbine nameplate ratings. Real electricity generated isn’t half that. It’s also expensive, so a lot of it is sold to Illinois so IL can meet their ‘green’ requirements.
The windmills in this story are toys.
The windmills in Texas are not toys as they produce 11% of the electricity in the state, and Texas consumes more electricity than any other state.
They are certainty an education as prime example of the government's fraud, waste and abuse.
I believe marine version means extra corrosion protection and dual fuel diesel/whale oil.
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