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BUSBY31
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: Turning Wind into Electricity |
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Harnessing the power of wind requires the use of a wind turbine. The wind turbines convert the kinetic energy present in the wind into electricity.
Last edited by BUSBY31 on Sat Jan 01, 2011 4:09 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John 10:10
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 246
Location: Mt Juliet TN
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| Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:03 am Post subject: Disadvantages of Wind Energy |
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| Quote: | 1. Wind power must compete with conventional generation sources on a cost basis. Depending on how energetic a wind site is, the wind farm may or may not be cost competitive. Even though the cost of wind power has decreased dramatically in the past 10 years, the technology requires a higher initial investment than fossil-fueled generators.
2. Many potential wind farms, places where wind energy can be produced on a large scale, are far away from places for which wind energy is best suited. Therefore, the economical nature of wind energy may take a beating in terms of costs of new substations and transmission lines.
3. Wind Energy is non-dispatchable. This may also put a spanner in depending upon wind power as a primary energy supplier. Wind energy depends upon the wind in an area and therefore is a variable source of energy. The amount of wind supplied to a place and the amount of energy produced from it will depend on various factors like wind speeds and the turbine characteristics. Some critics also wonder whether wind energy can be used in areas of high demand.
4. Wind turbines generally produce much less electricity than the average fossil fuelled power station, requiring multiple wind turbines to be built in order to make an impact.
5. The noise pollution from commercial wind turbines is sometimes similar to a small jet engine. This is fine if you live miles away, where you will hardly notice the noise, but what if you live within a few hundred meters of a turbine? This is a major disadvantage.
6. Large wind farms are needed to provide entire communities with enough electricity. For example, the largest single turbine available today can only provide enough electricity for 475 homes, when running at full capacity. How many would be needed for a town of 100 000 people? About 200!
7. The strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force. This means that wind turbines do not produce the same amount of electricity all the time. There will be times when they produce no electricity at all.
8. Ideal locations for wind farms are usually very expensive to buy. Wind farms are also very expensive to maintain properly.
9. The sites which are most ideal for wind power set up are usually situated in distant areas that are very far from the cities where the electricity is needed. And this fact only increases the cost of the electricity transfer.
10. Wind generated electricity must be integrated into the National Electricity Grid. Those against wind farms point out that this is difficult and expensive because the grid was designed for a few large power station, rather than hundreds of small wind farms. Also, the places where wind farms are planned are mostly far away from existing grid infrastructure, so there is a lot more cost there too. This is all true, and should be included in any discussion, but beware of projected cost figures for replacing the entire grid. This is unlikely to be necessary. Upgrading the grid a bit at a time will remain the standard way of dealing with the changes in generation technology. |
All renewables combined, other than hydro, produce less than 1% of our electric energy needs. Increasing this % even 1 or 2 % over the next several decades would be very ambitious, and more costly compared to other types of electric generating plants. Wind and solar work well in designated areas on a small scale, but will never work well on the large scale needed for most communities. If renewables can not be profitable in today's energy market, continuing to subsidize renewable energy projects with borrowed government dollars is a road to failure.
_________________
"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." John 6:27 |
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John 10:10
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 246
Location: Mt Juliet TN
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| Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 9:19 am Post subject: The Wind Subsidy Bubble |
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After breezing thru the "NY Times" south newspaper, also called "The Tennessean," in about 5 minutes every day, about a month ago I started taking the Wall Street Joural. I never fail to find at least one or two articles that stir me to say, "AMEN!" Monday Dec 20 was no exception with "The Wind Subsidy Bubble." I would have said "The Wind Subsidy Scam," or "The Wind Subsidy Ponzi Scheme."
After spending 45 years in the energy business, I have long known that any resource that God has created and placed in the earth that can be converted into energy for the good of mankind must first and foremost be profitable for those who would develop that resource. With the advent of the Global Warmingites, Clean Energyites, and Political Correctness, everything is changing. Many states have mandated by law a 15-25% increase in renewables by 2025, when all renewables nationwide currently produce about 1% of our electric energy needs! What must give is common sence, cost, and profit. Here is a dose of where we are headed from the WSJ:
| Quote: | "According to an analysis by Chris Horner, and energy expert at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the stilulus bill's subsities for renewable energy cost taxpayers about $475,000 for every job generated. That's at least four times what it costs a nonsubsidized private firm to create a job - a lousy return on investment even for government. (Maybe Chris should read a recent report Los Angeles produced on how it took millions per job of stimulus dollars to save or create jobs in CA!)
The wind industry claims to employ 85,000 Americans. That's almost certainly an exaggeration, but if it is true it compares with roughly 140,000 miners and others directly employed by the coal industry. Wind accounts for a little more than 1% of electricity generation and coal almost 50%. So it takes at least 25 times more workers to produce a kilowatt of electricity from wind as from coal.
Given this level of inefficiency, it's no wonder that wind and solar energy require at least 20 times more in government subsidies per unit of electricity generated than the average for coal and natural gas, according to a 2007 study by the Energy Information Administration.
The wind industry gave a vast majority of its campaign contributions this election cycle to Speaker Nancy Pelosie's Democrats. If Republicans are serious about shrinking the federal budget and ending corporate welfare, a very good target would be green pork, starting with wind." (Maybe we should just hook up generators to all the windbags that are elected and sent to Congress! |
_________________
"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." John 6:27 |
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John 10:10
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 246
Location: Mt Juliet TN
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| Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:37 am Post subject: Picken's Wind Boonedoggle |
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Does anyone remember about 2-1/2 years ago when Boone Pickens jumped on the wind turbine bandwagon because natural gas prices were spiking. The US is the Saudi Arabia of wind, he claimed, and wind energy is an essential part of the cure for the curse of imported oil. Of course Harry Reed and Al Gore joined his church, Congress began federal subsidies, and Pickens placed a $2 billion order for wind turbines with GE.
But what has happened since then? Natural gas prices have gone south due to the drilling industry's newfound ability to unlock methane from shale beds. Those mean old oil/gas companies who are out to just gouge the consumers have found ways to get/produce natural gas CHEEPER for the consumer, and in the process have put such a damper on the wind energy business that it can't survive without continued massive federal subsidies!!! Texas Controller Susan Combs is reporting in the Lone Star State that property tax breaks for wind energy cost nearly $1.6 million per job!
Now Pickens is stuck with wind turbines galore that he can't sell!!! Never fear, Congress is continuing to provide subsidies for the wind turbine business. I suggest he give one to everyone in Washington so that they can really be useful, generating electricity as they talk and talk and talk ........, and then follow the money on who and where the federal subsidy dollars go!!!
Is anyone concerned besides me that our federal/state governments are propping up businesses that can't succeed in the free market, while demonizing those who do succeed??? Many do not think this is a spiritual problem, but it is! When we do not continue to seek first God's kingdom, then trying to live off the blessings of our forefathers who did is soon coming to an end.
_________________
"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." John 6:27 |
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John 10:10
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 246
Location: Mt Juliet TN
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 5:37 pm Post subject: The Midweat Wind Surtax |
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I hate to keep pounding on wind enerny, but the Wall Street Journal keeps revealing these facts about wind energy.
The latest surtax that will be imposed by the Federal Government on unprofitable wind energy is the "Midwest Wind Surtax." It's being done by the Feredal Energy Regulatory Commission, without Congress passing any legislation! In a nutshell, what this means is that new transmission lines must be built from wind energy states crossing states where there is no wind, all paid for by states that have basically no wind!!!
Sounds a lot like Obamacare where everyone's health care costs go up to be paid for by those who have jobs and pay taxes to insure those who have no insurance and won't buy into Obamacare until they get really sick.
Sounds a lot like the EPA enforcing, starting Jan 1, 2011, rules to force businesses and industries to curb CO2 emmissions, all without Congress passing any legislation.
Does anyone besides me get the impression that the Executive and Judical branches of government exercise most of the power in our Federal Gov, and only uses Congress when it gives them what they want! When Congress does not give them what they want, fiat from the courts or regulations from the White House implement what cannot be done by vote or legislation.
Talk about taxation without representation, I seem to remember England trying this approach 235 years ago, and sending over their armies to force compliance to their unjust taxes and control. Is this what the Federal Gov will do next to get states to comply with their un-Constititional intrusions into our freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution?
_________________
"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." John 6:27 |
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