Hot Air on Wind Energy

[Revmitchell]

Don't expect wind power to replace coal as the nation's main source of electric power, whatever Obama's interior secretary said.


Summary


Interior Secretary Salazar said that the amount of "developable" wind power off the East Coast could produce more energy than all the coal-fired electric plants in the U.S., and that wind's potential to replace most of our coal power "is a very real possibility." We find his claims to be wildly optimistic, to say the least.

It's true that government studies show there's enough offshore wind to generate far more than coal plans currently do – in theory. But converting that wind to enough electricity to replace what's now produced by coal won't happen anytime in the foreseeable future. The Interior Department itself made clear its offshore wind estimate was a gross figure of potential resources only, saying in a report that there are several obstacles to achieving that.

More Here

 

[Jim1999]

It is at least a first step to rid the sky of coal fires pollution. If they would at least put scrubbers on the existing chimneys it would certainly help.

Our government just installed 180 windmills on an Island off Kingston. I'll let you know how it goes after it is fully up and running. It is supposed to supply all of Kingston and the Islands.about 200,000 population.

One can't beat water power and we have enough rivers in Saskatchewan alone to provide power to all of mainland Canada.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[billwald]

Two strikes against wind are NIMBYs and the grid. Coastal wind = rich NINBYs but inland coal fired plants = working class NIMBYs. No contest!

 

[baptistteacher]

Two strikes against wind are NIMBYs and the grid. Coastal wind = rich NINBYs but inland coal fired plants = working class NIMBYs. No contest!

?? NIMBYs & NINBYs ??

 

[billwald]

NIMBY = not in my back yard. Senator Ted Kennedy has stalled an off shore installation because would be over the horizon from his house in Mass. In Ellensburg, WA, the locals are trying to stall a big project because the will have to see it.

 

[Alcott]

I had a science fiction 2 seconds once about 4 years ago. I was driving back from Colorado, in the southeast part of the state. I approached a long rise in the highway, then suddenly there appeared what immediately looked like the 6 or 8 legs of a giant bug, moving forward in harmony. It only took those couple of seconds to see it was wind energy farm, and the 'legs' were the windblades, of which I had seen only a few of... about 100, as I recall.