All tremble before the awesome power of Gore, God Of Blunder;
New research finds that wind farms actually warm up the surface of the land underneath them during the night, a phenomena that could put a damper on efforts to expand wind energy as a green energy solution.
Researchers used satellite data from 2003 to 2011 to examine surface temperatures across as wide swath of west Texas, which has built four of the world's largest wind farms. The data showed a direct correlation between night-time temperatures increases of 0.72 degrees C (1.3 degrees F) and the placement of the farms.
"Given the present installed capacity and the projected growth in installation of wind farms across the world, I feel that wind farms, if spatially large enough, might have noticeable impacts on local to regional meteorology,"
[...]
Zhou and his colleagues found that turbulence behind the wind turbine blades stirs up a layer of cooler air that usually settles on the ground at night, and mixes in warm air that is on top.
That layering effect is usually reversed during the daytime, with warm air on the surface and cooler air higher up."The year-to-year land surface temperature over wind farms shows a persistent upward trend from 2003 to 2011, consistent with the increasing number of operational wind turbines with time," Zhou said.
h/t John
Delightful karma there, although such modifications probably have next to zero impact on climate, but then it's clearly a case of hoist on their own turbine.
Wind turbines kill birds by the thousands, why should it matter if they contribute to climate change? Certain People are making money even if only because of governmrnt subsidy,
It's likely far too local an effect to have any significance for climate. The question is what effect does it have on soil and growing conditions. Only an agronomist can answer that one.
immaterial ... there is no extra heat
generated..
all wind is inititated by sun energy..
the turbines change the mix ,not the amount..
best to point out the problems with being in
close quartes with the mix masters...
In NJ, they have passed laws that the neighbors cant sue for the noise polution..
immaterial ... there is no extra heat
generated..
all wind is inititated by sun energy..
the turbines change the mix ,not the amount..
best to point out the problems with being in
close quartes with the mix masters...
In NJ, they have passed laws that the neighbors cant sue for the noise polution..
It would figure that Al Gore Got ‘D’ in ‘Natural Sciences’ at Harvard.
Gorebull warming, indeed!
I cannot beleive the science is not sttled yet and why fruit fly and gorlioni are not in jail!!
There is no such thing as man made global warming of any way shape or form that is my beleif anyway we cannot effect the temprature of this planet due to our co2 expulsion. i bet more co2 get's released into the air during a forest fire started by lighting than what humans have contributed over the last 100 years. look at the volcano over iceland ...thisi s all just crazy !!
Well, now we know why we had such a warm winter in Southern Ontario since our airstream comes directly up from Texas.
Not sure whether to say thanks for that.
;)
I wouldnt' say there isn't 'any' heat associated with wind turbines...by the laws of physics, there must be some measureable heat from the generator operating and the friction of the blades in the air...not a huge amount, but still not zero...and if the alarmists are going to poo-poo it as being just pre-existing warm air stirred up then they have to accept that the majority of the observed 'warming' is the result of not relocating measuring stations away from induced heat sources...like BBQ's and asphalt.
In that case - if turbines are warming SK soil - "I'M FOR 'EM" (Best Mitch Hedberg voice)
That 0.72 degree C increase in temperature is approximately equal to the rise in average global temperature since records began to be kept in the 19th century.
The question is what effect does it have on soil and growing conditions. Only an agronomist can answer that one.
Yeah, let's ask an 'expert'.
Yes wind turbines are good. They kill lots of birds,cost 5 times as much and now warm up the earth. That must be why Wall is going to double them in Sask.
I live and work by the windfarm at Swift Current and have yet to find a dead bird under any of these giant fans.
Story in the Telegraph adds a little context:
However Prof Zhou pointed out the most extreme changes were just at night and the overall changes may be smaller.
Also, it is much smaller than the estimated change caused by other factors such as man made global warming.
“Overall, the warming effect reported in this study is local and is small compared to the strong background year-to-year land surface temperature changes,” he added.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9234715/Wind-farms-can-cause-climate-change-finds-new-study.html
Seems to me that even the scientist behind the study concedes that the localized changes are trivial compared to the large-scale effects of man made climate change.
And man-made global warming is trivial when compared to natural cycles.
The science will continue to prove the truth.
Well Ryan, try living near Camlachie Ontario where the turbines are situated smack dab in the major migration flyway. You got to pick them up with a shovel during the migratory seasons.
If the Romans had the EPA ...
http://www.thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/if-only-the-romans-had-the-epa-to-crucify-the-dissenters-t8908.html
In future editions of webster's dictionary there will be a picture of a wind turbine beside the definition of "white elephant".
I believe that # 22 highway could have been rebuilt with the money wasted on wind turbines. Instead of closing museums,raising old folks home rents and a dozen other things,try eliminating things that dont work and start with WIND TURBINES. I wont start on "carbon capture" and the money wasted there because of the utterly vile people that represent the reason for doing it.
if you missed 'earth day' better late than never :)
http://www.imao.us/index.php/2012/04/how-to-make-every-day-earth-day/
Well, you put a bunch of fans into a hockey arena and the place warms up. Apparently if you plant a bunch of fans in a field the same thing happens.
They don't say "fan the flames" for no reason. OK it doesn't work in Calgary but it does everywhere else.
This is a location, location, location story. If these wind farms were in California you wouldn't hear a word about them.
"Only when the wind blows", Kate., Anyway let's not fall into a warmist trap by suggesting that this phenomenon is of anything but academic interest. Totally irrelevant vis a vis climate.
It would be interesting to find out how many real climate scientists have changed their opinion on 'global warming' over the last 5 years or so. I say 'real climate' scientists because those who have signed on, but actually study fruit flies or something that is irrelevant to the subject don't matter now,and didn't matter then.
Also,how many of them realize that science doesn't change,but opinions do.
A good picture of wind turbines warming their environment.
Mel Brooks' could have made Gore even bigger than the Pink Panther.