The Navy's plan that is under consideration would cover Ford Island's 4,000-foot runway and 14 acres of adjoining land with 60,000 solar-energy panels. The goal is to convert at least 50% of the Navy's energy demands to alternative sources by 2020.
The Pacific Aviation Museum has opposed the proposed project because it says it does not respect the runway's significance in American history.
"Consider the hue and cry should a 60,000-panel project be located at Gettysburg or Valley Forge," the museum said in a written statement.
Kathy Shaidle, in the comments - "Who's up for a Dealey Plaza wind farm?"
Must be part of 'bama's brilliant defence strategy.
The Chinese won't be able to use the runway when they take over the Islands.
As one of my favorite politicians said,"it was a long time ago".
Now,the U.S. is moving "Forward",and long ago battles fought by Cuba Gooding and other Hollywood stars fade in their significance.
"Along with the roughly 450 homes housing Navy personnel and their families on the island, DeHoff says the museum has about 200,000 visitors a year."
They'll probably get more visitors now,who wouldn't want to view those lovely,history-making solar panels.
Far be it from me to suggest large thermocouples slung down the slopes of the islands, producing power from the temp difference between the warm surface and the cold deeps.
'Cause that's just CRAZY TALK!
Well, mojo, "slinging" thermocouples down the undersea slopes of the islands is just as crazy as paving the runway with solar panels, and for exactly the same reason: a huge capital investment in order to recover a pitifully small amount of energy.
You can do a Web search for OTEC, "ocean thermal energy conversion" or whatever. Typically, they pump cold water up from the depths, and exploit the temperature differential between that cold water and the warm surface water to run a Rankine cycle thermal engine. Of course, the end result is to chill the surface water. Do it on a large enough scale, and you will effect the local climate.
Put a windmill in the rose garden and a solar array on the roof at 1600 Pensylvania Ave first.
"Consider the hue and cry should a 60,000-panel project be located at Gettysburg or Valley Forge," the museum said in a written statement.
Please don't give the alternative-energy crazies any ideas.
Who's up for a Dealey Plaza wind farm?
A broke nation that borrows (or prints) $3.5 billion every day can't afford all of it's Carrier Groups, but has no problem building a monument to the highest-cost energy boondoggle that Green Theocracy can embrace? What could possibly go wrong?
"Who's up for a Dealey Plaza wind farm?"
Historical note: It's no small savage irony that the Dealey Plaza now associated with a Presidential assassination is named for a USN WWII Medal of Honor awardee submarine commander Capt Sam Dealey..
To paraphrase FDR:
"[These solar cells] will go down in infamy!"
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
PS: I just checked to find I was wrong all these years--"nevermind"--the Plaza is actually named after his uncle, George B. Dealey..
Whose up for coming to Dalton McGuinty's wind catcher nightmare where the hum of the turbines cancel out the whispering pines and the rustle of wind in the willows?
The US Navy has quite a few safe and reliable nuclear reactors. Park one in the harbor and run a power cable to shore.
When the Empire's military becomes addled by political correctness narratives, you know the end cannot be much longer in coming.
Talk about your 9 to 5 navy... those swabbies will be working from sunrise to sunset washing down those shiny suckers.
Time for Kate to re-post that very informative engineering thread about solar panels, of a year or so back.
Two German engineers, experts in the solar field, explained in detail that even with the latest design solar panels, the amount of conventionally-produced electricity needed to manufacture them is WAY more than the amount a solar panel produces before MTBF. (Mean Time Before Failure of any given model) These solar panels are, in a sense, glorified solid state circuit boards and, like the ones in PCs, etc, sooner or later they fail. So, even with the latest and best models, most of them crap out way before even producing as much generated-by-"old-fashioned"-means as they require to be manufactured.
Only through use of these asinine massive tax subsidies do they become cost-effective. Without these aberrant, market-distorting tax subsidies, they're a ridiculous waste. Of course, it's impossible to explain that to worshipful members of the Church of Green.
"Who's up for a Dealey Plaza wind farm?"
Sure, why not? While we're at it, how about fashioning the solar panels in the style of a covered bridge over the water to Chappaquiddick?
Is this the same Navy that is spending $26.67 for a gallon of bio-fuel gasoline ?
Must be nice to be rolling in money !
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/04/the-real-costs-of-alternative-energy/
@
Put a windmill in the rose garden and a solar array on the roof at 1600 Pensylvania Ave first.
Posted by: Occam at October 1, 2012 11:27 AM
Hate to break it you, but.....
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-05/solar-panels-on-white-house-roof-removed-by-reagan-to-return-under-obama.html
Yeah well the PRC PA(naval) has a new aircraft carrier.....
The PRC has no carrier capable fixed wing airplanes or trained crew...so it is just a symbolic waste like the solar panels....a lawn ornament.
How come every investment in solar energy costs $500 million? Is that some sort of preordained amount or something? I guess it's a nice round number to piss away.
Actually I'm way cool with the Dealy Plaza wind farm. And I think I'm cool with the Ford Island solar panels. We got our ass kicked both places. And I'm old enough to remember them both.
Please keep in mind, this is the same DOD who paid 500 dollars for a hammer.......