We Don’t Need No Stinking Giant Fans

16 Replies to “We Don’t Need No Stinking Giant Fans”

1. Speaking of “Not Real Efficient” we have these wacky monstrosities still going up in the “Not Real Efficient” LIBERAL province of Ontario, where people reward lying incompetents with majority government. As for being efficient, they’re not efficient no matter which way they turn,whump and hum, killing birds and god knows what else they’re doing to farm animals and other wild life.

2. dj, wind turbines have to be kept in motion almost constantly. Otherwise they become subject to stress on the rotor, given the disproportionate weight at one end. In general, the larger the turbine the bigger the stress. When there’s little or no wind, this motion comes as a draw on the electricity grid. What is not recorded anywhere that I’ve found is just what the load is for idle wind turbines on any power system.
   So yes, they not only slice birds, they also suck power out of the system, especially when demand is at maximum on cold winter high pressure zones or hot summer days under windless summer low pressure zones.

3. As far as I am aware it costs about a million dollars to erect a wind tower and between $400k and 1 million to take it down after 10-15 years. Any idea what is the kilowatt value generated during its lifetime?

4. cgh;
   Interesting comment.
   My only experience with wind mills in Maui, Hawaii where we visit regularly. There are about 30 units on the West Maui mountains. Highly visible and we have hiked up close many times. My point being that they are very noisy even down on the highway more so up above. My observation is that these units are idle very often, no movement. The alternate energy source in Maui is fuel powered generators.
   My only other experience is observing the huge wind farms out in Pincher Creek, ALberta. Again, I often see units where there is no blade movement.

5. It’s not about value with these thumpers, it’s all about something they call “green energy” which is now proven to be the biggest scam ever perpetrated on the people by people like the farcical awards winning, know nothing Al Gore. Of course we have our own David Suzuki, employed by CBC for life who probably DOESN’T have one of these whumpers anywhere near his home(s).

6. CT, they turn them on a regular basis for maintenance purposes. When they haven’t been moving for some scheduled time, whatever it is, they will turn them. The older varieties build in the 1980s or early ’90s don’t have this, which is part of the reason why they experienced so many mechanical failures. These were much smaller machines, in the region of 150-250 kW and the stress loading on the rotor is less.
   Dave, to my knowledge none of the turbines in Ontario have decommissioning requirements. I do not know what the decommissioning requirements are in Pincher Creek. It all depends upon what’s in the contract signed by the landowner with the wind company. The generation costs are all over the place, but typically it ranges from 14-17 cents/kWh. There may or may not be additional government subsidies direct to the wind company on top of that of many different forms. For example, unlike any other form of generator, in Ontario, Hydro One must hook them up to the grid at OH1’s cost, contrary to every other form of generation or customer hookup. In Ontario, they get first access to the grid.
   The current benchmark price for solar power generation in Ontario is 72 cents/kWh based on the current contract with Samsung.
   By contrast, the cost for electricity from the refurbished nuclear reactors Bruce 1 and 2 for which Bruce Power paid for with privately raised capital (and yes making a profit) is about 8 cents/kWh. Yes, the capital cost was high about $3 billion for both reactors, but the quantity of electricity generated is enormous.

7. One technical error in my above. It was $3 billion for each, not both Bruce reactors. The remaining six will be refurbished over the next decade at about $12 billion (the first two are always the most expensive).

8. Bruce A 5.8 cents. Bruce B 6.2 cents.
   Reliable too.
   Decommisioning in Ont is part of the contract, but the smart
   money is on these carpet baggers not being around and it’ll
   be left to the landowner.

9. Any DC generator can become a motor if current is applied and vice versa, that’s how hybrid cars have regenerative braking. I suspect that there is a fault in the electrical system (a blown diode?) connecting the generator to the grid and the current is slowly turning the windmill backwards.

10. That’s the problem. If the wind company dissolves, so too does its contractual obligation. With nuclear and most mining operations, the operator has to set aside funds for decommissioning irrespective of the future of the company. It’s built into the operating cost.

11. the bearing members will “pocket” the bearing race in any bearing carrying a load that sits still for too long. Company I worked for bought a lot of gear boxes that had sat for too long, thus there was possible bearing problems and no warrantee because of this. Price compensated for potential “repairs”. I suggested that the company store these units on their side so that all the rollers carried weight, rather than just the bottom units, as it would in the windmill situation.

12. It’s obvious why this turbine is turning backwards. It is reversing Global Warming!

13. And slowing down time Sporty, i’ve always contended that the reason time flies is because these windmills are sucking the earth into a faster rotation thus speeding up time, you know “time flies”, its as logical as most leftie environMENTALists glowball warming arguements.

14. Ah I see we’re installing windmills from Tropico 4. Or as Penultimo says: “Green power is here! By popular demand, they will rotate backwards.”

15. over 14,000 dead turbines in the US and no one will remove or repair them. coming to a wind farm near you in 15 to 20 years.

16. Yep on the bearing issues.
    This the cause of so many bearing failures with boat trailers. This easily prevented by just putting the suckers up on blocks over-winter.
    It used to be standard practice to put cars up on blocks to save the tires but bearing issues also…..