One of P.E.I.’s biggest provincially owned wind farms is operating at less than 40 per cent of its design capacity.
The wind farm at Hermanville, near the eastern tip of the Island, came online with 10 turbines at a cost of $60 million in 2014.
On Tuesday, the P.E.I. Energy Corporation said only four of those turbines remain functional — with no reason given as to why.
“It’s something that needs to be rectified quickly, because it’s standing in the way of our goals,” said Steven Myers, P.E.I.’s minister of environment, energy and climate action.
Just put your lips together, Steve – and blow.
The idea that they would despoil a tourist island with this garbage is beyond stupid
It has been an electrifying experience, at times.
Uh … yeah LESS than 40% of capacity! If only 4 out of 10 wind contraptions are even functional … those 4 remaining contraptions would have to be running at 100% efficiency 100% of the time which is patently absurd. Hence, the wind array is operating at far below 40% of its rated nameplate energy generation.
I guess the manufacturer guarantees didn’t apply…considering its Provincial Money mostly…
CBC news has a way back machine. How it all started in 2014 with visions of a wind powered island dancing in their heads.
Prince Edward Island’s Energy Minister Wes Sheridan promises the Hermanville wind farm, which is rapidly coming to completion, will bring down the price for power customers on the Island. Sheridan said the $60-million investment is good for P.E.I.
Nigerian Prince on line one…
Sue the engineers. On all wind and solar project the engineers know they don’t effing work but keep feeding the governments bullshit to get the work. Make the bastards pay.
The problem is the engineers put in enough weasel words such as “estimate” that the politicians promptly eliminate and ignore from any press release, citing only the best case scenario. And the engineers are usually bound by NDAs so they can’t discuss the projects after their submittal
Sue the engineers?? I don’t think so. Mathless, scienceless bureaucrats dreamed up these fantasies, engineers are just giving them what they want. Want something that will help? If every taxpaying Canadian would pledge to exterminate one government employee, problem will be solved.
“Sue the engineers?? I don’t think so. Mathless, scienceless bureaucrats dreamed up these fantasies, engineers are just giving them what they want. ”
Sue the engineering firms, then. They *know* it’s BS, but they still want the money.
“Sue the engineers. On all wind and solar project the engineers know they don’t effing work but keep feeding the governments bullshit to get the work. Make the bastards pay.”
I like it.
Do the same for all the ‘scientists’ being paid to push a narrative that they know is false.
Name plate capacity is the amount of energy produced under the perfect wind conditions. A well situated wind farm might produce 30% of this. With 60% of the turbines out of commission the PEI wind farm is operating at around .3 x .4 = 12% of nameplate capacity.
It is in fact “less than 40%”. Much much less 🙂
They’re always talking about these “climate goals”. I think the goals are preposterous.
Just say “green”.
All is forgiven.
Suggested solution: PEI government declares project is fully delivering the notional reduction in global temperature per the original nameplate capacity. That accomplishes required virtue signalling. As each turbine fails,it is demolished and a part of beautiful PEI landscape is returned to its pristine condition. The grid benefits from having to cope with less and less high cost destabilizing wind generation. The $60 million is a wasted sunk cost but whatever, we all waste money.
in 2022, this wind farm produced 40,000 MWhrs of electricity.
The annual nameplate capacity of the 30MW wind farm is 30 x 24 x 365 = 262,800 MWHrs.
40,000 / 262,800 = 15%.
Can’t easily locate the projected output but it was likely twice as much or more. Who is accountable for the difference? (My guess – the PEI taxpayer!)
“On Tuesday, the P.E.I. Energy Corporation said only four of those turbines remain functional — with no reason given as to why.”
Because they are the least reliable, most expensive to build and maintain and most environmentally damaging ‘renewable’ option out there, is why. They are meant for subsidy generation, not power generation….the only people who profit from these are the people who sell them.
I drive by one of these wind farms in BC a few times a year. Only once have I seen all six turbines operational.
“…only four of those turbines remain functional — with no reason given as to why.”
Bearings. That’s why.
Longer answer, because under the loads applied to the main shaft bearings in a long-blade windmill, the roller bearings behave like they were made of rubber. They’re essentially being constantly cold forged, driven to very close to their tensile and compressive strength limits ALL THE TIME. Also the bearing races, constantly loaded and unloaded at ridiculous pressures.
Some of them fail sooner than others, because not all bearings are created equal. ALL of them will fail eventually, because science can’t make a bearing to survive that load indefinitely.
If you want to change the busted bearings, you have to take the whole thing apart and that means a crane, a crew, and six months work. Which costs more than the electricity it would generate. So they just leave them standing there, broken.
A most cogent explanation. Thanks, Phantom.
“A most cogent explanation. Thanks, Phantom.”
Seconded. I’ve often wondered about that myself (why they don’t just fix them).
The one at Grouse Mountain is a different issue, though. It has spent most of its life stationary, but they don’t care because they apparently make more money charging tourists to climb it (or take an elevator?) and take spectacular pictures of Vancouver from the top.
One of the things they don’t tell you about windmills is Brinelling.
In a roller bearing, if the shaft is stationary the little thin contact patch where the bearing touches the bearing race will begin to deform both the bearing and the race. The bearing will get a flat spot and the race will get a divot pressed into it. That’s why when wheel bearings on vehicles go bad you hear that brrrrr sound. Bearings rolling over the divots in the races.
Keep in mind that although the roller bearing is probably as big around as your fist (or maybe your leg, in a main bearing) the place where it touches the race is -small-. Like under a quarter of an inch type of small. It’s a hardened cylinder of steel sitting on a hardened ring of steel, right? Think of a knife blade pushing down on cheese.
Basically, if you’ve seen the windmill sitting still and not turning for any length of time, the bearings are done. It won’t even roll.
https://www.liebherr.com/en/usa/products/components/slewing-bearings-and-slew-drives/main-bearings-for-wind-turbines/main-bearings-for-wind-turbines.html
Most of the actual weight is held up by oil pressure, so you have the mother of all oil pumps generating immense hydraulic pressure to keep the thing floating like it is supposed to. Which means if a seal blows, or a hose breaks, or a pump dies, she’s done.
That’s also why they go on fire so commonly. Loss of hydraulic pressure, bearing contact, instant immense heat generation, kapow. Then the thousand or so gallons of hydraulic oil they keep up there in the mill head burns merrily for a day or two. Fun!
Good info, Phantom…thanks for taking the time to lay it out for us.
I knew there were oil and gears involved, but didn’t know about the pumps.
I doubt it will effect their goals. They can ensure low income people struggle with energy costs , destabilize the grid and help bankrupt Canada even if only a few work.