Wind Turbine ********. Just opened the mail and seen the plan for three massive units

[GolfAddict]

Ah, got it. Kind of a strange way of labeling it, makes it sound like some energy is good enough to use and some is not up to snuff! :laughing:

 

[Creamer]

Ah, got it. Kind of a strange way of labeling it, makes it sound like some energy is good enough to use and some is not up to snuff! :laughing:

That is really what it is for the most part. The thermo cycle on a power generation plant is most efficient at higher temperatures. As you lose temperature the efficiency goes down. At some temperature the cycle is uneconomical and therefore the heat energy is just released. In order for man to utilize it, energy needs to be in a concentrated form. There is a tremendous amount of thermal energy from the sun every day - it is just not in a usable form.

 

[Sodo]

In order for man to utilize it, energy needs to be in a concentrated form. There is a tremendous amount of thermal energy from the sun every day - it is just not in a usable form.

Man can profit and distribute energy more efficiently when its in concentrated. And then industry can control the market (and the price). The other component is that it requires "some other man" to accept the byproducts without complaint (or charging for waste Service or degradation of air water and land).

The sun puts out energy in usable form. The problem with solar is not my problem, its my benefit (and yours). You can gather your own solar energy.

This capability puts energy industries in a bind, it curtails their ability to charge more because people will have the option to buy solar panels if they charge too much. They have to discourage the use of solar, with marketing (and legislation) to protect their market for the concentrated energies. Wind power and dams are kind of like concentrated energies in that regard they require large gathering systems and legislation. They have the capacity to reduce cost to the consumer, but in reality the control of these large infrastructure provides price protection to the energy investors.

 

[dmccarty]

100 acres of solar panels is ugly also.

My neighbor and his wife are both ugly. Not much I can do about it

Harry K

There is a solar power company in my area putting up solar "farms." You have to love the "farm" word because it does not look like any farm crop I have ever seen. :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing:

On of the first solar installations they built has a fence around the field to hide the "farm" which I find odd for a couple of reasons. If the "farm" was pretty why did they build a fence to hide the panels? Why not show them off? The farm field across the road does not have a visual fence...

The fence is uglier than the solar panels.

Turnkey, I would suggest you put up a fence to hide the ugly neighbors but it would be wise to pick a nice looking fence. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[sd455dan]

What was the cost of cleaning up after Chernobyl?


and the present danger of forest fires

Chernobyl legacy: Forest fires and radioactive smoke | Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly


I wouldn't want to be a person who breathes that in-- in say 10-20 years.

 

[techman]

Rejected energy is the power generation the "greens or progressives" would like to see stopped, and replaced with wind and solar. The chart magnifies just how stupid that might be. HS

Solar may be small, but is growing fast: US Solar Jumps 41 Percent with Residential Surpassing 300 Megawatts

 

[houstonscott]

Solar may be small, but is growing fast: US Solar Jumps 41 Percent with Residential Surpassing 300 Megawatts

It's so small as a commercial solution, it doesn't even pass a threshold of serious discussion. Interesting, yes, niche, yes, a solution when all others are unavailable, yes, could it be a real smart solution if you have the money to install it to gain independence, yes, maybe even a good investment over 25 years if you have enough invested in other traditional investments, yes. Does it work, yes, can your average home owner take some advantage of it, yes. My real only question is why it's not more popular at the residential level. People buy all kinds of expensive stupid stuff, why not put solar on your roof. HS

 

[Redneck in training]

It's so small as a commercial solution, it doesn't even pass a threshold of serious discussion. Interesting, yes, niche, yes, a solution when all others are unavailable, yes, could it be a real smart solution if you have the money to install it to gain independence, yes, maybe even a good investment over 25 years if you have enough invested in other traditional investments, yes. Does it work, yes, can your average home owner take some advantage of it, yes. My real only question is why it's not more popular at the residential level. People buy all kinds of expensive stupid stuff, why not put solar on your roof. HS

Solar is boring while Porsche is fun. Solar makes sense if you can heat your house with expensive source of energy and you can shift the load to electric load. If you live in warm climate, have net metering and cost of electric energy is high solar is no brainer.

 

[breadtrk]

Wind and Wood ARE solar energy.

 

[DarkBlack]

Wind and Wood ARE solar energy.

Wind, wood, hydro, oil gas, coal....are all solar energy.