Wind Power

[Valandil]

What do you guys know about wind power? (Anyone from The Netherlands here? Earniel - I know you're close! )

I've heard there are kits you can get for a home / farm / whatever - that generally pay for themselves after about 7-8 years of use. Is this true? Also heard that excess power you generate can be sold to power companies.

With where I live now, in a big city (on a slightly-above-standard size city lot), it doesn't seem like it would be a good application for me (even though we are, "The Windy City"). However, if I was on a good chunk of land out in the open, I think I'd go for it! (that and fish-farming - which I've heard is a good growth-industry! )

[Beruthiel's cat]

Oh, the irony of you're starting a thread called "Wind Power", Val!

Seriously, there are a number of farms up here that are using very large windmills as sources of suplimental power. And last year a HUGE windmill was constructed on one of the major east/west routes near the lake, but I don't know who owns it or what it's being used for. I'll see if I can find out and let you know any more information.

(Living on these Great Lakes is just a windy proposition...)

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Valandil
What do you guys know about wind power? (Anyone from The Netherlands here? Earniel - I know you're close! )

I've heard there are kits you can get for a home / farm / whatever - that generally pay for themselves after about 7-8 years of use. Is this true? Also heard that excess power you generate can be sold to power companies.

It takes up a lot of land to produce electricty. New Jersey has energy choice, so i chose to get my energy from Green Mountain. They use renewable energy sources.

But in all actuality there is no completely non-polluting energy. People argue about solar power being so clean - well the thing is - how are the solar panels made and what happens when they are disposed of? I'm sure they have toxic chemicals and so forth in them. Dams create problems, wind power takes up a lot of land. There were recent arguments against putting a wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts because they said it was unsightly from the shore and that it would kill seabirds.

I go with Green Mountain because I think it is better than supporting the coal plants in the midwest that pollute the air in NJ.

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Beruthiel's cat
Oh, the irony of you're starting a thread called "Wind Power", Val!

Why irony? Are you saying I'm a big bag of wind?

[Lalaith_Elf]

We have a few wind farms over here. They were going to build some on the moors, where they have plenty on land, but people thought they wouldn't look good. I think they look okay actually - sort of hypnotic. And why complain of a thing like that, when we could have clean energy that doesn't harm the planet.

Btw 'King Wierdo', nice thread.

[Beruthiel's cat]

Originally posted by Valandil
Why irony? Are you saying I'm a big bag of wind?

No. I didn't say that. Did I???

JD, I applaud your energy choice and you make good points about non-polluting energy. I wish we had a choice in our energy sources here in Upstate NY, but we don't. I also live in an area where the cost of electricity is higher than almost anywhere else in the country. The PSC investigated and the utility company was unable to come up with a reasonable explanation, so, not only does the electric company have to provide rebates to it's customers for the next five years, but they also have to freeze their utitlity rates for the next five years!!!



(...hmm...is somebody a softie somewhere underneath it all...I've had my suspicions about this for quite some time....)

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Lalaith_Elf
Btw 'King Wierdo', nice thread.

Uh... (hmmm... do I say 'thanks' or not? )

I've been ignoring that stuff... for now!

Are you and Beor inviting me to come around and stop all your irresponsible drinking!!!???

[Lalaith_Elf]

Maybe, King Wierdo, you would like to look a little closer to home (or your avvys home to be more precise).

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Lalaith_Elf

Maybe, King Wierdo, you would like to look a little closer to home (or your avvys home to be more precise).

I'm not sure I follow you, but if this is a veiled stalking threat, I'd caution you against it... and advise you to ask Linaewen how I deal with stalkers.

[Falagar]

I know Denmark uses a lot of mills (actually, I believe most of their energy is derrived from such mills), and there are a few here in Norway as well (though not nearly as many as i Denmark).

King Wierdo? No wonder Arnor fell.

[Lalaith_Elf]

You wouldn't!

Okay you would....

*cough*title*cough*

*runs*

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Beruthiel's cat
(...hmm...is somebody a softie somewhere underneath it all...I've had my suspicions about this for quite some time....)

The only reason why you would be surprised - is because very few people on this board actually know me.

[Nerdanel]

Good choice, JD!

The land wind power takes up is no problem here in Finland, since not too many people live here. We don't have very much of it, but there are a few mills here along the coast.

I think solar power is an important alternative, and I know that you didn't claim it wasn't JD, important because of all the energy that we can get from it. We just have to try to find or develop the cleanest alternative or way to use it.
JD, you're right when you say that there is no completely non-polluting form of energy, but it's very profitable to try to choose the cleanest one. Nature can stand and manage small amounts of pollution.

[Nurvingiel]

I agree with you JD, about energy. Each type of energy has its own pollution and its own benefits.

Wind power takes up land that might otherwise be a grassland, a forest, or a farmers field. Manufacturing the windmills probably takes a lot of energy intensive materials like steel.
The bonus is they don't put any nasty things into the atmosphere or environment.
Coal plants are cheap, but release a lot of CO2. Unfortunately, a lot of power is generated this way in Canada. *glares at Ontario*
Nuclear power doesn't release CO2, but it does have nasty pollutants that take hundreds of years to break down into something safe.
Solar power, like JD pointed out, takes a lot of energy to make. But it doesn't pollute in the generation of energy.
Hydro power doesn't release CO2, but it mess rivers up and flood fertile valleys.

[Nurvingiel]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
The only reason why you would be surprised - is because very few people on this board actually know me.

OT but that made me think, how well do we know anyone that we post with on the internet.

I know my dear friend Hectorberlioz, who is my best net friend, fairly well. I know a lot about him anyway.

I think I sort of know you sort of well. What do you think JD? We have been posting together for a long time now.

[Ruinel]

Green Mountain energy also has a turbine farm in west Texas. The windmills are HUGE... and they span for miles. It's quite amazing, and a great way to utilize land that no one really wants.

[Sminty_Smeagol]

Well, the wind over here is strong enough to blow our trampoline in the middle of our lake... which is did a week ago... *(wrong kind of wind power, I know, but while we're on the topic...)*

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
I think I sort of know you sort of well. What do you think JD? We have been posting together for a long time now.

I think we know each other and I know I enjoy you being around and posting on entmoot. Hey - you're a part of The Great Continent of Entmoot.