The True Purpose Of Giant Wind Turbines

a reply to: Kester

When I was a kid I used to imagine that inside the steep motorway embankments were missiles ready to launch if the USSR ever invaded etc.

Then I grew up.

And to be honest, I don't really care if the factories used to manufacture these turbines can be quickly altered for munitions and weaponry in the highly unlikely event that we ever enter into another conventional world war.
In fact it would be quite re-assuring.

But it isn't going to happen - for if WWIII were to occur the most likeliest scenario is MAD....and then the vast majority of us, if not all, would literally be dust in the wind!

a reply to: Parishna

Have you ever actually tried one out for yourself to see if it makes the noise you have been told that it does?

The ones I have used don't make much noise AT ALL.

a reply to: tovenar

The underground vibration is a big issue for wildlife.

We suggest that the higher cortisol levels in affected badgers is caused by the turbines' sound and that these high levels may affect badgers' immune systems, which could result in increased risk of infection and disease in the badger population.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

a reply to: Kesterthe windmills have been at war with night flying migratory birds since their inception. It is one of those treehugger conundrums...save thousands upon thousands of birds at the expense of green energy, or sacrifice them to the altar. Tough decision.

Those turbines stabilize the flat earth and keeps it upright so it doesn't dump us out into the vastness of space. I thought everyone knew this.... where do you think we got the inspiration for helicopters?

A2D

a reply to: Kester

I agree with your first point on sustainable energy being viable at the single household or small collection of households level.

When it gets commercialized and gargantuan, what is the point?

originally posted by: ABNARTY
a reply to: Kester

I agree with your first point on sustainable energy being viable at the single household or small collection of households level.

When it gets commercialized and gargantuan, what is the point?

My company has manufactured the gearing inside the large windmills.

When oil prices get high....like $150 a barrel high....most alternative fuel sources become viable like wind energy.

Like someone said earlier, usually the manufacture of these is subsidised by the government. From my experience 4 different times during high oil price times.

a reply to: Spacespider

I'm not denying the foundation of your idea - that wind power is potentially brilliant, however I am struggling to find actual hard evidence of this. So far all I see is companies making billions from subsidies.

1) New technology for storing electricity.
I am yet to come across anything remotely viable. Do you have a link? Batteries are potentially MASSIVE. and importantly:
Bad for the environment

2) I do remember our planet - however:
The cost to install cables is MASSIVE and the impact on environment MASSIVE. Not to mention the required substations. Again, we are talking millions, perhaps billions.
Coal is still required.

3) "Companies are thinking more green now"
I completely disagree with this. Without even touching America... Take the UK's 'green standard' ISO 14001. This is supposed to evidence that a company is not just thinking green but ACTING green. However it is total nonsense. It is only paperwork and procedures. I could get any company an ISO 14001 certificate in a month and they wouldn't have to change anything they are doing.


Sorry if you think I'm picking you apart, it's not you, it's the general vagueness you promote that industry also promotes.

YEp, green is good, wind, solar, tide - all brilliant. But let's have some substance, some evidence, something solid!

Those 'wind turbines' aren't really for generating energy. They are actually giant fans, built to combat global warming.

At least that's the story I'm going to tell my grandchildren.

a reply to: and14263

A simple storybook explaining the manufacture and installation of renewable infrastructure is called for. Mining ore is a good place to start. I can't imagine solar powered mining machinery would be a great success.

Tidal barrages silt up and tethered wave generators end up "smashed up on the beach" to quote an industry insider.

The problem seems to be youngsters who've never known anything but electricity on demand regarding it as their right. They think that somehow 'renewables' will generate electricity without creating pollution. The truth is they'll have to learn to do without electricity, or use a whole lot less.

Sure you need to have enough base load generation (coal/gas/whatever) to cover the vaguaries of wind generation but once you have large population of turbines nationwide, the diversity gets better as it's extremely rare to have no wind at all anywhere at the same time. The amount of fossil fuels needed to keep those power stations on minimum load is hugely less than what they'd be using on higher outputs.

The biggest problem with wind is not the wind dropping, it's when the wind speed exceeds the turbine rating (around the 25m/S figure) and the whole farm 'feathers off' to protect the turbines very quickly and enough spare capacity has to be online & ready to pick up that lost generation immediately if & when it happens. Then the wind can drop a few m/S and the whole farm returns to the previous output (it's chaotic trying to maintain system frequency in those circumstances)

Birds crap on stuff.
Too many birds.


Wind turbine, good.


urgh

a reply to: Kester

"The true purpose of giant wind turbines is to prepare engineering firms for manufacturing weapons."

-Not saying your wrong by any means.

My view is a little different in that they want these things is because they want home services like electricity and water to be centrally controlled.

By keeping everybody dependent on centrally reticulated supply they also have leverage over the population, they have CONTROL over that population.

Just imagine how things would be if individual families and households were independent of the system with respect to energy?

Take for example smart meters - They are being rolled out all over the industrialised world. The facility supplying or controlling the supply of energy and water are in the poll position to make uninterrupted supply dependent on behavior of those living in that home.

They will be able to control people in their own homes but by remote control.

See what I mean?

a reply to: Azureblue

I agree with you entirely. The purpose of this thread was to get some responses to a friend's pet theory.

I don't know.... honestly I'm just trying to reach the 20 posts mark so that I can create my own threads.