Taiwan turns to wind power for renewable energy

The Island nation of Taiwan is turning to wind power to meet some of its energy needs. If you have steady winds it can generate alot of electricty.

We looked at going solar at our house. Even with the City and state rebates, it was not worth generating electricty because our city has its own untility and the rates are so cheap we were looking at almost 40 years to recoup the costs.

CHUPEI, Taiwan (AFP) - Wind ruffling his hair, Jeffrey Lee unlocks the gate of a bamboo fence surrounding two gigantic windmills, reads the meter, and smiles.

Wind speed is good and enough electricity is being generated by the turbines to power Cheng Loong Corporation's paper mill in the remote coastal area of Chupei, northern Taiwan.

The 93-meter (306.9 feet) high, Denmark-designed windmills have generated about 20 million watts of electricity for the mill's use over the past two years, worth some 36 million Taiwan dollars (1.07 million US).

They have also become an unlikely popular tourist attraction.

"The two white wind turbines have become a new landmark of Hsinchu county," Lee, a 46-year-old engineer, says proudly. "Taiwan's west coast will feature hundreds of windmills a few years from now."
Wind Wind Wind

Nice post FredT

It's great to be reminded that there are other sources of power, and not just those greedy oil companies sucking us dry. Allbeit expensive as you said. But if you think it's expensive now, just wait until the government taxes the wind. New meaning to "Windfall Profits."

Its interesting, we have alot of windpower here in California and some environemental groups are protesting it as it kills alot of birds.

One plus with our city, is a program called Palo Alto Green. If you sign up the city owned utility purchases an increased amount of its enery from renewable sources. Now the electricity that comes to your house because of the common transmission lines may not come directly from the renewable source, the city still purchases more from them. It added about 10 dollars a month to our utility bill. So far over 13% of the city has subscribed. Its pretty impressive in term of reduced pollution: Almost 40 million pounds of CO2 have been eliminated since the start of the program