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Hey, here's an idea to solve the energy crisis, AND fight obesity in WV!
Outside of EVERY convenience store, there is a giant hamster wheel (as mandated by future state law). EVERY person who buys a lottery ticket must either run on the hamster wheel for 20 minutes or, if they have been deemed disabled by the government, have someone run in their stead for 20 minutes. Former military would only be required to run for 10 minutes (military discount), as would federal employees.
Well, that giant hamster wheel is hooked up to a turbine. We could power not just the state, but the entire mid-Atlantic!!!
Okay, question of the day: HOW are windmills an eye sore? What makes them an eye sore?
And Buzz, okay, we get all these people the hell out of here.... where do they go?
In answer to your first question, click on the link to photos on that site and you'll see an eyesore. Even those in favor of them admit they are an eyesore. If anyone thinks tearing down those beautiful forests in WV and putting up those ugly windmills is "progress" I feel sorry for them.
As far as the second question...I don't know...just get them the he** away from me.
Actually, the tips of the blades are moving pretty fast.
Assume a 100ft blade turning at 10rpm (1 revolution every 6 seconds). The tip of the blade travels 200ft * PI = 628 ft every six seconds, or 104 ft/sec, or about 71 mph.
Oh. Here's a question then: why can't they screen them somehow?
Oh. Here's a question then: why can't they screen them somehow?
Here's my guess:
1. If they screened them then they would not get the necessary wind - it would be blocked.
2. They are on top of the mountains. Can't miss them when you see the top of a mountain from miles away or near.
3. Guess only way to screen them is to plant trees around them but that gets back to Point 1, plus would take years and years and years for trees to grow as tall as one.
PotomacStewards.com - Tilting At Windmills (http://www.potomacstewards.com/windmills - broken link) : "It makes no sense to save mountaintops and then cover them with whirling steel.
The windmills would reach over 400 feet above ground - visible for miles - and would be lit at night for the safety of airplanes. The blades turn at up to 200 miles per hour. They actually produce very little power, and coal-based power plants are still needed as backup when the wind is too weak or too strong to run the windmills. It would take 3,000 windmills to match the power of just one coal fired plant like the one at Mt Storm, and we would still need the fossil-fueled plant as backup."
Hmmm... the ones just north of Thomas aren't lit at night.
And in an overall utility system, the rest of the system is the backup for each of the generating units, you don't have specific backups for a particular generator.
But I agree with the main point... It takes a whole bunch of wind turbines, stretching for miles, to generate a significant amount of electricity. I believe the "wind farm" near Thomas has over 40 windmills, which stretch for miles along the ridge, and are visible all the way into Canaan Valley.
I don't think the ones at Tehachapi are lighted. I understand they really don't produce much electricity and may not be worth the effort. I think single windmills for homes produce enough for the house, but are way too expensive.
By screening I meant couldn't they put a shield around the blades like they do with small fans, to keep birds out but still let the wind in, but I think I answered my own question. If they were small enough to keep birds out they would get clogged up with leaves and debris all the time.
We're using a lot of solar in Nevada. That's an eyesore too, but I guess it beats breathing smoke from coal-fired generators. If they could reduce the size of these things it would help.
Buzz123 the new coal fired generators produce NO SMOKE...ALL particulate matter is collected on stack scrubber screens and is hauled away or used in 'Green Energy projects. What is seen is a white steam cloud as the particulate matter is cooled by water.
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