Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After the hot-mess that was the BP oil spill, one would hope that the city of Houston would realize the need to attract a diversified amount of businesses (even if it means alternative/green energy businesses) to the area...I don't think there'll ever be a moratorium on wind/solar harvesting...
I think that was realized 10-20 years ago there. I think many people still think Houston is as economically diverse as Detroit and focused on one industry.
Also a number of states are unlikely to be able to produce much wind power effectively due to the basic fact that there isn't enough wind in the area.
For people who mention California, there are issues on siting that might be present. You have to be rather careful doing this around mountain passes due to environmental issues with migratory birds. Another is potential NIMBY issues if placed near population centers or offshore. (look at Martha's Vineyard for a case on that) Places in the plains wouldn't have NIMBY issues due to very low density.
Also how many of California's wind turbines are older at this point? I was thinking this since maybe they can be replaced for newer models that produce more power at a lower unit cost.
I'm impressed by Texas (number 1), Iowa (a small state ahead some big states as California) and North Dakota (very small population but it can compared to New York about wind power )
Don't be surprised. Gov. George Bush signed the bill for wind power into law in his final term. Why would someone owned by "Big Oil" do something like that?
George is also totally off the grid at his home. Al Gore, not so much.
After the hot-mess that was the BP oil spill, one would hope that the city of Houston would realize the need to attract a diversified amount of businesses (even if it means alternative/green energy businesses) to the area...I don't think there'll ever be a moratorium on wind/solar harvesting...
lol, have you been asleep for the past 20 years Houston already has a diversified business sector. Oil accounts for less than 30% of the GDP (down form over 50% 20 some odd years ago. Keep up with the times bud
lol, have you been asleep for the past 20 years Houston already has a diversified business sector. Oil accounts for less than 30% of the GDP (down form over 50% 20 some odd years ago. Keep up with the times bud
Yeah, people should be informed about this, Houston is not oil anymore.Medical, biomedical and trade have the strongest growth in Houston now.
Wow I didnt know Washington state would be number 4 for wind energy capacity!
Does anyone on this thread know Washington state's plans with wind energy capacity?
I read somewhere that Washington state gets a lot of renewable energy from hydropower.
Yup, a lot of wind on the coast as well as quite a bit of wind on the east side of the Cascades. (An old joke is how can you tell the wind has quit blowing? All the cowboys fall over. I said it was old, not funny.) The first wind turbines I ever saw were three giant beasts in the gorge in the late '60s/early '70s built by Boeing. There are extensive windfarms between Walla Walla and Tri-Cities with plans for expansion. (Much to the dismay of many of the locals [not the landowner] due to what many feel are eyesores. Some areas have miles and miles of wind turbines, and in that barren country, you get to see them all.)
Yes, Washington for decades has had the bulk of it's power provided by hydroeclectric dams thanks primarily to the Columbia River as well as quite a number of smaller rivers. It has been the nation's chief producer of hydro power and has lit much of Cal for decades. It has also enjoyed if not the nation's lowest power rates, one of the nation's lowest.
To skinem: Thanks for the post. Are there wind turbines being built off the Washington pacific coast?
I also didnt know there were so many wind turbines between Walla Walla and the tri cities.
I never knew Washington was the nation's chief producer of Hydro power!
I also read somewhere that Washington is somewhere in the top 5 for getting most of its electricity from renewable resources. Is that true?
NaturalUrbanBalance, don't know about wind turbines off the coast...frankly I'd be surprised as much of the actual Pacific coast is pretty remote and roadless, some portion of it being part of the Olympic National Park as well.
I also don't know if the top 5 thing is true, but it wouldn't surprise me as WA is almost exclusively electrically powered. I never knew anyone that had any other kind of heat (other than wood, which is renewable) other than electricity in the years I was there. (Well, some propane heated/powered cabins miles from electricity) I believe that is still much the case today...
I remember when I relocated to Tennessee from WA everyone in Tn told me "Oh, you'll have low power bills, we have the lowest rates in the nation!" When I asked them why, the reply was "TVA!" They were wrong. I found the power costs here high compared to WA.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
Houston already has a diversified business sector. Oil accounts for less than 30% of the GDP (down form over 50% 20 some odd years ago. Keep up with the times bud
