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Location: North of the Cow Pasture and South of the Wind Turbines
856 posts, read 2,921,747 times
Reputation: 2280
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I have actually spent thousands of hours doing research on the subject and I stand by my opinion. How much non-green energy do you think goes into making a 425 ft wind turbine? In my opinion they actually owe green credits for their lack of performance. Do you know they need over 700 gallons of oil so they spin, changed every year times 30-50 turbines. Doesn't sound green to me.
Last edited by BovinaCowHateWindTurbines; 06-30-2008 at 01:03 PM..
I have actually spent thousands of hours doing research on the subject and I stand by my opinion. How much non-green energy do you think goes into making a 425 ft wind turbine? In my opinion they actually owe green credits for there lack of performance. Do you know they need over 700 gallons of oil so they spin, changed every year times 30-50 turbines. Doesn't sound green to me.
700 gallons??? What type of turbine are you talking about?
The actual volume of oil used in turbines are much, much smaller than the number you've given. It varies from manufacturer to another, but no where near 700 gal. And this is hydraulics oil we're talking about.
And even if you tally up the numbers worldwide, the amount of oil (albeit of a different type than crude or petrol) used per year, would still be less than what we consume in the U.S. daily.
Location: North of the Cow Pasture and South of the Wind Turbines
856 posts, read 2,921,747 times
Reputation: 2280
I could list 100's of articles -
"People should also realize that each monstrous turbine, as tall as a 40-story building, contains at least 13,000 gallons of mineral oil, hydraulic oil, generator fluid and anti-freeze. We all know how easy it is for accidents to happen when huge machines are at work. How will our children and grandchildren like drinking and playing in the water of a Class A stream like Cobb Brook after a leak from a malfunctioning turbine has filled it with hydraulic fluids and antifreeze?"
If the so-called opposition to the wind industry is citing environmental reasons, then we are all on the same side. I wonder why the wind opposition ignores this. Funded by oil and coal, and their employees? They stand to lose the most if the wind industry advances as planned in the next 5 to 20 years. This is not surprising.
In fact, it may actually be a good thing that the wind industry has some opposition to keep them from becoming too complacent.
"However, leaking lubricating oil or hydraulic fluid may run down turbine blades, in some cases contaminating drinking water areas. When ejected pieces of broken blade and ice, are thrown hundreds of meters away,it can pose a dangerous problem. Residents near turbines may complain of "shadow flicker" caused by rotating turbine blades. Sea eagles have been killed by wind turbines, lightning strikes are a common problem, also causing rotor blade damage and fires."
Wind Power Turbines Our Future Energy Source (http://ezinearticles.com/?Wind-Power-Turbines-Our-Future-Energy-Source&id=1023995 - broken link)
My personal opposition to wind energy comes the fact that the manufacturing process is extensive, often demanding a lot of energy and resources, usually more than is made up for in the lifespan of wind turbines.
Even though it is 'green' energy in the end, you've got to consider the machines mining the material, the energy used at the manufacturing facilities, and logistics. Windmills simply cannot make up for all of that, it would probably take 100+ years of constant production. Not to mention the heath effects experienced by nearby residences.
The average power output of one average windmill, under regular wind is only 2.5 megawatts. Coal power rates at an average of 600-900 megawatts, and nuclear peaks at around 3,000+ megawatts (and increases exponentially from there).
We should invest in Geothermal or Solar energy instead.
Complacency as wind industry M.O.? Please. Your screenname says it all - you oppose the wind industry, and that's fine. But the inaccuracies that the opposition uses to smear the wind industry with only shows that they prefer the status quo over progress.
And that leaky turbine - I'm sure thats an isolated incident and that the industry learned a lesson from this. All part of growing pains. Compare that with an oil spill. Like the one Exxon did up in Alaska.
You can have this:
http://www.sun-volt.com/images/coal_fired_power_plant.jpg (broken link)
And if the world continues to be complacent when it comes to advancing clean energy, we will all have to breathe this:
http://www.triplepundit.com/smog_beijing.jpe (broken link)
I say, no thanks.
By the way, we have over 60,000 MW in the world so far, of installed wind capacity. Solar energy? I'm actually supportive for solar, but it's too expensive. Even with manufacturing costs, wind is still cheaper... and the manu costs can be made up for within 3-6 months after a wind farm is installed. I'm also all for energy conservation, too.
"People should also realize that each monstrous turbine, as tall as a 40-story building, contains at least 13,000 gallons of mineral oil, hydraulic oil, generator fluid and anti-freeze. We all know how easy it is for accidents to happen when huge machines are at work. How will our children and grandchildren like drinking and playing in the water of a Class A stream like Cobb Brook after a leak from a malfunctioning turbine has filled it with hydraulic fluids and antifreeze?"
While I agree with the writer of the article that conservation is the key, the information an author writes in the 'Opinions' section of a website that is anti-wind power is not credible information. Is she an expert? All I saw after her name was the name of the town in which she resides, not that she is an engineer or anything of the sort. Find me credible information and I'll believe your figures.
Location: North of the Cow Pasture and South of the Wind Turbines
856 posts, read 2,921,747 times
Reputation: 2280
And obviously you couldn't have taken to time to even read one article so I 'll agree to disagree and you can see wind through rose colored glasses. (not you cmacf1... as a side did'nt someone spot recently a "Ivory-billed Woodpecker" they were prevalent here upstate ny and I keep looking)
No offense but at least I can back up what I say and I could sit here all day citing articles that show wind is not green. I would have to look a lot harder to find even a few positive articles.
I am not against small scale residential wind at all. As a matter of fact I follow that technology very closely (esp. Roof top type turbines) as I am very interested in installing one or two on my barn. And if the state and feds would give us quite a bit more in incentive instead of letting the Europeans take over the industrial wind energy market by installing huge useless wind farms (big deal 55,000 homes yawn) then we could all be part of the grid. With the amount of monies and subsidies these LLC front men for the Euro wind companies get you could give a 100,000 or more people a roof top turbine for free. Additionally all our residents fought furiously to oppose large wind facilities in our town and to spite us the town also banned residential wind, hence I believe roof top would not fall into those restrictions.
And also most of the anti-wind comes from people that live with the turbines and is mostly anecdotal because it is a fairly new phenom here, but not in Europe where the ill affects are felt most.
And phew it gets me heated so good luck and no offence it is always good to see all sides of "green energy" which btw does not exist.
Last edited by BovinaCowHateWindTurbines; 06-30-2008 at 04:10 PM..
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