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You know there must be really something to this wind power if this guy T. Boone Pickens is willing to invest in it. Here's his website, worth taking a look at. PickensPlan
It's all about $. There are only two technologies that haven't changed since the late 1800s/early 1900s: electricity and the petroleum fueled internal combustion engine...see the connection?
According to the California Energy Commission, critical greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas are 23% lower than diesel and 30% lower than gasoline.
California says diesels are cleaner than gas engines?
The perfect place to put those solar collectors is under the turbines. You've already got the land, the infrastructure, the easements, and turbines don't cast a big enough shadow to cause an efficiency problem. Since the wind tends to blow during off peak solar hours, you can get more usable hours out of your existing infrastructure.
here is the thing with the solar though. If you cast a shadow on a panel, it reduces its effectiveness by 80%, you dont need hundreds of wind turbines casting shadows on these things. They are also wired like xmas lights, loose one and you loose all power produced beyond that point.
When designing Residentaial for solar use, we have to watch where the sweeping arc of a shadow from the chimineys, it makes that part of the roof unuseable for solar panels because of the above mentioned problem.
just watched a report on wind turbine for residential home.....cost the homeowner 58,000. take awhile to make that pay for itself.
the documentation that I have in the office shows a cost of 6,000-20,000
doing some other quick searches
"How much does a wind system cost?
A small turbine can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $22,000 installed, depending upon size, application and service agreements with the manufacturer. "
http://www.awea.org/faq/rsdntqa.html#Howmuchdoesawindsystemcost (broken link)
With a typical cost of $10,000 to $14,000 to purchase and install, Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in 5 to 12 years. This payback period will vary and can be much quicker in states with investment rebates. It’s anticipated that Skystream 3.7 will save the average homeowner $500 to $800 per year, based on 4,800 to 6,600 kWh produced per year and a $0.12/kWh cost of electricity. This output would provide 40 to 90 percent of an average home’s energy needs. In states like Hawaii, where the cost of energy and wind speeds are both high, Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in less than 4 years. Federal grant money and financing available for qualified Agricultural producers.
I would much rather not see a solar array than a wind turbine from my backyard!
Alot of people are looking at the cost as opposed to the aesthetics of the system. Some only see Solar as the only option where there are actually a few, some of lower cost.
But with the wind and dust blowing soo much what else could this one area be used for . ? i see that there seams to be some comercial businesses going in there ? so whats wrong again ?the land is properly uses. Or do we need to just leave it natural so we can enjoy the blowing sand??
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