Article

2007-02-17 Science & Technology

Urban turbines struggle to turn a profit

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Posted by John Frum 2007-02-17 08:43|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I've personal experience with wind turbines, I made my own and used it to partly power my home, The Big mistake he's making here is trying to sell power back to the grid, they only pay wholesale rates, much less than the price he pays to buy power, average is 3 to 4 hours of generated power equals one hour of purchased power.
To make the system work profitably, you need to use a Direct Current system, store "Your" power in Batteries, and use it yourself, either by converting it to AC with an inverter, or using it directly to power such things as light bulbs that don't care if they run on AC or DC, it's more expensive initialy, but works far better in the long run.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-02-17 11:06|| 2007-02-17 11:06|| Front Page Top

#2 Four weeks in mid-winter doesn't seem like a long enough 'trial period'.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2007-02-17 11:12|| 2007-02-17 11:12|| Front Page Top

#3 I have a Mexican racehorse named PeakOil, who's in for a share?

Posted by Shipman 2007-02-17 13:04|| 2007-02-17 13:04|| Front Page Top

#4 "...the manufacturer, Proven Energy, which along with the installing company, Sundog Energy, says that Mr Large ignored advice that the site was unsuitable."

The title should be "Engineer makes gross conceptual error in wind turbine project. Blames others for his incompetence."

Posted by Penguin 2007-02-17 13:28|| 2007-02-17 13:28|| Front Page Top

#5 One other problem with wind turbines is that if the wind is TOO strong, you lose your turbine. We had gusts to 60MPH here in Colorado Springs, and some places along the Front Range had gusts to 120MPH. That does a job on your turbine.

The whole "alternative energy" schtick has massive problems that are being glossed over by its proponents. What we really need is to convert as much as possible to nuclear power NOW, and work on sustainable alternative energy until it's perfected. We also need to find a way to keep wind turbines from killing birds and other creatures, as they're doing in many places.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2007-02-17 13:54|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2007-02-17 13:54|| Front Page Top

#6 You would rather have Live Birds, and no lights? OK Fine by me. When your ass is freezing because there;s ni power to run your gas or oil furnace, and enviro regulations prevent building a fire in your own fireplace, then I hope you'll realize the stupidity, but I believe It'll take something serious, such as the death of a loved one before you wake up and realize the stupidity of putting beliefs before survival.
on the other hand, if you're willing to say "Screw the Laws, and light that fireplace, then there's hope for you.
Decide now before the decision is taken too far and too late, it's called foresight, and planning. Decide what course you'll take NOW, survival, or stupidity.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-02-17 17:42|| 2007-02-17 17:42|| Front Page Top

#7 Let the wind turbines work by Darwinian selection.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-02-17 21:54|| 2007-02-17 21:54|| Front Page Top

#8 Goodness, Redneck Jim, are you sure you want to say all that to Old Patriot, of all people? I read his post as advocating going all out for nuclear power in the short term.

Posted by trailing wife 2007-02-17 21:54|| 2007-02-17 21:54|| Front Page Top

#9 such as the death of a loved one

If one of my relatives died in a wind turbine, I'd be upset too.

Posted by SteveS 2007-02-17 23:43|| 2007-02-17 23:43|| Front Page Top

23:43 SteveS
23:30 crazyhorse
23:26 Old Patriot
23:17 Barbara Skolaut
22:47 WolfDog
22:39 KBK
22:38 whatadeal
22:33 ryuge
22:32 USN, ret.
22:30 Chuck Simmins
22:24 USN, ret.
22:15 trailing wife
22:07 USN, ret.
22:06 trailing wife
22:01 3dc
21:59 VietVet68
21:57 trailing wife
21:56 3dc
21:54 trailing wife
21:54 Anguper Hupomosing9418
21:42 USN, ret.
21:40 USN, ret.
21:37 Anguper Hupomosing9418
21:35 USN, ret.