Another wind farm...

[hyperD]

I have no problem with these things as long as they are not subsidised ie they make economic sense.

That's the point. They don't.

They don't integrate with the Grid, they cause spiking and with a high penetration they require fossil fuel burning CCGT backup.

And just to let you know, you can't switch on a CCGT like a light switch - they need to be running on spinning standby.

The good news is once the subsidy money runs out, these monstrosities will stand like the follies they are to remind our children never again to fall for a scam like this, because you can be damn sure that there won't be any money left to dig out the hundreds of tonnes of concrete that makes up these windmill's foundations, thus ruining any likelihood of the land being turned into rural.

[rl4engc]

you can't switch on a CCGT like a light switch - they need to be running on spinning standby.

But then surely when everyone's brewed up after [insert name of some tv programme] has finished, they can then come 'off standby' for a few hours to pump all the water back up into the Hydro Electric Dams? I.e. rather than conveyor belt in a few thousand tons of extra coal.

My only concern is that they're built to last, if they lasted ~100 years before uneconomical to repair that would be better than ~20-30 or whatever their design life is.

[hyperD]

But then surely when everyone's brewed up after [insert name of some tv programme] has finished, they can then come 'off standby' for a few hours to pump all the water back up into the Hydro Electric Dams? I.e. rather than conveyor belt in a few thousand tons of extra coal.

My only concern is that they're built to last, if they lasted ~100 years before uneconomical to repair that would be better than ~20-30 or whatever their design life is.

The pump storage power stations do that already to make a profit: being available for the peak power requirements during ads for example and pumping the water up again using cheaper night time electricity prices. They are small overall providers and make a profit from the spot price differential only.

CCGTs are active in prep for peak surges, but like a kettle, need time to boil the water to provide power.

Don't forget the windmills require lubes, maintenance and part replacements. And someone to cover up the dismembered bird and bat parts of course.

[vetran]

whooop whooop whoop whoop...... whooop

24*7


nice.


Sorry I don't believe wind farms that aren't being used for things like hydro storage are just a farce. They are 'opportunities to generate' not power stations.

much better off with Tidal, geothermal & solar IMHO.

[wurzel]

so I don't see they're such an ugly addition to any countryside scene, certainly less so than pylons or some scruffy farm that looks like an old scrapyard.

Difference is that a scruffy old farm doesn't dominate the whole vista from miles around because it isn't 80 metres high

I haven't seen piles of birds underneath it and the birds in my garden sing their little songs to me every morning just as they have always done.

Went to the parish council meeting last night & there was a bloke from the British Bat Socieety there. He was saying that bats are disorientated by the change in air pressure caused by the rotation of the blades of the turbine & that's why so many fly into them.
Hopefully he's got a bit of clout, though the local councillor (Lib Dem) was very mealy mouthed...

[Mich the Tester]

He was saying that bats are disorientated by the change in air pressure caused by the rotation of the blades of the turbine

Leave my mother in law out of this.

[DimPrawn]

Don't forget the windmills require lubes, maintenance and part replacements.

So does my new woman....

[EternalOptimist]

These 'new' technologies have been subsidised for twenty odd years to allow them to be fully developed and fast tracked into use. Thats a long time. If they are so blooming good, let them stand on their own feet and compete without adding £100 pa to every households energy bill

[Paddy]

Twitchers flocking to see rare bird saw it killed by wind turbine - Telegraph

The White-throated Needletail - the world's fastest flying bird - was thousands of miles off course after turning up at Tarbert on the Isle of Harris.

It was first seen by two bird spotters from Northumberland on Monday.

There has not been a sighting of the species in Britain since 1991 when a single bird was seen four times.

Now 22 years later another White-throated Needletail turned up in the UK.

"It was seen by birders fly straight into the turbine. It is ironic that after waiting so long for this bird to turn up in the UK, it was killed by a wind turbine and not a natural predator

[Spacecadet]

Twitchers flocking to see rare bird saw it killed by wind turbine - Telegraph

Could have been worse (for the bird)

BBC NEWS | England | Twitchers accused of bird's death