Galt's Gulch

It isn't the technology, its the subsidies

Posted by $ blarman 11 years ago to Culture
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I don't care if wind power works or not (and after talking with an actual repair engineer, I know its an absolute joke), it shouldn't be subsidized by my tax dollars.
SOURCE URL: http://www.gopusa.com/news/2014/10/02/states-that-embraced-wind-energy-having-second-thoughts/?subscriber=1

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  • Posted by $ kddr22 11 years ago
    There are many upcoming technologoes that will be better choices with a better bottom line. IF it does not pay for itself it is not time for it !!!
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  • Posted by Lucky 11 years ago
    When a greenie looks at one of these windmills and sees the blades turning they may get a warm inner glow.
    Fantasy, blades must turn to prevent shaft bending and bearing seizing, often they are consuming, not generating, electric power. I understand that some of the bigger ones have diesel motors built in. The net electricity generation could not justify a 100 year installation, about 10 years is more like it.
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    • Posted by $ blarman 11 years ago
      I shared an airplane ride sitting next to a repair engineer. He said that one of the major problems of the wind turbines is that they weren't designed to withstand major temperature fluctuations - ie they were developed in France for temperate weather. Having come from Montana with some of the the most extreme temperature in the US (>100 F in summer, -40 F in winter common), this was a staggering acknowledgement. He said that the turbines there were lucky to be operational 25% of the time. That's just operational - not just spinning.

      I did the calculations one time and even with one of those things spinning 100% of the time, the payback was 15-20 years (without subsidies). What a freaking boondoggle.
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