Wind farms and windmills?

gaijindabe · 03-16-2006, 12:51 PM

A few of my neighbors from the property up-state New York have been contacting me regarding proposed "wind farms". Something about giant windmills that generate electricity and sell it back into the grid..
Apparently, they are not all that efficient, and the whole program is based on tax credits and write-offs. Any of you guys familiar with this?

RickM · RickM's Garage

I haven't heard that they're inefficient but that the Statue of Liberty and other state / federal properties would receive power from upstate windmill farms.

Like other renewable energy sources it is law that power utilitys purchase your excess production (@ wholesale prices). In NJ the state will pay up to 70% of the cost of materials and installation. Hard to beat if you have the land.

gaijindabe · 03-16-2006, 03:01 PM

I dont want one, no way.

The whole thing is looking like a scam. I looked up some links sent to me and one of the biggest outfits installing and running these things has just been bought out by a Wall Street investment bank. Believe me, they are not doing this just to be green or get 10% return on their investment..

I dont want my tax dollars subsidizing these things either..

Dixie · Dixie's Garage

They kill birds. They make noise.

If the Kennedy's don't want them nearby, why would you?

Jared at Pelican Parts · 03-16-2006, 04:44 PM

check out photovoltaics

Mulhollanddose · 03-16-2006, 04:55 PM

Self-proclaimed alternative energy proponent Sen. Ted Kennedy has strongly opposed an environmentally friendly "wind farm” off the coast of Massachusetts – and now it appears Kennedy will have his way.

A proposal before Congress would limit the construction of wind turbines and most likely doom plans for the Cape Wind Project, the nation’s first offshore wind farm. [Editor’s Note: Read the book that first exposed Sen. Kennedy’s hypocrisy -- Go Here Now.]

"This is a dire moment for us,” declared Mark Rodgers, a Cape Wind Associates spokesman, who said the proposal "would be totally fatal” for the project.

FreeRepublic

Joeaksa · 03-19-2006, 01:24 AM

Would love to have one or more windmills. Yes they do make some noise and a bird is sometimes killed by them. Excuse me but its not like someone is sitting out there with a shotgun taking target practice, they run into the blades and are killed. I have had birds killed by flying into a window or patio door, so that argument is a wash with me.

Would love to also have photo-cells to get energy from the sun. Its time we look into alternative energy and wean ourselves from oil as much as is possible.

Teddy and most of his whole life is a joke. Next...

HardDrive · 03-19-2006, 01:36 AM

I would rather have a big wind farm in my back yard than rely on the arabs for gas.

Bring on da' electric cars baby....

I'll drive a golf cart to work, just as long as I can be drunk as piss like I usually am on the golf course

fireant911 · 03-19-2006, 04:25 AM

My father had an interest in wind power. I picked up an older yet interesting book on the subject a couple of months ago when I was at my mother's home. This would be a really good read if you are really interested about this subject matter:

Wind Power for the Homeowner written by Donald Marier. This was published in 1981. ISBN 0-87857-334-8 (hardcover) & 0-87857-350-X (paperback). This book, of course, will not indentify any scams but will discuss the efficiency of the various models and connecting to sell power to the utility companies (keeping in mind that the regulations have undoubtedly changed in the last 25 years).

VINMAN · 03-19-2006, 04:43 AM

There is a windmill farm down in Atlantic City NJ, it's been in operation for a few yrs. They have about 5 windmills on it. The plant puts out about 8 megawatts off power. They are huge, about 400 ' tall. I'm not sure who runs them. but I think it might be a small utility Co.
A proposal has been put out to build a farm a few miles off the NJ coast, but the enviro whackos are up in arms. It looks like it's going to be shot down.

Paul K · Paul K's Garage

They don't kill birds. That has been proven by scientific study- several times. They do 'hum' a lot- or at least the old ones did- but as for unsightly, I'd rather look at them than a nuclear/coal-fired power plant.

Cheers,

Paul.

1973911s · 03-19-2006, 07:44 AM

The Tax Credits are the only way they can survive, it is the same in my industry of Affordable Housing, if it wasn't for Tax Credits, we wouldn't have about 95% less affordable apartments in this country.

Michael

Brother · 03-19-2006, 10:58 AM

They might need tax credits to be a success in certain places. The ones owned by utility companies are huge, only kill the stupidest birds(better for the gene pool), and you can't hear the hum because it is so fricking windy outside.

In the right place, they are great. Yes, they aren't free, but North Dakota and west Texas suck. This type of power can be sold for more just like organic produce. If you have access to deregulated power, you can pick a company that gets all of their power from solar or wind. It might be a couple of cents more, but that is your decision.

People don't always like them put in their backyard.

gaijindabe · 03-19-2006, 11:35 AM

These are not small units for homeowner use but the big ones. Your tax dollars at work - making shoppers at Trader Joes feel good about themselves.
Apparently once the tax credits are drained off, the developers sell to a series of shell companies - the last one walking away. A couple of grand a year and then the landowners are left with a giant tower and broken windmill.

Brother · 03-19-2006, 11:53 AM

Point me to the land of dead windmills and then I'll believe it.

masraum · 03-19-2006, 12:05 PM

All of the power in my house is supposed to come from windmills. I use "Green Mountain Energy" and their 100% renewable plan. It's supposed to be all wind power. Reliant the bigger E company in the area just came out with a "green" plan that uses windmills in West Texas and Methane recovered from land fills for power.

Mulhollanddose · 03-19-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul K
They don't kill birds. That has been proven by scientific study- several times. They do 'hum' a lot- or at least the old ones did- but as for unsightly, I'd rather look at them than a nuclear/coal-fired power plant.

They do kill birds, I don't care what the environmentalist studies have attempted to cover up. It doesn't take some manipulative study to go to a wind farm and pick up the carcases of the dead birds and see that there must be some association between the windmills and the dead birds lying below them.

Paul K · Paul K's Garage

http://www.awea.org/faq/sagrillo/swbirds.html

Mulhollanddose · 03-19-2006, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul K
http://www.awea.org/faq/sagrillo/swbirds.html

They kill birds Paul...The question is not if they do, it is conclusive they do, the question is does it matter?...To me I gather no satisfaction from either perspective, but I do gather satisfaction out of two leftist special interests fighting over what good is greater.

Wind energy is at best supplemental energy. The only solution, aside from fossil fuels, to fuel the future and the ever-expanding population, is nook-u-lur.

Evans, Marv · 03-19-2006, 04:27 PM

A guy I have been acquinted with for 35 years is/was the VP of a company in California that owns & operates a large number of windmills (around 1200 last time I knew). Amazing things! They have 3 blades, each about 22 ft. long. They also have a huge disk brake (about 2 to 2 1/2 ft. in diameter) to stop the rotors from running away (he showed me a couple that had burned up when they couldn't stop the rotors). His company made a lot of money selling them & selling power to the grid. But, he said he really wished he had been just a salesman for his company. Apparently many of them became millionaires in the '70s from selling them to people for the tax breaks, depreciation & income from the sale of the power. He has done very well though.