Wind Turbines

[emmie]

do you think they are a good idea, clean energy or a folly?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/9837026/Wind-turbine-collapses-in-high-wind.html

[jake-the-peg]

Well Ludwig when you compare with the amount of concrete used in a traditional power station they're probably pretty good

[jake-the-peg]

Here you go Ludwig - this analysis has whole life figures

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn268.pdf

wind power is much better even taking manufature and decomissioning

[ludwig]

Interesting. Thanks Jake.

[ChillDoubt]

There's certainly something not quite right:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/9578104/Wind-farm-operators-paid-millions-more-than-previously-thought-by-Grid-to-turn-off-turbines.html

[emmie]

so you have to turn them off but still pay, good thing we don't all sit in the dark.

[emmie]

a link to that article

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/3500971/Wind-turbines-would-need-to-cover-Wales-to-supply-a-sixth-of-countrys-energy-needs.html

[modeller]

#Being an island I would have thought it would have been more sensible to utilise the sea, ie wave power? #
Nowhere in the world has wave power been used successfully for major generation of power and the maintenace costs are huge.
The 'nodding ducks ' showed some promise but kept breaking down and was abandonned as far a I know. You would need miles of these 'ducks off shore to replace 2/3 wind turbines which apart from maintenance problems , they would cause environmental damage and be a shipping hazard.

Tidal power can be used in some esturies and the Severn Barrage could deliver a great deal but it would cost billions and there would be
great environmental damage.
For the moment Wind is our only non carbon and non nuclear option.

[cecil39]

there is a group of 5 large tubines a few miles from us, we went one day to see how "noisy" they were, we sat in the centre of the group, and could only hear a gentle whooshing noise, they were all turning at the time, so where do all the tales of dreadful noise come from? maybe from folks who don't like them I suspect, I think they are gracefull, and much quieter than the old clanky wooden ones that some folks think are beautiful, and there were definately no bird bodies lieing around.