it’s jam band friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om2EQ7YXork

Way to go Farmers Bank. They put up a Wind Turbine in Mt. Pulaski. When you think about it, Hospitals manytimes have some of the tallest buildings in town and the most financial muscle around. So why don’t they all sprout wind turbines and solar panels? Please see yesterdays Post.

http://www.lincolncourier.com/homepage/x1499086608/Wind-blows-energy-to-area-bank

Wind blows energy to area bank

By Justin L. Fowler/GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Crews work to install the blades on a 10,000-watt wind turbine being installed to help power the Farmers Bank of Mount Pulaski on the city square in Mount Pulask Wednesday.

Mount Pulaski, Ill. -

A high-tech wind turbine that can generate 10,000 watts of power was installed near Logan County’s oldest bank Wednesday.

The turbine, which sits atop a 120-foot tower, will supply about half, or possibly more than half, of the electricity used by Farmers Bank of Mount Pulaski.

The apparatus cost about $65,000, some of which will be offset by tax credits, said Rick Volle, president of Farmers Bank, which was established in 1872.

“There’s a lot of these going up on a larger scale. We think it’s something worth doing,” Volle said. “…We are figuring about a 12-year payoff on it, and it has a life of about 30 years.”

Installation of the turbine on the square in Mount Pulaski drew a crowd of about two-dozen people. They watched as a crane lifted the tower into the air and workmen slowly moved the base over to a concrete pad. The turbine, complete with blades, was already installed on top.

By 12:15 p.m., the tower and turbine were in place. It now stands across the street from the historic Mount Pulaski Courthouse where Abraham Lincoln argued cases.

“I guess it’s progress for our town, and the bank in particular,” said Mike Cyrulik, who watched the work from across the street. “I think it’s going to be a great addition to town.”

Cyrulik was one of the first people to stop and watch. When the big crane took over, more people came out from downtown shops to see the tower rise into the air.

“It’s pretty interesting for a little town,” Cyrulik said.

Mount Pulaski, about 25 miles northeast of Springfield, sits on a hill that rises above the surrounding farmland.

John Wyss, owner of Central Illinois Wind and Solar, the company that installed the turbine, said downtown Mount Pulaski is a good spot for the new technology.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVtCdZLtCj4 )

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Some progressive hospitals are catching on.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4tFX51imvQ )

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/12/ann_arbor_veteran_affairs_hosp.html

Ann Arbor Veteran Affairs hospital gets wind turbine

By Steve Pepple

December 02, 2008, 7:06AM

Eliyahu Gurfinkel | The Ann Arbor NewsDarryl Snabes, left, and Jeff Means are responsible for the installation of a wind turbine on the roof of the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System building. Snabes is the local project manager and Means the regional energy manager at the VA.

A small wind turbine now spins atop the Ann Arbor Veteran Affairs hospital, contributing to the hospital’s utility needs while satisfying a new federal requirement for renewable energy.

Hospital administrators installed the vertical turbine last month as part of an ongoing plan to generate about 7.5 percent of the hospital’s energy needs from renewable energy, including wind and solar, by 2012.

“It’s a baby step, but we’re optimistic,” said Jeff Means, energy manager for VA hospitals in Michigan and nearby states.

The turbine and its installation cost about $100,000. If it is successful in generating enough energy, the hospital could install additional turbines and solar panels to generate energy, Means said.

The turbine, which weighs about 1,000 pounds, is 16 feet tall and 3 feet wide. As the wind spins the vertical turbine, a generator in its base sends direct electrical current through several boxes to transform the power into alternating current to be used by the hospital.

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There’s a strong wind agona blow.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4tFX51imvQ )

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This article says it all. Why did America lose 16 million jobs is the last three recessions? Because the Rich and the Capitalists got bored with making money the old fashioned way and decided playing the markets was easier and more fun. Why beside laziness have they decided that America will become a second class country? Oh they blame the unions, deficit spending, socialism etc., but all the elites really know right now is that greed is good and attacking other countries is really profitable.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/energy/stories/DN-wind_18bus.ART0.State.Edition1.3cefd15.html

By JIM LANDERS / The Dallas Morning News
jlanders@dallasnews.com

WASHINGTON – U.S. companies are getting squeezed out of the big Chinese wind-power market even as Dallas investors are bringing Chinese firms here via a big wind farm in Texas, according to a new industry report.

“They’ve used every measure you could possibly think of to enhance production of renewable energy equipment in China,” said report author Alan Wolff of the trade law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk won a pledge from the Chinese last fall to drop rules giving preference to Chinese makers of wind-power equipment. But Kirk’s office hasn’t seen any evidence that the pledge has been carried out, said spokeswoman Carol Guthrie.

Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers are entering the U.S. wind market under a joint venture led by Dallas investor Cappy McGarr.

McGarr’s U.S. Renewable Energy Group, with Cielo Wind Power LP of Austin and China’s Shenyang Power Group, is planning a $1.5 billion, 600-megawatt wind farm on 36,000 acres in West Texas.

Several U.S. senators have complained that the West Texas project would use hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. economic stimulus funds for wind turbines built in China. They introduced a bill this month that would halt federal funding of renewable energy projects until “buy American” requirements are written into law.

McGarr’s Chinese partners announced plans last week to build a wind turbine factory in Nevada, and McGarr says most of the jobs for the West Texas project will be American.

“A minimum of 70 percent of each wind turbine in the … project, including the massive towers and blades, will be wholly manufactured in the United States and made entirely of American steel,” McGarr said.

Dewey & LeBoeuf’s report on China’s renewable energy equipment market was done for a U.S. industry group, the National Foreign Trade Council, where concern about China’s market restrictions and treatment of foreign firms is growing.

“If you’re not operating under a rule-of-law country, if you have no place to adjudicate, and there are places where the country has stacked the deck against you, you may look for somewhere else” to do business, said trade council president Bill Reinsch.

Some wind power advocates are urging everyone to calm down and are particularly concerned about the Senate “Buy American” bill.

“This proposal would torpedo one of the most successful job creation efforts of the Recovery Act [the economic stimulus program], which has already preserved half of the 85,000 American jobs in the U.S. wind industry,” said Denise Bode, president of the American Wind Energy Association.

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It is true. Not everyone will get the bug. Where you stop after your energy audit could many times be with good thoughts. A liberal bastion such as Boulder, has to hire people to go door to door to install Compact Flourescent Lighbulbs.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704320104575015920992845334.html

Even Boulder Finds It Isn’t Easy Going Green

By STEPHANIE SIMON

BOULDER, Colo.—This spring, city contractors will fan out across this well-to-do college town to unscrew light bulbs in thousands of homes and replace them with more energy-efficient models, at taxpayer expense.

City officials never dreamed they’d have to play nanny when they set out in 2006 to make Boulder a role model in the fight against global warming. The cause seemed like a natural fit in a place where residents tend to be politically liberal and passionate about the great outdoors.

Instead, as Congress considers how to encourage Americans to conserve more energy, Boulder stands as a cautionary tale about the limits of good intentions.

“What we’ve found is that for the vast majority of people, it’s exceedingly difficult to get them to do much of anything,” says Kevin Doran, a senior research fellow at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

President Barack Obama has set ambitious goals for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, in part by improving energy efficiency. Last year’s stimulus bill set aside billions to weatherize buildings. The president has also called for a “cash for caulkers” rebate for Americans who weatherize their homes.

But Boulder has found that financial incentives and an intense publicity campaign aren’t enough to spur most homeowners to action, even in a city so environmentally conscious that the college football stadium won’t sell potato chips because the packaging isn’t recyclable.

Take George Karakehian. He considers himself quite green: He drives a hybrid, recycles, uses energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. But he refuses to practice the most basic of conservation measures: Shutting the doors to his downtown art gallery when his heating or air conditioning is running.

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NONETHELESS

Many people get the bug to the point where they want to make their own which ain’t very hard to do. Ed Beagley Jr. makes his with a bicycle generator.

http://www.magnet4less.com/index.php?cPath=8&gclid=CMT6sKTjqaACFQTyDAod6i0xeg

WindMax is the Exclusive Distributor in the US for HYenergy wind turbines. HYEnergy Residential-Home Wind Turbines feature High performance, high efficiency, high reliability and superior workmanship. Patented, twisted high efficiency blades with extremely efficient aerodynamics design, brushless generator, electromagnetic overspeed control and aerodynamic blade speed limitation make the whole system maintenance free, fully automatic and providing higher energy output. HYenergy wind turbine patent was awarded in March of 2004. CE certification was awarded in July of 2005.

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Wind Turbine Generators with Inverters

Wind Turbine system with inverter included. WindMax wind turbines have high performance, high efficiency, high reliability and superior workmanship, designed to work from low to high wind speeds.: High performance, high efficiency, high reliability and superior workmanship, designed to work from low to high wind speeds.We also are the leading manufacturer of top quality, excellent performing, and long lasting wind turbine blades.

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Hybrid Wind Turbines w/Solar Panels

The advanced wind-solar hybrid system generates electricity using both solar panels modules and WindMax wind turbines at the same time at all conditions. The hybrid system features high efficiency, high reliability, and high sustainability. It is light weight, easy to install and has electromagnetic over-speed control which more reliable than traditional furling system.

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Just think one day everyone might have one

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Community Energy Systems’ is about where they meet. That is in the home. So it is Jam Band Friday and we need to get back to it.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUKufZGdeXY )

This may be one of the best residential sites I have ever found and it is in Britain. Go figure. I mean if you scroll down and look at all the stuff it is pretty amazing.

http://energysavingnow.com/

I am going to focus on what is called Distributed Generation today that really emphasizes getting solar and wind out into the community.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXE8u_HRpls )

The idea is simple lease everyone’s roofs and put generation on them.

http://www.energysavingnow.com/paper/dgindia/

DISTRIBUTED GENERATION AND ITS SOCIAL IMPACT
By Manu Avinash .G , S4, EEE, CET and
Krishna kumar .G , S4, EEE, CET

ABSTRACT- distributed generation, defined as generation located at or near the load centres, is being recognised as an environment friendly, reliable, and secure source of power which not only has minimal negative social impacts but also serves to promote social welfare. This paper aims to bring out the salient features of distributed generation from an economic and social perspective. The paper to identify the distributed resources available in India and proposes methods to tap them. It also studies the social consequences of wide spread deployment of distributed systems and their accommodation into the new liberalised energy market of India.

I. INTRODUCTION
Most of the electricity produced today is generated in large generating stations, which is then transmitted at high voltage to the load centres and transmitted to consumers at reduced voltage through local distribution systems. In contrast with large generating stations, distributed generation (DG) produce power on a customer’s site or at a local distribution network. DG technologies include

• Engines,
• Small hydro and gas turbines
• Fuel cells
• Photo voltaic systems etc

Although they represent a small share of the electricity market they play a key role for applications in which reliability is crucial, as a source of emergency capacity, and as an alternative to expansion of a local network, in developed economies where uninterrupted power supply is essential. In developing countries like India, where the generation is inadequate to meet the demand, reliability and energy security are of lesser importance. Developing country can tap the potential of DG to extend their present generation capacity in an environment friendly and cost friendly manner.

The paper is divided into two parts first part examines the various DG technologies and their merits and demerits and the second part studies the social impact of large scale deployment of small, mini and micro projects in India.

II. WHAT IS DISTRIBUTED GENERATION?
Distributed generation, is defined as generation located at or near the load centres [1]. They generate electricity through various small-scale power generation technologies. Distributed energy resources (DE) refers to a variety of small, modular power-generating technologies that can be combined with energy management and storage systems and used to improve the operation of the electricity delivery system, whether or not those technologies are connected to an electricity grid. . Projects are generally developed by either the user to avoid the purchase of power from the grid or an energy service provider who then retails the power to the site.

III. DISTRIBUTED GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES
Commercial energy technologies include:

• IC engines
• Gas turbines
• Micro turbines
• Energy storage technologies

Renewable energy technologies include:

• Fuel cells
• Solar photovoltaic
• Wind & Wave Energy
• Hydro electric energy

Some of them are discussed below:

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaKCLve_XDs )

:}

Don’t take their word for it. Pretty much everybody now agrees that it has its place in the world.

http://www.dg.history.vt.edu/ch1/benefits.html

What are the Potential Benefits of DG Systems?

Consumer advocates who favor DG point out that distributed resources can improve the efficiency of providing electric power.  They often highlight that transmission of electricity from a power plant to a typical user wastes roughly 4.2 to 8.9 percent of the electricity as a consequence of aging transmission equipment, inconsistent enforcement of reliability guidelines, and growing congestion. At the same time, customers often suffer from poor power quality—variations in voltage or electrical flow—that results from a variety of factors, including poor switching operations in the network, voltage dips, interruptions, transients, and network disturbances from loads.  Overall, DG proponents highlight the inefficiency of the existing large-scale electrical transmission and distribution network.  Moreover, because customers’ electricity bills include the cost of this vast transmission grid, the use of on-site power equipment can conceivably provide consumers with affordable power at a higher level of quality.  In addition, residents and businesses that generate power locally have the potential to sell surplus power to the grid, which can yield significant income during times of peak demand.

Industrial managers and contractors have also begun to emphasize the advantages of generating power on site.  Cogeneration technologies permit businesses to reuse thermal energy that would normally be wasted.  They have therefore become prized in industries that use large quantities of heat, such as the iron and steel, chemical processing, refining, pulp and paper manufacturing, and food processing industries.  Similar generation hardware can also deploy recycled heat to provide hot water for use in aquaculture, greenhouse heating, desalination of seawater, increased crop growth and frost protection, and air preheating.

Beyond efficiency, DG technologies may provide benefits in the form of more reliable power for industries that require uninterrupted service.  The Electric Power Research Institute reported that power outages and quality disturbances cost American businesses $119 billion per year.  In 2001, the International Energy Agency (2002) estimated that the average cost of a one-hour power outage was $6,480,000 for brokerage operations and $2,580,000 for credit card operations.  The figures grow more impressively for the semiconductor industry, where a two hour power outage can cost close to $48,000,000.  Given these numbers, it remains no mystery why several firms have already installed DG facilities to ensure consistent power supplies

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As EF Schumacher said – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Is_Beautiful – Small IS Beautiful.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmzN3KayWU8 )

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It’s Jam Band Friday ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRUWtrgTpcs )

We have so much coastline that we could use for this. But nooooo, the drill here drill now crowd would rather put drilling rigs there. First I have to say:

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2s6LZUdYaU&feature=related )

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Community Energy Systems is a nonprofit 501c3 organization chartered in Illinois in Sangamon County. As such we are dependent on public donations for our continued existence. We also use AdSense as a fundraiser. Please click on the ads that you see on this page, on our main page and on our Bulletin Board (Refrigerator Magnets) and you will be raising money for CES. We say a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who do.

:}

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI1tW-YykWQ&feature=related )

5 Gigs Wow

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8447317.stm

New offshore wind farm contracts announced

The licences could see the installation of hundreds of new turbines

Contracts have been awarded for a major expansion of offshore wind power in the seas around Scotland.

Moray Offshore Renewables and SeaGreen Wind Energy will develop offshore wind power in the Moray Firth and the Firth of Forth.

The energy companies have been awarded the contracts by the Crown Estate, a UK government agency.

The energy companies have been awarded the contracts by the Crown Estate, a UK government agency.

It is believed the development could lead to 1,000 new turbines generating nearly five giga watts of power.

Jobs could also be created in manufacturing, research, engineering, installation, operation and services.

The move comes just days after the Scottish government’s approval of the controversial upgrade to the Beauly to Denny transmission line of pylons from the Highlands to central Scotland.

We hold a competitive advantage in developing offshore renewables, including as much as a quarter of Europe’s offshore wind energy potential and a world-class scientific capacity and skills base Alex Salmond First Minister

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “The announcement by the Crown Estate is excellent news for Scotland.

“We hold a competitive advantage in developing offshore renewables, including as much as a quarter of Europe’s offshore wind energy potential and a world-class scientific capacity and skills base.”

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said Scotland was the windiest country in Europe and the conditions were being created for the energy industry to invest in harnessing it.

He added: “This is one of the strongest signals yet that Scotland is right at the heart of the UK’s commitment to a low carbon, energy secure, prosperous future.

“But it’s also great news for the manufacturing industry and supply chain in Scotland.”

‘Great opportunity’

The Crown Estate is the owner of the UK’s coastal seabeds and this third round of grants covers the Moray Firth zone, which will be developed by a partnership involving the Portuguese company, EDP Renewables and SeaEnergy.

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(  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX_mwDvcZ2I )

Scotland plans to get 50% of its power from alternative sources by 2020.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Scotland

Wind power in Scotland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Wind power in Scotland is an area of considerable activity, with 1550 MW of installed capacity as at October 2008.^[1] Wind power is the fastest growing of the renewable energy technologies in Scotland and the world’s largest wind turbine generator (5 MW) is currently undergoing testing in the North Sea, 15 miles off the east coast. There are numerous large wind farms as well as a number, both planned and operating, which are in community ownership. The siting of turbines is sometimes an issue, but surveys have shown high levels of community acceptance for wind power in Scotland. There is further potential for expansion, especially offshore, given the high average wind speeds.

The Scottish government has a target of generating 31% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable energy by 2011 and 50% by 2020. The majority of this is likely to come from wind power.^[2]

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We in the US can only close our eyes and dream.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W6mRy4jdk0&feature=fvw )

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(it’s jam band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

m2feoIM9baI&feature=fvst )

There appears to be 2 schools of thought here. Or maybe three. The first is the literal image itself, that of asking to get into heaven. Instead of an automatic sorting mechanism  for heaven and hell maybe everyone has to ask to get in. A second though closely related meaning is that someone is lucky enough to escape hell but then are left knocking at a closed gate because they do not deserve to get in. But most are struck by its symbolic “nearness” to the act of Luther nailing his list of “short comings” on the Catholic Church’s door and the Protestant Reformation that followed:

http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=KgNBqNswpVL9y

RwgzcHr0l9JqLd74yGQN4hyhPbX4QF3JtNy1bQT!-69977801!-16421419?docId=5007265930

Indeed the comparison to the ever opening of the 5 dominate religions (Chinese tao/numerology/spirits, Jewish, Hindu, Christian and Muslim, in no particular order) to include and love more “unlike” individual is the knocking I hear.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhCM88LhoW0

So,.. it is change you hear blowing. The general public has been treated to the coal/oil/natural gas chorus for years, “Alternatives will never do it all! We will need all forms of energy to supply all the needs!” This is nothing more than a complicated hiding behind your mother’s skirt form of argument. Or a slightly loopy form of the ugly stepchild argument – “he maybe ugly but he is related by marriage”. But now we all know that wind ALONE can supply all the power we need…DUH

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/study-suggests-wind-power-potential-is-much-higher-than-current-estimates/

July 16, 2009, 12:50 pm

Study Suggests Wind Power Potential Is Much Higher Than Current Estimate

  In the lower 48 states, the potential from wind power is 16 times more than total electricity demand in the United States, the researchers suggest.

Global wind energy potential is considerably higher than previous estimates by both wind industry groups and government agencies, according to a Harvard University study published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.

The new research surfaced just weeks after T. Boone Pickens, citing rising financing costs, scaled back his plans for the world’s largest wind farm in west Texas.

Using data from thousands of meteorological stations, the Harvard team estimated the world wind power potential to be 40 times greater than total current power consumption. A previous study cited in the paper put that multiple at about 7 times.

In the lower 48 states, the potential from wind power is 16 times more than total electricity demand in the United States, the researchers suggested – significantly greater than a 2008 Department of Energy study that projected wind could supply a fifth of all electricity in the country by 2030.

While remote regions of Russia and Canada have the greatest theoretical potential, the Harvard study pointed out that there are real gains to be made in high-emission nations, especially China, which has been rapidly constructing coal plants. “Large-scale development of wind power in China could allow for an 18-fold increase in electricity supply relative to consumption reported for 2005,” the Harvard study said.

The findings are “further validation of what we’ve been saying – that the United States is the Saudi Arabia of wind,” said Michael Goggin, an electricity industry analyst for the American Wind Energy Association.

The authors based their calculations on the deployment of 2.5- to 3-megawatt wind turbines situated either in accessible rural areas that are neither frozen nor forested, or relatively shallow offshore locations. They also used a conservative 20 percent estimate for capacity factor, a measure of how much energy a given turbine actually produces.

:}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbwWiffSRRA

So maybe everyone should buy one of these:

 http://www.windenergy.com/index_wind.htm

Southwest Windpower is the world’s leading producer of small wind turbines. Since 1987, we’ve pioneered new technologies to make renewable energy simple. Whether you’re looking to reduce your home electric bills or power a home, boat or business off the grid, we offer a range of wind power systems to help you.

LATEST NEWS

• Skystream Owners Celebrate Energy Independence
• Stories and Photos from Global Wind Day
• Small Wind More Affordable with 30%

or one of these:

http://www.windsolarusa.com/

WindSolarUSA

Michelle Marley

PO Box 168

Owaneco, IL 6255

michelle@windsolarusa.com

217.825.4206

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV6ETVQgob0

Next week….I shot the sheriff (just kidding)

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What exactly is Heaven on Earth?

http://blogcritics.org/books/article/heaven-on-earth-the-rise-and/

The phrase “Heaven on Earth” in the context of the book is lifted from a phrase by Moses Hess who, in his Communist Confession of Faith, noted that while Christians imagine a heavenly joy “We, on the other hand, will have this heaven on earth.” It’s exactly this kind of religious fervor for the concepts of socialism (and communism – the terms are used interchangeably) that gave socialist regimes the license to do whatever it took to cram Paradise down people’s throats. And when people rejected the “freedom” offered to them, the results were horrific: Mussolini’s Italy, Stalin’s Soviet Republic, and Mao’s China. In total, Muravchik estimates that more than 100 million people were murdered in the name of socialism since 1917.

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Some people mistake it for State Run Fascism.

http://lis.net.au/marijonas/

BOOKS, EDITORIALS & NEWS REPORTS

DEATH FOR CONVENIENCE
The great en-masse deception

CONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTIVE ACTION

WOLF & LAMB
Animal Free Cooking

APPLIED OPERATION CENTER

Unfolding History

The Heaven On Earth phrase well illustrates the aspirations of most humanity. It is the point at which all our individual and collective efforts from across the ages of humanity are fulfilled. It is the point at which we are freed by the truth.

As we proceed on our living journey, the words of Meister Johann Eckhart, a 14th century mystic, might help to re-focus our individual tasks: “Earth should become like heaven, so God can find a home here”. Herein are our individual and mutual tasks – to transform the things of ourselves which we sense in our heart are incompatible with heaven. When we make the change, we create a difference, which in turn becomes challenged. When we hold our ground, the world around us changes in consequence. By changing ourselves, we change the world.

The world is in extreme crisis and needs our individually unique care. The topics presented on this site are those which the author emphasizes for humanity’s healing.

:}

Some confuse it with theocracy.

 http://books.google.com/books?id=isWUqKBcb1QC&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=heaven+on+earth+phrase&source=bl&ots=i7j2kItMfh&sig=gtBxdCX01G3Co8I4Ar6dewqc8qc&hl=en&ei=TqRcSrGNJ4fkNb6K_b8C&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8

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While others are simply obscure…

But Flying Turbines are much more practical:

http://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2009/06/16/turbines-in-the-sky/

Turbines in the sky

June 16, 2009 11:44am

by Kate Mackenzie

Magenn’s MARS prototype

Wired takes a look at several companies working on high altitude wind turbines: ranging from floating, kite-like devices tethered to long power cables to quaint-looking power-generating flying machines.

The devices are very diverse. Magenn’s helium-filled devices resemble floating kites; Sky Windpower has a ‘controlled helicopter’ with four rotary blades keeping it suspended. Kite Gen’s devices describe a figure eight in the air.

There’s no doubt the wind is stronger at high altitudes, and the devices would take up less ground space, perhaps avoiding one key objection to wind turbines. The attractions are many:

Wind’s power — energy which can be used to do work like spinning magnets to generate electricity — varies with the cube of its speed. So, a small increase in wind speed can lead to a big increase in the amount of mechanical energy you can harvest. High-altitude wind blows fast, is spread nicely across the globe, and is easier to predict than terrestrial wind.

Companies also claim the devices would pose less of a threat to avian life, and emit lower noise pollution than regular wind turbines.

But they’re not without drawbacks.

High-altitude winds, although they are far stronger than terrestrial winds, don’t offer any solution to the ‘baseload’ problem, the inconsistency of supply affecting many renewables. In a article in Energies journal:

Because jet streams vary locally and seasonally, however, the high-altitude wind power resource is less steady than needed for baseload power without large amounts of storage or continental-scale transmission grids, due to the meandering and unsteady nature of the jet streams.

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Please see the rest of the article for more info

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxB2BwVufA&feature=fvst

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A very hairy paper from three Harvard Grad students purports to show that especially the USA, Canada and China have all the wind power that we need to generate all the electricity we currently need. The rest of the world does too but not within it’s own confines. In other words some areas like say the Tibetan Uplands have way more than they need and maybe landlocked Germany does not. So they would have to trade but the net wind power to generate the electricity exists according to:

Xi Lu, Michael McElroy, and Juha Kiviluoma in:

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/06/19/0904101106.full.pdf+html?sid=12c8f234-313a-48e6-8e65-a59a1ead2b29 

IN the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America – I tend to believe these guys-

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/06/19/0904101106.abstract?sid=12c8f234-313a-48e6-8e65-a59a1ead2b29

But all I can show you here is the abstrat because the 6 page paper is in PDF:

Global potential for wind-generated electricity

1. Xi Lu^a,
2. Michael B. McElroy^a,^b,¹ and
3. Juha Kiviluoma^c

+Author Affiliations

1. 
   
   ^aSchool of Engineering and Applied Science, Cruft Lab 211, and
2. 
   
   ^bDepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 100E Peirce Hall, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; and
3. 
   
   ^cVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P. O. Box 1000, 02044 VTT, Finland

1. Communicated by James G. Anderson, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, April 29, 2009 (received for review November 6, 2008)

Abstract

The potential of wind power as a global source of electricity is assessed by using winds derived through assimilation of data from a variety of meteorological sources. The analysis indicates that a network of land-based 2.5-megawatt (MW) turbines restricted to nonforested, ice-free, nonurban areas operating at as little as 20% of their rated capacity could supply >40 times current worldwide consumption of electricity, >5 times total global use of energy in all forms. Resources in the contiguous United States, specifically in the central plain states, could accommodate as much as 16 times total current demand for electricity in the United States. Estimates are given also for quantities of electricity that could be obtained by using a network of 3.6-MW turbines deployed in ocean waters with depths <200 m within 50 nautical miles (92.6 km) of closest coastlines.

Footnotes

• ¹To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mbm@seas.harvard.edu

• Author contributions: X.L. and M.B.M. designed research; X.L. and M.B.M. performed research; X.L., M.B.M., and J.K. analyzed data; and X.L., M.B.M., and J.K. wrote the paper.

• The authors declare no conflict of interest.

• Freely available online through the PNAS open access option.

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http://www.pnas.org/

They have pretty pictures too.

For a not so bad summary:

Wind could power the entire world
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
June 22, 2009

Wind power may be the key to a clean energy revolution: a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science finds that wind power could provide for the entire world’s current and future energy needs.

To estimate the earth’s capacity for wind power, the researchers first sectioned the globe into areas of approximately 3,300 square kilometers (1,274 square miles) and surveyed local wind speeds every six hours. They imagined 2.5 megawatt turbines crisscrossing the terrestrial globe, excluding “areas classified as forested, areas occupied by permanent snow or ice, areas covered by water, and areas identified as either developed or urban,” according to the paper. They also included the possibility of 3.6 megawatt offshore wind turbines, but restricted them to 50 nautical miles off the coast and to oceans depths less than 200 meters.

Using this criteria the researchers found that wind energy could not only supply all of the world’s energy requirements, but it could provide over forty times the world’s current electrical consumption and over five times the global use of total energy needs.

Turning to the world’s two largest carbon emitters, China and the United States, the researchers found that wind power has the potential to easily supply both nations.

Windmill for pumping water in Kenya Wind turbines for power generation in Maui.

“Large-scale development of wind power in China could allow for close to an 18-fold increase in electricity supply relative to consumption reported for 2005,” the researchers write. “The bulk of this wind power, 89%, could be derived from onshore installations. The potential for wind power in the U.S. is even greater, 23 times larger than current electricity consumption, the bulk of which, 84%, could be supplied onshore.”

Expanding their view to the top ten carbon emitters, the researchers found that Russia, Canada, and the United States (in this order) had the greatest capacity for wind power. However, they note that much of the area available for wind power in Russia and Canada is far from any cities, making their construction costly. In addition, the authors note that the public may oppose wind turbines in particular areas, especially remote, ecologically sensitive regions. Still, they conclude that “despite these limitations, it is clear that wind power could make a significant contribution to the demand for electricity” in most high carbon emitting countries. 

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http://sustainablog.org/2009/02/03/wind-energy-jobs-surpass-coal-mining-jobs/

Todd Woody reported last week that the wind energy industry now employs more people than coal mining. That is 85,000 jobs in wind – a 70% increase from 2007 – to coal mining’s 81,000 jobs.

http://greenwombat.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/01/28/wind-jobs-outstrip-the-coal-industry/

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But you would think that a convention/conference that brings 15,000 participants, represents the future and is in a city with a mayor, Richard Daley, who wants to be the greenest governor in the US, that there would be some coverage of “The Latest In Wind Technologies” or “Where Does Chicago Fit Into The New Energy Future” or at least an address by the Mayor. NADA Zilch Nothing. Other people noticed however:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090504006376&newsLang=en

May 04, 2009 07:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time 

World Business Chicago Facilitates International Networking at WINDPOWER 2009 Conference

WINDPOWER 2009

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–World Business Chicago (WBC) and its Chairman, Mayor Richard M. Daley, in conjunction with other key public, private and non-profit partners, tonight hosted a VIP networking reception as part of the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

The reception, with more than 200 people in attendance, was presented by a collaboration of organizations including the AWEA (Organizer/Sponsor), WBC (Organizer/Sponsor), MEGA (Sponsor), the City of Chicago (Organizer), the State of Illinois (Organizer) and the Illinois Finance Authority (Organizer).

The wind power industry is a top economic development priority for WBC, based on the industry’s high growth potential, profitability, job creation/diversity, and wage levels. Chicago offers wind industry companies locational advantages including a skilled labor force, proximity to markets and supplies, natural sources of wind in Illinois and the Midwest, available real estate, access to airports, rail and highway systems and strong public sector commitments to wind industry use and production.

“The WINDPOWER Conference provides World Business Chicago with a wonderful opportunity to showcase Chicago’s position as a prime location for wind power companies,” said Rita Athas, executive director of World Business Chicago. “By hosting this event, we are facilitating dialogue between visiting and local wind power companies, Chicago area companies that may do business with them and our local leaders, in order to foster growth and new opportunities.”

The Chicago area’s locational advantages for the wind industry are evident in recent additions of notable wind power companies include:

Area Headquarters

• Acciona N. America HQ
• E.ON N. America Climate & Renewables HQ
• Nordex USA Inc. HQ
• Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation N. American HQ
• Invenergy LLC HQ
• Midwest Wind Energy LLC HQ
• Trintek Energy Consulting HQ
• Wind for Illinois HQ

Area Non-Headquarter Offices

• Vestas America
• Horizon Wind Energy
• Siemens Energy & Automation
• Winergy Drive Systems Corporation – subsidiary of Siemens

WINDPOWER 2009, the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world, takes place May 4th – 7th, 2009. The show features more than 18,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors and is expected to generate an economic impact of more than $33.3-million to Chicago, according to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (based on the initial estimated attendance of 14,000). Approximately 80 Illinois companies will exhibit at the conference.

The 2009 show was originally set for Minneapolis and moved to Chicago to accommodate a 20% increase over expected attendance, which doubles last year’s show in Houston. WINDPOWER is one of the 50 fastest-growing shows in North America according to Trade Show Weekly. Chicago hosted AWEA’s convention in 2004, when it drew 3,000 attendees.

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Everything you need to know to get there:

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/events/view?id=45803

Siterra Booth 5580 at Wind Power 2009

Siterra will have a booth (5580) at the AWEA Wind Power 2009 Expo in Chicago May 4-7.

WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition is the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world featuring over 15,000 attendees and over 1,200 exhibitors. Each year, wind energy professionals gather at this event to learn about the latest industry developments and technologies, review new products and services in the expansive exhibit hall, and network with leading industry decision makers. Join us for what promises to be another exciting event taking place May 4th – 7th, 2009, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Directions:
McCormick Place Convention Center

Welcome to Chicago’s McCormick Place, a premier convention facility in North America. Located just minutes from downtown Chicago, McCormick Place is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) and attracts close to 3 million visitors each year. McCormick Place is comprised of four state-of-the-art buildings: the North and South Buildings, the West Building and Lakeside Center. Together, they form what many consider to be the economic engine that powers the entire convention and tradeshow industry. McCormick Place is committed to creating a great experience for every person, every time!

For a map of McCormick Place Convention Center: http://www.mccormickplace.com/floorplans/map_index.html

For more information: http://www.mccormickplace.com/index.html

Exhibitors: For information on exhibiting in Chicago, FOCUS One utilities, and guidelines and services, visit http://www.mccormickplace.com/exhibitor/exhibitor_01.html.

Guest Services: Click here to open a .pdf document outlining some of the guest services at McCormick Place Convention Center.

Accessibility Map: Click here to open a .pdf map showing the location of all elevators for wheelchair access.
For additional disability services at the convention center, visit http://www.mccormickplace.com/facilities/disabilities.html

Meeting Room Rentals: Interested in renting a meeting room at the convention center or connected Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel? Contact Stefanie Brown at sbrown@awea.org to receive additional information and a meeting room request form.

Parking at the McCormick Place Convention Center: There are several parking lots nearby to the McCormick Place facility including, South, North and West Buildings, Lakeside Center, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, and Soldier Field South Lot. The parking rate is currently $19 per day (one time access). Or exhibitors may order a parking permit that allows for in-and-out privileges for $23.75. Click here to visit the parking & directions part of the McCormick Place website for more information. Please note – the parking information is subject to change and listed here as helpful information for conference attendees.

Driving Directions and Additional Parking Information for the McCormick Place Convention Center: http://www.mccormickplace.com/maps_direct/maps_dir.html
Contact:
Barbara Martin
barbara.martin@siterra.com
415-875-7114:}

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The money continues to mount. Think about it. Wind turbines last 25 years at least. If you buy one now the utility companies could be defunct by the time they need maintenance:

http://venteraenergy.com

Ventera’s 12kW Hybrid Electric System

Ventera VT10 on the Rohn Tower

Run Your Electric Meter Backwards!

It doesn’t get any simpler than this. This new concept in generating your own renewable energy performs much like any large electrical appliance such as a clothes dryer or air conditioner, but instead of taking electrical power FROM an outlet, you put electricity INTO the outlet! If at any time your wind and solar system is producing more energy than you are using, your electric meter will run backwards reducing your electric bill. If your electrical loads are larger than the wind generator and solar production, your meter will slow down reflecting your reduced need to buy electricity at retail from the utility. No batteries are used or required! You get up to 12 kilowatts of hybrid renewable electricity, 10 kilowatts from the new Ventera VT10 wind turbine and 2 kilowatts from solar photovoltaics 100% of which goes directly to reduce your electric bill by means of our exclusive dual input VI12 synchronous inverter.

Designed to Pay for Itself

Few things in this life are free, but you might agree our new Ventera V12 wind and solar system comes pretty close. Designed for at least a 30 year life and minimum maintenance, the Ventera wind turbine on an 80 foot tower can produce $2000 or more worth of electricity per year, electricity you would otherwise have to buy, if your wind regime is 12.5mph-5.5m/s (class III) or better and you pay 8 cents or more for electricity. In not much more than 10 years you’ll have earned back your original investment and in 30 years you could pocket 3 times or more the original investment! If you assume electric rates will go up in the coming years, and many predict they’ll go up faster than the rate of inflation, you’ll earn back your investment even faster. If you can depreciate the wind turbine cost as a farm or business expense, your payback will be even sooner. If your average wind speed is greater than 12.5 mph-5.5m/s, which is true for many sites in the US Midwest, your payback can be sooner yet. And, some states offer tax credits for small wind systems reducing the payback time even further. Careful design of every component and advanced tooling and manufacturing processes bring the initial cost of the Ventera turbine, synchronous inverter and self-supporting tower to historic lows. The frame is an aluminum casting (made from environmentally friendly recycled aluminum), not an expensive weldment. The downwind orientation eliminates the need for a costly and cumbersome tail. The blades are injection molded for low cost and absolute uniformity. The brushless, one-moving-part, large diameter alternator minimizes the use of copper, steel and rare earth magnet material. Our unique synchronous inverter utilizes a common power handling stage with separate wind and solar peak power tracking input stages to bring you hybrid grid connection at an unheard of low price.

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These people are actually more for utility companies but if a town banded together they could probably buy one:

 http://www.windenergysolutions.ca

“To bring Wind energy everywhere”

Wind Energy Solutions Canada is a specialized company in technical solutions for energy problems. We as manufacturers together with WES Netherlands are selling the turbine product range from a former famous Dutch Wind Turbine manufacturer.

Many of our customers can be found in the agricultural, commercial businesses and small grid operators. Because WES does not focus on the very large wind parks, but mostly on small projects and distributed generation, our customers can be assured of tailor-made solutions that can help them reduce their electricity bills and enable them to sell to the electricity net.

Our Partners:

Wind Energy Solutions BV (Netherlands): www.windenergysolutions

Is a manufacturer of small and medium size wind turbines.

They supply turbines worldwide ranging from 2.5 kW up to 250 kW. The turbines can be grid connected or they are able to stand alone with a diesel generator.

With over 1500 turbines installed, their products are present worldwide and have proven their reliability.

Greely Construction

Leading edge group of companies which provide a suite of services for the design and construction of outside plant infrastructure and distribution networks.
Focusing on the needs of telecommunications and cable operators, public utilities, and municipalities.
Conquering the design/build challenges of state-of-the-art distribution networks

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This company could hand make a system for a home owner but it would be expensive. Still they ARE made in the USA:

Wind Turbine Industries Corp. Sole manufacturer of the Jacobs Wind Systems since 1986.
The Jacobs Wind Systems are on the cutting edge for providing clean, quality, reliable and efficient power in the USA and around the world.In the energy conscious person of today we see a desire to reduce electrical usage or cut the cost paid for energy consumption.  A Jacobs Wind System can provide you a means of offsetting the ever-rising costs of your electrical energy. MADE IN THE USA

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