Dangerous Oklahoma Wind Farm – That was gonna be the piece that I ran

But the Oklahoma Newspaper put up a stinking pay wall that pissed me off. So here is the reference to that:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221108194553/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/energy-resource/2021/06/19/oklahoma-corporation-commission-concerned-panhandle-wind-farm-broken-turbines-poses-safety-threat/7523260002/

Here is a video peek:

 

So now I will have to post a more desultory post about how to properly maintain a wind farm and what that costs. But they had some cool pictures of things like a Turbine House destroyed at 300 feet. Turbine blades dangling and swinging in the wind. Everyone called it DANGERous. But here is the more mundane side of things. What the bad boys should have been doing.

https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1010136/breaking-down-cost-wind-turbine-maintenance

Breaking down the cost of wind turbine maintenance

Cutting costs by preventing failure instead of running wind turbines until they break lies at the heart of a new approach to operations and maintenance.

OR

http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/21860/the-challenge-of-wind-turbine-blade-repair/

The challenge of wind turbine blade repair

07 November 2011
George Marsh

 

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Go there and yawn. More next week

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Which Is Cheaper Solar Or Wind -Now there is a conversation I have wanted to have for years

 

It has taken the last 30 years to get to the point where we can have this conversation. Is it in time? I do not know, but it sure feels good.

Solar Power vs. Wind Power Pros and Cons

Solar Power vs. Wind Power Pros and Cons

After doing some research on renewable energy systems or alternative energy systems as many will call them, I wanted to get the information out there as far as the advantages and disadvantages of the 2 main renewable energy systems, wind turbine generators and photovoltaic solar panels.

Both solar panel and wind generator systems are similar as far as how they are setup. You can have the wind generator grid tied or off grid, same as solar panels. Both the solar panel (photovoltaic panel) and wind generator will need a battery bank if you are using an off grid system. Both of these renewable energy systems will produce clean energy and help the environment as well as save you money in your home!

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Generator Systems and Solar Panel Systems

Now onto some of the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative energy system. None of this information is from my own personal experience as I do not have the financial funds to support the research. So the information about these renewable energy systems have came from researching the internet, talking to people that have these alternative energy systems, and of course some calculations of my own (prices, efficiency, etc.).

Wind Turbine Generator System Pros and Cons

The main advantage of wind generator is that they can produce electricity day or night as long as there is wind. Wind generators need less space on your land to produce sufficient electricity. Wind generators are able to produce more electric for the same price. If you spend $1,000.00 on wind generator you can produce 1kW – 2kW, with solar panels you may only produce around .5kW – .75kW with the same $1,000.00. Wind generators have moving parts, so there is always wear and tear on these moving parts. Bearings can go bad, propeller blades can be struck by objects, and heat may be generated. Your wind generator will be installed on a tower or pole of some sort to gain height where there is more wind, allowing lighting to possibly strike your wind generator. As wind hits the propeller blades there will be noise created, think of a fan and how they sound, or even taking a rope and swinging it fast in circles. You will get some of this noise from your wind generator. The propellers of the wind generator can also produce shadows flickering. Birds can get killed from flying into your wind generator’s propellers. There are vertical wind generators which will prevent this. So the quick break down of the wind generator system:

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Go there and read. More next week.

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The Message To Elected Illinois Officials – Get on board with renewables

The budget impasse is hurting Illinois when it comes to investing in renewable energy. This is getting ridiculous. Rauner’s quest to destroy public sector unions has got to stop. This lady spells it out in no uncertain terms.

http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20160419/michelle-knox-illinois-must-act-now-to-fix-its-clean-energy-policies/?Start=1

Michelle Knox: Illinois must act now to fix its clean energy policies

Posted Apr. 19, 2016 at 10:05 PM

In 1970, more than 20 million people worldwide took part in the first Earth Day. Millions more will take part in Earth Day 2016.

As someone who delivers both wind and solar energy to customers in Central Illinois, I can attest to the need to fix Illinois’ energy policy — and quickly. I plan to be among those participating in a rally at the state Capitol in Springfield this week, during which we will deliver a strong message to Illinois leaders: by the time Earth Day 2017 arrives, it is critical that Illinois will have taken steps to reform our state’s out-of-date energy policies or we will lose clean energy jobs to other states.

Any day that goes by — let alone another year — without such a fix puts our state at risk of losing out on jobs and investments in this competitive field.

Fortunately, lawmakers have the chance to bolster our clean energy economy at the time we need it most. The Illinois Clean Jobs Bill (SB1485/ HB2607) would create more than 32,000 jobs and deliver more than $1.6 billion in savings to electricity consumers, while making vast improvements in public health. This bipartisan legislation would double the current standards for energy efficiency while increasing the targets for electricity generated by renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, to 35 percent by 2030, up from the current target of 25 percent by 2025.

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Go there and read. More next week.

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Warren Buffet Loves Renewables – Shouldn’t you

When Warren speaks everyone listens. So for this Thanksgiving buy a little stock in a renewable energy company and enjoy…

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/11/27/when-it-comes-to-renewable-energy-buffetts-not-blo.aspx

Here’s What Warren Buffett Thinks About Renewable Energy


“Rule No. 1: Never Lose Money. Rule No. 2: Never Forget Rule No. 1.”
–Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett is famous for both his legendary investing acumen, and his simple, straightforward investing advice. For years, alternative energy has been viewed as non-competitive with traditional energy production from coal and other fossil fuels, making them money-losers for most investors.

Buffett’s own Berkshire Hathaway  (NYSE: BRK-B  ) subsidiary MidAmerican Energy is heavily investing in alternative energy sources, including both wind and solar. And considering that MidAmerican produces more than $1.2 billion in annual “ammo” for Buffett’s “elephant gun,” the story on renewables is clearly changing.

Should investors follow the Oracle into “green energy” to make more greenbacks? Let’s take a look.

MidAmerican has been investing in wind energy for a decade, and is easily the largest producer of wind energy in North America; wind actually accounts for more than 30% of the company’s total energy generation capacity. Current projects will move the total to almost 40%.

MidAmerican has relied on both General Electric  (NYSE: GE  ) and Vestas  (NASDAQOTH: VWDRY  ) for wind turbines for different projects. A large project in California, which deployed more than 300 megawatts of power generating capacity, featured 100 Vestas wind turbines. GE’s turbines, on the other hand, are the most commonly used in MidAmerican’s fleet

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Go there and read.  More next week. When it is my birthday, YAA.

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British Government Bribes Home Owners For Wind – Payoffs to accept wind turbines

This is so bogus. Wind Farms are seen as a “burden” on the community so money is made available from the government to compensate individual households. I do not really know how dollars are changed into pounds but lets call it 70%. That would mean that any household in the US would be eligible for 650 $$$ per year for being near a wind farm. That amounts to what?  Redistribution of tax income or is this actually a subsidy? Hard to tell but here it is:

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/archives/33978

The government’s planned compensation to households near new wind-farm developments may not be enough

The government this week announced a plan to compensate households near new wind-farm developments to incentivise them to accept them. Steve Gibbons, discussing provisional findings from on-going research, suggests that the level of compensation may not cover the costs involved.

News yesterday morning suggests that communities near new wind-farm developments could be in for some form of compensation, through lower electricity prices or other payment schemes. The BBC reports that the compensation could be worth as much as £100,000 per community. This is probably welcome news for residents potentially affected by wind-farm developments, although provisional findings from on-going research suggests that this level of compensation may not cover the costs involved, in terms of environmental, health and other impacts. I find that an operational wind farm reduces housing prices by around 7% up to 5km from the wind farm site. Some rough calculations based on these estimates suggest that the implied social costs on the local community (within 5km) amounts to about £80 million per operational wind farm, or about £500 per household per year.

An extended (user friendly) abstract of the research follows below:

Renewable energy technology has potential global environmental benefits in terms of reduced CO2 emissions and slower depletion of natural energy resources. However, like most power generation and transmission infrastructure, the plant, access services and transmission equipment associated with renewable electricity generation may involve environmental costs. This is particularly so in the case of wind turbine developments, where the sites that are optimal in terms of energy efficiency are typically in rural, coastal and wilderness locations that offer many natural environmental amenities. These natural amenities include the aesthetic appeal of landscape, outdoor recreational opportunities and the existence values of wilderness habitats. In addition, for residents local to operational wind turbines have reported health effects related to noise and visual disturbances.

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They even site the old “health related issues” which have never been proven to exist. Go there and read. More next week.

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The Green Energy Council – Covering the world

These guys cover the globe.

http://www.greenenergycouncil.com/

The International Green Energy Council is an educational and advocacy body. We pride ourselves on educating from kindergarten students all the way up to leaders of nations about energy efficiency, environmental stewardship and renewable energy. We also aid international leaders on creating sound policy and regulatory atmospheres in order to promote expeditious applications for renewable energy and green technologies.

Over the past six years we have worked with 22 Governors in regards to Renewable Portfolio Standards for their states. Furthermore, we are liaison and facilitators with several countries including but not limited to the following: Canada, South Africa, Greece, Senegal, Zambia, Nigeria, Philippines, Netherlands, Russia, Brazil, China, Morocco as well as a host of others. The IGEC is also working with many utility company’s around the Globe to meet their Renewable Energy Portfolio mandates. We have chartered chapters in 68 nations around the World.

The GEC is a professional association comprised of individuals and companies that promote sustainable forms of energy production, renewable energy sources, sustainable design practices and advanced thinking in utilizing education and information for the promotion of being better stewards of our environment while providing National Security Energy Plans to nations around the Globe.

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Go there and read. More tomorrow.

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Wind Works – A great accumulator

I forgot to give this website credit for yesterday’s post. That is a small journalistic boo boo and I will clear that up now.

http://www.wind-works.org/

What Can Be Found on This Site

This site contains information about my books, an archive of my articles, and descriptions of my workshops on wind energy and Advanced Renewable Tariffs. This site also contains an extensive collection of articles and technical reports on electricity feed laws or renewable energy tariffs. I’ve been an outspoken proponent of feed laws since the late 1990s when I urged the American Wind Energy Association to call for them nationally.

Photography

My photos are stocked by Still Pictures in London. For more on my photography and for photo tours of several wind farms as well as a sampling of wind energy icons, see the photos section of this site.

 

Small Turbine Testing

Beginning in 1997 I’ve measured the performance and noise emissions of small wind turbines at the Wulf Test Field in the Tehachapi Pass. For more information on this work, visit Wulf Test Field.

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Go there and read. More tomorrow.

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Wind And Solar Cheaper Than Coal – Or so says Michigan

Since we are in a Utility state of mind this week, the PSC of Michigan just released this report according to the folks at AWEA.

http://www.awea.org/blog/index.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1699=14546

Mich. Public Service Commission: Renewable energy cheaper than coal

Posted: 2012-03-02 Tom Gray

We often run “Fact check” articles on this blog when fossil-fuel-funded “experts” exaggerate the cost of electricity generated with wind power (for a particularly bald-faced recent example, see Fact check: American Enterprise Institute epic FAIL on study of wind costs, Feb. 29), but perhaps this one should be titled “Reality check.”

Reality: the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) recently issued a report that finds that electricity generated from renewable energy sources, at an average cost of $91 per megawatt-hour (9.1 cents/kilowatt-hour), is almost one-third cheaper than the cost of electricity from a new coal-fired power plant ($133 per MWh, or 13.3 cents/kWh).

Further, the report notes, “The actual cost of renewable energy contracts submitted to the Commission to date shows a downward pricing trend.  This was the case as of the filing of this report in February of 2011 and continues to be the case, as the two most recent contracts approved by the Commission for new wind capacity have levelized costs of $61-$64 per MWh.  This is significantly lower than the levelized costs of the first wind contracts submitted in 2009.” (emphasis added)

The report is one in a series required annually from the Commission to the state legislature, reporting on the impact of the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES), which requires utilities to obtain 10 percent of the electricity they provide from renewable energy sources by 2015.

Other highlights from the report:

– While utilities are allowed to charge customers extra for renewable energy, customers are also seeing savings due to wind.  Said the Commission, “While … surcharges have an impact on electric rates, there are also economic benefits attributable to an increase in renewable energy generation sources and improved energy efficiency. As noted in previous sections, the cost of energy generated by renewable sources continues to decline and is cheaper than new coal-fired generation.

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Go there and read. More tomorrow.

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DYI Green Energy For Homes – Another link request

This guys don’t realize it but I have posted about them before. They know what they are talking about.

 

http://diygreenenergyforhomes.com/

DIY Green Energy | Home Made Energy

diy green energy for homesAre you sick and tired of having to pay huge energy bills? If you answer yes to this question, then DIY green energy is a sensible option for you. You can begin utilizing free, eco-friendly power and reduce your household power bill by more than 80% while doing your part in saving the Earth.

The most significant benefits of DIY green energy is the ability to make big savings in the long run. Bear in mind though that there are significant start up costs associated with the setting up of solar, magnetic or wind power, and it’ll require a bit of time before you start to enjoy the rewards.

Setting up green energy power is really an enjoyable task that can be done by yourself – there is no better satisfaction than the experience associated with getting this done yourself. The very first time I assembled a residential wind turbine involved a couple of weeks, however the thrill of seeing it working in motion is priceless.

There are numerous methods to construct your own homemade green energy generators online which depicts the procedure and show you which components are needed. Don’t ever doubt yourself and don’t forget that anyone can create a workable and effective machine by yourself.

If you wish to reduce your month-to-month electricity bill, become self sufficient or increase the value of your property, this is all merely an arm’s reach away using homemade energy. It is possible to construct DIY solar panels or wind power generator by using simple, straightforward, “any kid could understand it” instructions. We’ve placed together some terrific information on DIY solar panels and homemade wind turbines that will make a massive difference in saving energy if you put them into application.

Regardless of whether you’ve questions on home made green energy or don’t have the slightess idea what is green energy, we have answers for you here. Before you know it, your free electricity dreams will turn out to be a reality.

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More tomorrow.

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Last Day Of The Meditation On Residential Services – GreenUP, I love the name

It is a good thing that I got to them when I did because they are changing their name to something less charming. Oh well that is the way the corporate dice fall. Anyway, to me these people look like up and comers so to speak, so:

http://iwantrenewableenergy.com/

Yes, its true…after many months of planning and good counsel, GreenUP Energy Solutions will begin taking steps to change its name to Green Building Solutions Inc. GreenUP is owned by someone who also was a part owner in a construction company. Now with a new team and direction in place, It has been decided to be necessary to create a name and brand that will suit our portfolio of services and clients. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we take, what we feel are the necessary steps to building a solid infrastructure for all our partners and associates to grow from.

 

Green Building Solutions is a diverse company offering many services revolving around construction and renewable energy. We offer a variety of wind and solar options as well as full service installation. Green Building Solutions offers a variety of construction services specializing in building alterations, new construction, interior finishes and systems, with over 15 years of experience in Retail, commercial, industrial and residential. Green Building Solutions is a reliable resource for all your construction and go green needs!

Looking to build a NEW greener Smart Home? Contact us today and mention the Smart-House promotion! We have tons of designs to choose from.

Browse our products and services for more information on how we can help you or your Home or Business go green. Visit our contact page and someone in our sales team will respond with-in 24 hours. We look forward to working with you.

Visit our News Archive

GreenUP Energy Solutions is changing its name…

June 30, 2011

Yes, its true…after many months of planning and good counsel,  GreenUP Energy Solutions will begin taking s…

9 things to know about wind turbines

July 26, 2010

Used to be if you wanted to put a wind turbine up at your house you either had to live on a remote farm, or grow y…

New Products with GreenUP Energy Solutions

July 26, 2010

GreenUP Energy Solutions is proud to announce that we have added a new line of products to our renewable energy ar…

GreenUP Version 2.0

July 26, 2010

We hope you like the brand new look to our web site.  We have made numerous changes included the design and c…

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Have a great weekend everybody. More next week.

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