Wind power

[WolverineGator]

Thankfully there are a few sensible posts in a sea of misinformation! Some time ago there was a post on ATOT with a link on how to build your own wind turbine for about $1500 that would generate a couple hundred watts of power. It would generate useable power with as little as 5 mph wind! That was sooo cool!

Commercially, new turbines will soon produce around 3 MW each!

To answer OP's question with another question, why isn't Wave Power more popular?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power

I think it has to do with publicity, skepticism, and comfort with tried-and-true technology.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
So you want a fat turbine rotating in your neighborhood? When you live in a place where houses are $2 million each around you, no people aren't going to let you install a 30 foot turbine out in your back yard.

Solar panels are at the point where they are almost cost efficient. Isn't it the $ / watt (no not watt hour) argument. I remember they showed us a chart in class. The cost is just about at the point where with the benefits that your electric company gives you, you might be able to consider it.

Because $2,000,000+ homes dominate america.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
So you want a fat turbine rotating in your neighborhood? When you live in a place where houses are $2 million each around you, no people aren't going to let you install a 30 foot turbine out in your back yard.

Solar panels are at the point where they are almost cost efficient. Isn't it the $ / watt (no not watt hour) argument. I remember they showed us a chart in class. The cost is just about at the point where with the benefits that your electric company gives you, you might be able to consider it.

Not to mention that solar is extremely attractive in areas like the southwest that get a lot of sun. There is one house I've seen around where I live with a turbine and it doesn't look bad but if every house had one? Yeah, that would be kind of strange. I guess you'd get used to it though.

 

[potato28]

There's 2 wind generators within about 70 km of my house, one at Pickering and one in Toronto, where the Lakeshore coal fire plant used to be.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: DLeRium
So you want a fat turbine rotating in your neighborhood? When you live in a place where houses are $2 million each around you, no people aren't going to let you install a 30 foot turbine out in your back yard.

Solar panels are at the point where they are almost cost efficient. Isn't it the $ / watt (no not watt hour) argument. I remember they showed us a chart in class. The cost is just about at the point where with the benefits that your electric company gives you, you might be able to consider it.

Because $2,000,000+ homes dominate america.

Well, you wouldn't expect people erecting wind generators in the middle of ghetto places with low housing prices either would you? It makes sense in rural areas but not in suburban or urban areas.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Wave generators can also be very efficient.

 

[Rogodin2]

Much of our national hydroelectric production is routed, through the electrical grid, to cities that are hundred of miles away. The same distribution will occur with windgeneration.

Rogo

 

[Apex]

Tethered units should up the effectiveness.

http://www.magenn.com/

 

[Rogodin2]

Katana industries is investing millions of dollars into research and planned expansion but our governor has shut them down.

What's a tethered unit?

Rogo

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Rogodin2

What's a tethered unit?

Rogo

I'm no expert but by judging by the link I'd say it flies above the ground only with a messenger type cable (load bearing) and a power transmission line to send the juice down to the ground. Think of blimp with a prop!

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Rogodin2
What's a tethered unit?

You on a leash?

 

[Rogodin2]

I'm no expert but by judging by the link I'd say it flies above the ground only with a messenger type cable (load bearing) and a power transmission line to send the juice down to the ground. Think of blimp with a prop!

I hadn't looked at the link. I suspect that such a turbine can't generate the wattage of a solid plant?

Rogo