Wind power an answer, but no one solution for energy needs
Ever wonder where the next great solution is going to come from when you talk about generating power?
Some say nuclear solves all your problems. Others say the answer lies in the wind, or from the sun, or maybe even coal.
The real answer is the solution lies everywhere. There is no one real solution. Rather, the answer will come with a multitude of innovations.
Take wind powere. Oil mega star, T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Power LLP ordered 667 wind turbines from General Electric Co. as part of a $2 billion first phase of a planned Texas wind farm.
The 667 turbines are capable of generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 300,000 average U.S. homes, Mesa said in a release.
The four-phase Pampa Wind Project would be the world's largest wind energy generator, with more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for 1.3 million homes, when completed in 2014, Mesa said.
This news comes after a government report saying Americans could get as much electricity from windmills as from nuclear power plants.
The report, a collaboration between the Energy Department research labs and industry, concludes wind energy could generate 20% of the nation's electricity by 2030, about the same share now produced by nuclear reactors. Mind you, it said could generate, not will generate.
As it is with most things, powerful lobbies surely will get involved and potentially muck up the whole thing because they say their solution is the end all and they deserve a bigger piece of the profit pie.
The whole catch with wind power is the technology is ready to go. Sure there will be challenges, but it can happen now versus waiting for a huge technology breakthrough.
''The report indicates that we can do this nationally for less than half a cent per kilowatt hour if we have the vision,'' said Andrew Karsner, the Energy Department's assistant secretary for efficiency and renewable energy.
The key word there is vision. Do we have the vision?
Talk to me.
Some say nuclear solves all your problems. Others say the answer lies in the wind, or from the sun, or maybe even coal.
The real answer is the solution lies everywhere. There is no one real solution. Rather, the answer will come with a multitude of innovations.
Take wind powere. Oil mega star, T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Power LLP ordered 667 wind turbines from General Electric Co. as part of a $2 billion first phase of a planned Texas wind farm.
The 667 turbines are capable of generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 300,000 average U.S. homes, Mesa said in a release.
The four-phase Pampa Wind Project would be the world's largest wind energy generator, with more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for 1.3 million homes, when completed in 2014, Mesa said.
This news comes after a government report saying Americans could get as much electricity from windmills as from nuclear power plants.
The report, a collaboration between the Energy Department research labs and industry, concludes wind energy could generate 20% of the nation's electricity by 2030, about the same share now produced by nuclear reactors. Mind you, it said could generate, not will generate.
As it is with most things, powerful lobbies surely will get involved and potentially muck up the whole thing because they say their solution is the end all and they deserve a bigger piece of the profit pie.
The whole catch with wind power is the technology is ready to go. Sure there will be challenges, but it can happen now versus waiting for a huge technology breakthrough.
''The report indicates that we can do this nationally for less than half a cent per kilowatt hour if we have the vision,'' said Andrew Karsner, the Energy Department's assistant secretary for efficiency and renewable energy.
The key word there is vision. Do we have the vision?
Talk to me.
posted by ISA at 10:44 AM
1 Comments:
I have worked with Wind, solar, nuclear and fossil power. Solar ok if nothing else is around and for small needs. It takes a vast amount of land area to produce any reasonable amount of power. Wind, the units must be tailored to the specific wind regime and by the way like an old sailboat don't have any wind lulls or winds that are too high. Also, ever been around a wind machine? Talk about noise polution and use of land area, not very responsible, not to mention the effect on birds and polinating bees and other insects. Nuclear, real and can provide large quantities of energy from a small footprint with little or no effect upon the surrounding enviroment, contrary to the scare tactics used by those who do not want us to be energy independent. Fossil, coal has its problems in the emmissions which are multiple but can be overcome at a cost. Natural gas, counter productive and just drives up the cost of home heating and the other heating uses where gas is better suited. Oil/deisel just a dumb electrical power source. Talk about the ultimate shot yourself in the foot scenario. Like we have recently accomplished in the name of a few % on the enviro scale that is likely meaningless in the bigger picture. Lets get smart and use our resources, all of them, nuclear, some wind, solar for what it is best suited, coal where possible, hydro without damaging eco structure or water supplies, drill for oil, increase petroleum refinery capacities and keep the politics out of the solutions. This requires us to put a muzzle on the enviro fanatics and list their organizations, as what they really are, lobbying groups. We as the real taxpayers and consumers need to band together to say enough of the political pandering and personal or group agendas and get going on providing the power, fuel and foodstuffs that made this nation great. The good of the majority must take precedence over the ilks and pet causes of the few. As was the rallying cry of the film, Network, of a few years back, we need to shout at the top of our lungs that we won't take it anymore! Sorry for rambling a bit but someone needs to say it and start a thought process that does not attempt to be politically correct (PC). Nothing good or productive ever comes from political correctness that is beyond the bounds of basic civility.
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