Wind farms - good or bad?

[mobyme]

I hate the damn things and there are hundreds coming to a hill near you. I can't believe how noisy they are; you can hear them from miles away.

[Raffles]

I opt for nuclear power plants blowing loads of— water vapor in the air.

Water vapour is also a greenhouse gas.

Give me the windmills any day over this:



(Drax power station in Yorkshire). That's just in terms of visual damage though, I agree that they do have their problems (energy cost of production, maintenance issues). Windmills are also a lot better placed offshore than on land.

That said, the Danes have done very well with them it seems. They get something like 15% of their energy from them and a lot of them have been placed very thoughtfully, for example off the coast of west Jutland. I didn't even notice them until someone pointed them out to me on the horizon (hundreds of them) because they are the colour of clouds. Also, these in an arc off the shore of Copenhagen look quite graceful when seeing them from the beach:

[selfhelpebooks]

Windmills are a good source of energy.
Being placed far away should be ok.

[ro0bear]

I opt for nuclear power plants blowing loads of— water vapor in the air.

Nuclear power looks great until you look at how much energy the world is consuming. Although a nuclear power plant creates huge amounts of power, if the world replaced oil with nuclear power, the worlds uranium stocks would run out in only 20 years! thats how much energy the world uses!

The main problem with wind turbines is the production and maintanance. To produce 1,000 wind turbines uses a lot more resources than producing one power plant, as does maintaining 1000 wind turbines. Wind Turbines wear out, and are damaged easily in storms.

The only real alternative to oil is solar energy, to produce enough solar electricity to power the world, you would need enough solar power plants to cover the whole of texas. Considering the alternatives, this definately seems the best source of energy, followed by wave power (which is in pretty early stages of production, and has a lot of potential). The great thing about wave power is it is reliable, the sea always has waves! lol

ro0bear

[HAWK]

They definitely aren't ideal aesthetically, but we have to do something pretty urgently. I don't know enough about the alternatives to debate them, other than to say that I hope like hell that NZ remains nuclear free.

[ro0bear]

They definitely aren't ideal aesthetically, but we have to do something pretty urgently. I don't know enough about the alternatives to debate them, other than to say that I hope like hell that NZ remains nuclear free.

I want to move to New Zealand ASAP, as I think it will deal with the future far more effectively than most countries. One of the biggest advantages is that it could support its own population without imports, unlike the UK, which is massively over crowded.

New Zealand seems like a brilliant place to live on so many levels, its democratic, has the lowest corruption levels, a free media, has invested heavily in renewable energy, is a beautiful country, its nuclear free, anti-war, and I have heard New Zealand is a country where people Work to Live, unlike the UK where people Live to Work lol.

ro0bear

[HAWK]

You got that all pretty much spot on. I count myself as immeasurably fortunate to have been born here.

If you ever make it here I'll take you out for a beer.

[bbolte]

If you ever make it here I'll take you out for a beer.

promise?

[HAWK]

Absolutely.

[croatiankid]

Saying how much uranium is left is just like saying how much oil is left: guessing.

What do greenhouse gasses have to do with anything?

[ro0bear]

You got that all pretty much spot on. I count myself as immeasurably fortunate to have been born here.

If you ever make it here I'll take you out for a beer.

Sounds like a plan!

ro0bear

[Tijmen]

The technology is new... things may change. They may get more efficient.

But as they exist today... No, I don't think they're that great.

There are already bigger and more efficient ones, they just aren't used that much (yet).

I don't really get those people that are complaining about windmills spoiling the view, is it that much worse then having a normal/nuclear power plant on the horizon with smoke coming from its pipes? Sure if theres no wind there won't be any energy, but the wind shouldn't be the only solutions. Tidal/wind and solar power should be a great combination.

A interesting new fuel would be Helium 3, but thats only available on the moon. But since its not really that easy to get there, wind/solar/tidal power should be the way to go until theres a way to collect that stuff from the moon.

Suddenly places the plans that some country's have to go back to the moon in a very different perspective, it all about who owns the next fuel depot of the future....

[Aleksejs]

Right now BBC World has "hard talk" with one of GreanPeace leaders on renewable energy.

[silentcollision]

I want to move to New Zealand ASAP, as I think it will deal with the future far more effectively than most countries. One of the biggest advantages is that it could support its own population without imports, unlike the UK, which is massively over crowded.

New Zealand seems like a brilliant place to live on so many levels, its democratic, has the lowest corruption levels, a free media, has invested heavily in renewable energy, is a beautiful country, its nuclear free, anti-war, and I have heard New Zealand is a country where people Work to Live, unlike the UK where people Live to Work lol.

ro0bear

Want to swap?

They definitely aren't ideal aesthetically, but we have to do something pretty urgently. I don't know enough about the alternatives to debate them, other than to say that I hope like hell that NZ remains nuclear free.

The problem is (yet again) we need power this winter, and there's pretty much no place to get it from (again). Understandably, nobody wants a power station near them.

It was easier on Sim City.

[Jake Arkinstall]

We have them dotted around Wales - and people love them.

I'd prefer nuclear power any day. No emissions, just waste. Water vapour is a G.G, but it doesn't have to be released as vapour - it could be piped back into the water resevoirs where they come from I suppose.

And Greenhouse Gasses have alot to do with this. Surely everyone has passed the denial stage of the idea that we're killing the earth?

[HAWK]

I'd prefer nuclear power any day. No emissions, just waste.

Yup... waste that never goes away.

[ro0bear]

Yup... waste that never goes away.

Something interesting about nuclear waste, although pretty dangerous atm, is that it is possible to make secondry nuclear power plants that run on nuclear waste. There has been significant research into this more recently.

In over 9000 years time, nuclear waste turns into weapons grade plutonium, so there could be many weapons grade plutonium mines ready to make nasty weapons, another ethical issue to consider (if the human race is still here in 9000 years time ).

ro0bear

[mobyme]

And Greenhouse Gasses have alot to do with this. Surely everyone has passed the denial stage of the idea that we're killing the earth?

Nope. I'm still in denial.

[croatiankid]

Nope. I'm still in denial.

You're not alone.

[Tailslide]

Nope. I'm still in denial.

I'm with you too!

[Ktult]

Rather good than bad! Anyway, they are producing green energy - that is good!

[ro0bear]

Nope. I'm still in denial.

I'm with you three

The green house gas thing is a load of rubbish, global warming is true but its natural.... in my opinion from my research.

I'm more concerned about the growing energy crisis! Oil is finite... you cant drive a car on a single tank of petrol for ever!

ro0bear

[tke71709]

In over 9000 years time, nuclear waste turns into weapons grade plutonium, so there could be many weapons grade plutonium mines ready to make nasty weapons, another ethical issue to consider (if the human race is still here in 9000 years time ).

9000 years from now nuclear weapons will be the equivalent of a slingshot today...

[petertdavis]

Wind farms don't look so bad when you consider the alternatives.















I think people who are anti-wind farm are either ignorant or paid shills of the petroleum industry.

[mobyme]

And I think anybody who thinks that people who are anti-wind farm are ignorant and in the pay of the oil industry; is arrogant and needs a reality check.