An excellent summation. Wind and solar are little more than very expensive boutique add-ons to the grid, built to symbolize our green religion. One wonders how our politicians can embrace "net zero", if they had any understanding of the many "renewables" drawbacks. Does the "green" in green energy symbolize kickbacks?
SM: We are on the same page. I remember the talk I gave in Maine, and the warm hospitality you and your mom showed us. Loved your wonderful resort in Freeport.
John, meeting you was quite an honor! Your talk was stupendous and gave great heart to all those present who were fighting industrial wind on our mountains and ridge lines. We're still fighting, it's like a bad dream we can't wake up from. But with skyrocketing energy prices and the net metering of solar installations on homeowners roofs, maybe the people will start to wake up a little faster.
SM: TY for your kind words of support. I enjoyed meeting many Maine people, and certainly hope that they are successful in fighting unscientific nonsense.
Great editorial. Living near acres and acres of windmills I'm aware of the issue/problem however was not informed with facts. Dr. Boone, thank you for the informative, educational, and "pithy," explanation of waste and fraud involved in "wind energy generation."
Jan: It's not surprising that you were not fully informed. Developers and their minions (often local officials) only tell a one-sided story. For details about the issues with industrial wind projects go here <https://wiseenergy.org/key-documents/>.
I concur that the public agencies, CAISO, CPUC and CEC, in CA are allies in the decision making arena to bring on line more WWS. Community Choice aggregators in both SCE and PG&E's service territories signed 15 year PPA's with Pattern Energy for energy from the project. I assume FERC agreed on how to allocate the costs of the transmission part of the project.
....."We look forward to bringing on the new SunZia transmission line later this year. It includes a 551-mile, ±525kV HVDC and 345kV HVAC transmission system connecting to a 3,600 MW wind project in New Mexico. Over the coming months, we will be engaged in testing and commissioning activities to ensure that this major resource is integrated reliably and securely into the Western grid."
The only really good use for windmills is to pump water uphill. This has been done successfully long ago in the Netherlands (gaining land from the ocean), in the early American Midwest (pumping from wells for farming and ranching) and in other areas lacking other power. The water stored behind a dam or in a tank overcomes the short-term unreliability. Dutch-style windmills require frequent attention to avoid damage from high winds.
Historically, wind power has been used successfully for powering ships, but today's coastal schooners for the tourist trade usually also have diesel power. The becalmed captain says, "Let's run up the iron topsail," and the diesel engine takes over.
Peter: Yes those are good example. The issues are: 1) whether a wind project connected to the grid makes any sense, and 2) whether a State mandating such connections is an abuse of power (pardon the pun).
Yes, you and Jon covered the issue quite well. Did you mention that adding "this" electricity to "that" electricity is not as simple as pumping water? Even water analogies for EE concepts can cause vastly false beliefs of understanding. When explaining electricity to friends I may use the analogies,, but stress that I've barely touched the surface. Volts and amps are sort of like pressure and flow, but the toilet's flush tank is not a battery or capacitor, and it's a far reach to try to construct a piece of plumbing that'll show alternating current, a tuned circuit. or magnetism.
Mathematics is key to understanding the rudiments of EE, and most folks (including politicians) don't even do well with fractions. I occasionally teach intro-to-calculus to third-graders who have learned that you cannot divide by zero. There is hope yet.
Mankind survived for eons of time without all the current hoopla going on! I grew up in Pennsylvania, which was icy cold in the winter...and we had a furnace, which used coal. Two tons got our family through the winter. I know, because my dad had my sister and I put the coal in the coal bin. It was dumped on the streets in front of our home...and we had to haul it bushel by bushel around a row of five houses to the back of our home, which was in the center of the five houses. It was a job! We lived in a three story home...and the register which provided heat from the furnace in the basement did not provide heat to the third floor. It was excruciatingly cold to take a shower in the winter, on the third floor, which I did. Its really amazing, but I never got sick from the cold. In fact, one time I had to remove my shoes and socks, because there was an unexpected snowstorm...while I was at a meeting with other teenagers. I started walking home...and my shoes and socks got wet and hurt my feet. I had to remove them and walked a mile barefoot in the snow..and when I got home, I simply got in bed and got my feet warm...and never got sick. Thinking about what mankind needs in order to solve the energy problem...which would not cost a fortune or damage the environment...One suggestion: cutback on manufacturing unnecessary products; only necessities. Another: Warm Clothes in the winter and stop using unnecessary heating devices. Summer time: Cross Ventilation instead of Air Conditioning....My electric bills were the lowest for years in Los Angeles. Every person needs to be more energy -conservative.
Love your story. Humans were much tougher and more practical when I grew up, too. I just read a study that the cold keeps us healthier and we should lower our inside temps. This got a laugh out of me because my mountain farmhouse was 38 degrees this past week INSIDE, twelve below with 30 mph wind gusts outside. I was delighted that my health was improving by the moment, once by being cold and twice by the exercise of filling the wood box. Warm clothes are a no-brainer here in northern Maine. Another cost saving idea is putting all appliances that have "phantom draws" on power strips that can be shut off at night.
Saw that suggestion in DIYTom. I sent it to my daughter who has all kinds of equipment plugged in....and I hope she reads it. It said, if there was an electrical storm it could wipe out sensitive devices...which contain all the information in laptops!
All of these discussions fail to ask the one most logical question that puts the whole thing to rest. “Would a public utility invest their Capital to build wind powered generating facilities or would they reject this technology?”
Isn’t that the real technology question? Why did our government choose to manipulate the economy to force power companies to do the wind thing? For sure, it was not to be economical and keep their power low cost. In other words, it forced the power companies to work against the best interests of their customers and their shareholders. Where is the logic of that idea?
Jim: Their excuse is that we needed to have a lot of wind energy if we were going to be successful in averting Climate Change. The flaw in that argument is that there are zero scientific studies that have concluded that wind energy consequentially reduces CO2. In fact there are some scientific studies that conclude that industrial wind energy actually increases CO2! But, of course, the wind promoters have no interest in real science.
I quite enjoyed this! Imparting a bit of humor into the obnoxious topic of wind energy has (in my opinion) the potential to disarm the reader just long enough to drive the salient points home about its absurdity - a rare feat when trying to engage with any true believer. Well done!
An excellent summation. Wind and solar are little more than very expensive boutique add-ons to the grid, built to symbolize our green religion. One wonders how our politicians can embrace "net zero", if they had any understanding of the many "renewables" drawbacks. Does the "green" in green energy symbolize kickbacks?
SM: We are on the same page. I remember the talk I gave in Maine, and the warm hospitality you and your mom showed us. Loved your wonderful resort in Freeport.
John, meeting you was quite an honor! Your talk was stupendous and gave great heart to all those present who were fighting industrial wind on our mountains and ridge lines. We're still fighting, it's like a bad dream we can't wake up from. But with skyrocketing energy prices and the net metering of solar installations on homeowners roofs, maybe the people will start to wake up a little faster.
SM: TY for your kind words of support. I enjoyed meeting many Maine people, and certainly hope that they are successful in fighting unscientific nonsense.
Great editorial. Living near acres and acres of windmills I'm aware of the issue/problem however was not informed with facts. Dr. Boone, thank you for the informative, educational, and "pithy," explanation of waste and fraud involved in "wind energy generation."
Jan: It's not surprising that you were not fully informed. Developers and their minions (often local officials) only tell a one-sided story. For details about the issues with industrial wind projects go here <https://wiseenergy.org/key-documents/>.
I concur that the public agencies, CAISO, CPUC and CEC, in CA are allies in the decision making arena to bring on line more WWS. Community Choice aggregators in both SCE and PG&E's service territories signed 15 year PPA's with Pattern Energy for energy from the project. I assume FERC agreed on how to allocate the costs of the transmission part of the project.
It will be interesting to see how the Sun Zia project gets integrated into CASIO's grid next year-
https://patternenergy.com/projects/sunzia/
https://www.caiso.com/about/news/energy-matters-blog/preparing-for-winter-takes-on-greater-importance
....."We look forward to bringing on the new SunZia transmission line later this year. It includes a 551-mile, ±525kV HVDC and 345kV HVAC transmission system connecting to a 3,600 MW wind project in New Mexico. Over the coming months, we will be engaged in testing and commissioning activities to ensure that this major resource is integrated reliably and securely into the Western grid."
Mark: They all sound good when the release is written by the developer and their allies.
The only really good use for windmills is to pump water uphill. This has been done successfully long ago in the Netherlands (gaining land from the ocean), in the early American Midwest (pumping from wells for farming and ranching) and in other areas lacking other power. The water stored behind a dam or in a tank overcomes the short-term unreliability. Dutch-style windmills require frequent attention to avoid damage from high winds.
Historically, wind power has been used successfully for powering ships, but today's coastal schooners for the tourist trade usually also have diesel power. The becalmed captain says, "Let's run up the iron topsail," and the diesel engine takes over.
Peter: Yes those are good example. The issues are: 1) whether a wind project connected to the grid makes any sense, and 2) whether a State mandating such connections is an abuse of power (pardon the pun).
Yes, you and Jon covered the issue quite well. Did you mention that adding "this" electricity to "that" electricity is not as simple as pumping water? Even water analogies for EE concepts can cause vastly false beliefs of understanding. When explaining electricity to friends I may use the analogies,, but stress that I've barely touched the surface. Volts and amps are sort of like pressure and flow, but the toilet's flush tank is not a battery or capacitor, and it's a far reach to try to construct a piece of plumbing that'll show alternating current, a tuned circuit. or magnetism.
Mathematics is key to understanding the rudiments of EE, and most folks (including politicians) don't even do well with fractions. I occasionally teach intro-to-calculus to third-graders who have learned that you cannot divide by zero. There is hope yet.
Mankind survived for eons of time without all the current hoopla going on! I grew up in Pennsylvania, which was icy cold in the winter...and we had a furnace, which used coal. Two tons got our family through the winter. I know, because my dad had my sister and I put the coal in the coal bin. It was dumped on the streets in front of our home...and we had to haul it bushel by bushel around a row of five houses to the back of our home, which was in the center of the five houses. It was a job! We lived in a three story home...and the register which provided heat from the furnace in the basement did not provide heat to the third floor. It was excruciatingly cold to take a shower in the winter, on the third floor, which I did. Its really amazing, but I never got sick from the cold. In fact, one time I had to remove my shoes and socks, because there was an unexpected snowstorm...while I was at a meeting with other teenagers. I started walking home...and my shoes and socks got wet and hurt my feet. I had to remove them and walked a mile barefoot in the snow..and when I got home, I simply got in bed and got my feet warm...and never got sick. Thinking about what mankind needs in order to solve the energy problem...which would not cost a fortune or damage the environment...One suggestion: cutback on manufacturing unnecessary products; only necessities. Another: Warm Clothes in the winter and stop using unnecessary heating devices. Summer time: Cross Ventilation instead of Air Conditioning....My electric bills were the lowest for years in Los Angeles. Every person needs to be more energy -conservative.
Love your story. Humans were much tougher and more practical when I grew up, too. I just read a study that the cold keeps us healthier and we should lower our inside temps. This got a laugh out of me because my mountain farmhouse was 38 degrees this past week INSIDE, twelve below with 30 mph wind gusts outside. I was delighted that my health was improving by the moment, once by being cold and twice by the exercise of filling the wood box. Warm clothes are a no-brainer here in northern Maine. Another cost saving idea is putting all appliances that have "phantom draws" on power strips that can be shut off at night.
Saw that suggestion in DIYTom. I sent it to my daughter who has all kinds of equipment plugged in....and I hope she reads it. It said, if there was an electrical storm it could wipe out sensitive devices...which contain all the information in laptops!
Solar Panels and Windmills are not the solution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYHX-Ib3Q5Q unreliable power plant trees instead cctruth.org
Dave: Yes, Jo Nova is one of many credible people who have exposed the renewable energy charade for what it is.
All of these discussions fail to ask the one most logical question that puts the whole thing to rest. “Would a public utility invest their Capital to build wind powered generating facilities or would they reject this technology?”
Isn’t that the real technology question? Why did our government choose to manipulate the economy to force power companies to do the wind thing? For sure, it was not to be economical and keep their power low cost. In other words, it forced the power companies to work against the best interests of their customers and their shareholders. Where is the logic of that idea?
Jim: Their excuse is that we needed to have a lot of wind energy if we were going to be successful in averting Climate Change. The flaw in that argument is that there are zero scientific studies that have concluded that wind energy consequentially reduces CO2. In fact there are some scientific studies that conclude that industrial wind energy actually increases CO2! But, of course, the wind promoters have no interest in real science.
I quite enjoyed this! Imparting a bit of humor into the obnoxious topic of wind energy has (in my opinion) the potential to disarm the reader just long enough to drive the salient points home about its absurdity - a rare feat when trying to engage with any true believer. Well done!
Jo: TY. We are on the same page...