Earlier comments were deleted. Wanted to offer our experience of heading a renewable energy development group for the military and elsewhere, that had to deal with the security of such systems in the face of attack. Solar and Wind, besides problems with helicopters, and VFR flying, are totally vulnerable to an air blast, as they depend on the environment for their energy. We ended up including them mostly for political reasons, except for hydro, geo, and waste, 24/7 and can be better protected. Coal is great, as it can be stored in large quantities, unlike electrons, at reasonable expense - but not PC these days. SMR (small nucs) are actually the most resilient of all, and there's one that now has NRC approval. 60 MW is too big for many applications, but you can walk away from it and it just cools down on its own, fuel every 5-10 years, with an EMP cover, electronics all burned in so very hard to Cyber. These are near bulletproof. Our wonderful solar/wind projects became more of a political tool to get rid of the power of the coal, gas, and oil boys, than the energy nirvana we thought in 2001.
Global ‘Stilling’: Is Climate Change Slowing Down the Wind?
From Yale360, Jim Robbins, September 13, 2022
As the Earth’s poles warm, researchers are predicting a decline in the planet’s wind speeds. This ‘stilling’ could impact wind energy production and plant growth and might even affect the Gulf Stream, which drives much of the world’s climate.
Last year, from summer into fall, much of Europe experienced what’s known as a “wind drought.” Wind speeds in many places slowed about 15 percent below the annual average, and in other places, the drop was even more pronounced. It was one of the least windy periods in the United Kingdom in the past 60 years, and the effects on power generation were dramatic. Wind farms produced 18 percent of the U.K.’s power in September of 2020, but in September of 2021, that percentage plummeted to only 2 percent. To make up the energy gap, the U.K. was forced to restart two mothballed coal plants.
The recent declines in surface winds over Europe renewed concerns about a “global terrestrial stilling” linked with climate change. From 1978 until 2010, research showed a worldwide stilling of winds, with speeds dropping 2.3 percent per decade. In 2019, though, a group of researchers found that after 2010, global average wind speeds had actually increased — from 7 miles per hour to 7.4 miles per hour.
Despite those conflicting data, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts slowing winds for the coming decades. By 2100, that body says, average annual wind speeds could drop by up to 10 percent.
Science is a messy process that requires transparency and open debate, but is closely controlled nowadays by politics. If the earth really is heating up, these people beating the drums for 100% "green energy" would be heading down the nuclear path at a dead run, but I betcha anything that thousands of those industrial scale wind turbines will keep going up. Follow the money.
The wind and solar obsessions are meant to deliver unearned profits to politically connected investors and to expand the federal government's control over all of our lives. This is clever strategy from the people who think omnipotent government is a good idea.
Dear Mr. Droz... I'm a 'Cuban Refugee...' 85 yrs old... Retired ChE from DuPont.
Have had time to consider what happened and is happening in Cuba. And here...
To make a long story short... What is happening here (and certainly in other countries) is the result
of an 'all out' effort on the part of the communists (yes, COMMUNISTS) who, under various other names, are totally determined to destroy the country , our country, as it has existed.
It is not 'this' or 'that'... it is ALL OUT DESTRUCTION under various and numerous fronts...
'Climate Change' and so many other fronts are the mechanisms to destroy.
Is is really that simple...
One of my 'conclusions' is that 'History' should have been a primary subject in Education all over the US, for the last 100 years... or more...
Kalle: Not sure what "suggestion" you are referring to. I cited dozens of studies, by scientists. If you disagree with them, please correspond with them.
The idea that it is up to me (or others) to come up with a "better idea" is silly. The US Grid is the envy of the world, and one of the main reasons for our success as a country. If wind wants to get on the Grid (a privilege) it is up to them to scientifically prove their worth. That has never been done.
1 bad Thunderstorm will shut your cable down and downed trees across power lines. Twisters, Earthquakes, floods, or the government shut it down will do the same thing. 1 car running into a power pole or a Transformer blowing will do the same thing. Look what a fuel tanker did in Philly, it will take a year to rebuild that roadway. If they can find qualified workers. My grandson Xrays welds, and says they are really bad. An EMP either solar or high altitude Nuke will take out massive areas of the Grid. Gen Z will commit suicide without their gadgets. They can't cope 10 mins without a cell phone. Within 3 days, the Chaos will be unbelievable. Hope you are prepared. The next Virus may be worse than Covid the trial one. Governments are constantly looking for ways to destroy the 'enemy' and WE are the enemy now.
Earlier comments were deleted. Wanted to offer our experience of heading a renewable energy development group for the military and elsewhere, that had to deal with the security of such systems in the face of attack. Solar and Wind, besides problems with helicopters, and VFR flying, are totally vulnerable to an air blast, as they depend on the environment for their energy. We ended up including them mostly for political reasons, except for hydro, geo, and waste, 24/7 and can be better protected. Coal is great, as it can be stored in large quantities, unlike electrons, at reasonable expense - but not PC these days. SMR (small nucs) are actually the most resilient of all, and there's one that now has NRC approval. 60 MW is too big for many applications, but you can walk away from it and it just cools down on its own, fuel every 5-10 years, with an EMP cover, electronics all burned in so very hard to Cyber. These are near bulletproof. Our wonderful solar/wind projects became more of a political tool to get rid of the power of the coal, gas, and oil boys, than the energy nirvana we thought in 2001.
Global ‘Stilling’: Is Climate Change Slowing Down the Wind?
From Yale360, Jim Robbins, September 13, 2022
As the Earth’s poles warm, researchers are predicting a decline in the planet’s wind speeds. This ‘stilling’ could impact wind energy production and plant growth and might even affect the Gulf Stream, which drives much of the world’s climate.
Last year, from summer into fall, much of Europe experienced what’s known as a “wind drought.” Wind speeds in many places slowed about 15 percent below the annual average, and in other places, the drop was even more pronounced. It was one of the least windy periods in the United Kingdom in the past 60 years, and the effects on power generation were dramatic. Wind farms produced 18 percent of the U.K.’s power in September of 2020, but in September of 2021, that percentage plummeted to only 2 percent. To make up the energy gap, the U.K. was forced to restart two mothballed coal plants.
The recent declines in surface winds over Europe renewed concerns about a “global terrestrial stilling” linked with climate change. From 1978 until 2010, research showed a worldwide stilling of winds, with speeds dropping 2.3 percent per decade. In 2019, though, a group of researchers found that after 2010, global average wind speeds had actually increased — from 7 miles per hour to 7.4 miles per hour.
Despite those conflicting data, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts slowing winds for the coming decades. By 2100, that body says, average annual wind speeds could drop by up to 10 percent.
Science is a messy process that requires transparency and open debate, but is closely controlled nowadays by politics. If the earth really is heating up, these people beating the drums for 100% "green energy" would be heading down the nuclear path at a dead run, but I betcha anything that thousands of those industrial scale wind turbines will keep going up. Follow the money.
Correct. And produce a profit for politicians and climate nuts. Net Zero Green Taxes to Increase Grocery Prices by £4 Billion Per Year. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/06/05/net-zero-green-taxes-to-increase-grocery-prises-by-4-billion-per-year/
Mister Bean. Sadly, keeping your old petrol car may be better than buying an EV. There are sound environmental reasons not to jump just yet https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/03/electric-vehicles-early-adopter-petrol-car-ev-environment-rowan-atkinson
The wind and solar obsessions are meant to deliver unearned profits to politically connected investors and to expand the federal government's control over all of our lives. This is clever strategy from the people who think omnipotent government is a good idea.
Germany's 30,000 wind turbines are causing local rainfall droughts.
https://stopthesethings.com/2023/06/09/climate-changing-germanys-30000-wind-turbines-causing-local-rainfall-droughts/
So, yeah, extracting energy from wind DOES affect the climate, just not in ways that zealots hope.
The Greta Green Energy Transition is both physically (and economically) impossible and entirely unnecessary. https://vsnyder.substack.com.
Please refer to earlier comments and bio.
Dear Mr. Droz... I'm a 'Cuban Refugee...' 85 yrs old... Retired ChE from DuPont.
Have had time to consider what happened and is happening in Cuba. And here...
To make a long story short... What is happening here (and certainly in other countries) is the result
of an 'all out' effort on the part of the communists (yes, COMMUNISTS) who, under various other names, are totally determined to destroy the country , our country, as it has existed.
It is not 'this' or 'that'... it is ALL OUT DESTRUCTION under various and numerous fronts...
'Climate Change' and so many other fronts are the mechanisms to destroy.
Is is really that simple...
One of my 'conclusions' is that 'History' should have been a primary subject in Education all over the US, for the last 100 years... or more...
Nuclear is king.
The obvious metric for a sustainable society with increasing abundance is EROI, Enegy Return On (Energy) Investment.
https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/energy-and-the-environment/energy-return-on-investment.aspx
Kalle: Not sure what "suggestion" you are referring to. I cited dozens of studies, by scientists. If you disagree with them, please correspond with them.
The idea that it is up to me (or others) to come up with a "better idea" is silly. The US Grid is the envy of the world, and one of the main reasons for our success as a country. If wind wants to get on the Grid (a privilege) it is up to them to scientifically prove their worth. That has never been done.
1 bad Thunderstorm will shut your cable down and downed trees across power lines. Twisters, Earthquakes, floods, or the government shut it down will do the same thing. 1 car running into a power pole or a Transformer blowing will do the same thing. Look what a fuel tanker did in Philly, it will take a year to rebuild that roadway. If they can find qualified workers. My grandson Xrays welds, and says they are really bad. An EMP either solar or high altitude Nuke will take out massive areas of the Grid. Gen Z will commit suicide without their gadgets. They can't cope 10 mins without a cell phone. Within 3 days, the Chaos will be unbelievable. Hope you are prepared. The next Virus may be worse than Covid the trial one. Governments are constantly looking for ways to destroy the 'enemy' and WE are the enemy now.