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Wind turbines; love them or hate them
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Howburn Digger
Howburn Digger
986 posts

Re: Wind turbines; love them or hate them
Dec 07, 2013, 11:20
I have little issue with the aesthetics of wind turbines. I live within sight of one of the largest windfarms in the country. On Wednesday Night and on Thursday during the day, the wind was so strong they had to shut the turbines down. They have not turned since because there has been no wind. The turbines which have been installed are not even built in this country. Their transportation and the engineering infrastructure put into building access roads into the hills of Upper Clydesdale and Tweedsmuir has been anything but green. And this is all for a pile of turbines which mostly do not turn or generate anything.

http://toryaardvark.com/2011/11/17/14000-abandoned-wind-turbines-in-the-usa/

I am a huge fan of the post-war Hydro Schemes here in Scotland. I like the lines of pylons stretching across the hills carrying electricity to the remote parts of Scotland.
The Hydro Buildings sit quietly by the sides of lochs purring away and clicking into action when required. The Hollow Mountain at Ben Cruachan does what no wind turbine can do... it stores extra energy from the Grid and can drop everything to bump up the supply when needed. There is a fine Public Information Fillum here.

http://ssa.nls.uk/film/2214

This scheme was the work of some real forward thinkers who didn't waste a pound of sterling or a ounce of effort in creating real solutions to post-war energy problems.
I think the tidal rush around Islay/ Jura and Orkney could be a real future source of renewable energy and of course the tides will run at very predictable times. Storage will be required and new batteries could be constructed along the lines of Ben Cruachan. But political will, and some real forward thinking is required. It will not happen if we leave it to Energy Companies and Subsidy Profiteers.

As for the rusting piles of steel turbines in the sands of California and Hawaii? There is no subsidy available to remove them so they remain. Clanking and rusting in their thousands.

"Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
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Wind turbines; love them or hate them (moss)		 Replies:
Re: Wind turbines; love them or hate them (handofdave)
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