OT : biggest wind farm in the world coming to oregon

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

I thought this was kinda cool. The electricity is all going to southern cali Rolling Eyes

, but still, the OR economy could use the jobs.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-12-10-ge-wind-farm-turbines_N.htm

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

hopefully someday there will a grid that turns transient power into dependable power I enjoy so much now
and am I glad that shit is in Gilliam county,

nimby

$ociopath · Since 28 Nov 2007 523 Posts Twilight Zone Addicted

we are going to over farm the wind! pretty funny but I couldn't figure out how to embed and the link is messed up. http://comedians.comedycentral.com/john-oliver/videos/john-oliver--wind-farming[/code] or go to jokes.com it's the third guy; damn computers. Worth the watch I guess Rolling Eyes

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

shred_da_gorge · Sat Dec 12, 09 2:19 pm

Great, now flying over Oregon will be just as ugly as flying over Texas.

Job creation is one thing but another solution to the problem is energy conservation. I live in Silicon Valley now and you would not believe the waste here!! I could move back home if I changed careers and became a windmill specialist though...

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

i've heard OR is favorable for wind power b/c we already have so much hydro. so when the dies, let some water out, when the wind blows, hold the water back. a big old dam is the best battery mankind ever invented.

plus we already have the power lines that send our juice to southern californians.

my buddy that works for EWEB thinks this whole "sell wind power to california" is just an accounting trick to get californians to spend more $$ for the same power they'd be buying anyway. so long as there is sufficient wind power plugged into our grid we can call whatever we ship to them "100% wind power" - even though the mix is more hydro and nukes.

at any rate, it's only 30 square miles -- that's about the size of your typical texas backyard Laughing

Tony · Since 28 Aug 2006 940 Posts Portland Opinionated

Today, 30 sq. miles......tomorrow, 100 sq. miles....
Yah - who cares right.....
As long as it's nt in your back yard....

Just a bunch of BS if you ask me....
Rolling Eyes

You want jobs.....start buying american and support your local companies...!
I agree - Energy conservation is the best solution....

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

Why does everybody hate wind turbines?? I'd love to have one in my backyard, big swooping wings flying around...

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

Why pollute the landscape with 400 windmills when you can have the same amount of clean, safe & reliable 24-7 power from just one nuclear facility?

Only reason for the frenzy for wind power is: TAX funded subsidies.

Energy policy in this country is as delusional as Don Quixote was about slaying windmills.

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

bwd · Since 04 Aug 2007 385 Posts Obsessed

go nukes! I need tritium anyway....
Bunch of political BS.
at least the original commies knew what to do with czars.... Twisted Evil

Windian · Since 28 Apr 2008 902 Posts Newport, OR NEWPORT OG

One major environmental downside of windmills is that they kill huge numbers of migratory birds and soaring birds. If the mills are located in a large migrating route, then we will see significant drops in bird numbers.

Bottom line is there is no easy fix to our energy needs!!

Crying or Very sad

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Dec 13, 09 11:01 am

Hmmm I can't quite decide which I would rather have in my backyard a wind turbine, a nuclear power facility (umm, yeah no downsides to that technology Rolling Eyes

) or a coal fired power plant? Yeah, turbines are not friendly to birds (boy of boy they REALLY fuck up bats) (they turn them inside out!!!) but at least they don't have the potential to mutate your genes or pollute the air you breath.

Energy conservation is PART of the answer but not the entire answer as all the same dipshits that rail on something as win win as a wind turbine rail on the no- brainer energy conservation measures, sometimes just for the sake of not wanting to change.

So now please feel free to bitch about compact fluorescent light bulbs, smart thermostats, air tight light fixtures, smart grid technology and low flow shower heads.

Luckily enough for the human race, these decisions are not being made by people that categorize nuclear power as a "clean energy" source.

dustin awesome · Since 23 Jul 2009 115 Posts Stoked

i like what he said.

strapless101 · Since 17 Aug 2009 82 Posts gorge

Energy conservation is so not the answer. Up the efficiency and the supply. There is a reason that china is poised to lead the world in wind power, and it ain't environmental. He who has the most energy will rule the world.

strapless101 · Since 17 Aug 2009 82 Posts gorge

The bird comments are a little tired, that issue has been addressed. There is no migratory flyway over central oregon/washington that the towers would even be an issue about. Bats, on the other hand...
Sure they are visible on the horizon, but at least you can see the horizon, better than the ol' pg&e boardman coal plant. When that puppy is fired the air quality through the gorge goes to shit. Even impacted by the plant in lewiston!

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Dec 13, 09 10:26 pm