green machines

beech · Since 21 Aug 2010 486 Posts Longview, WA Obsessed

Would you HR folks prefer 50 wind mills on the horizon or only 35?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57391466/columbia-gorge-wind-farm-opponents-may-go-to-court/

forrest · Sat Mar 10, 12 3:42 pm

I'd prefer 1,000. I'd rather get off fossil fuels. You can't expect to harvest energy only from places where you can't see, and it won't affect your sleep...

hobbsla · Since 28 Jan 2006 389 Posts Obsessed

Second that.

kitemare · Since 23 Mar 2010 265 Posts Seattle, wa Obsessed

agreed.

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1489 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

That's easy to say when it's not in your backyard.
There's only a few scenic places like the Gorge left in the Northwest - it would be a shame to put any windmills between the Sandy and Deschites river.
There's thousands of square miles more appropriate for wind farms that are not in the Gorge Scenic area....... too bad the landwowners can't do a land swap for some BLM land that's outside the GSA.
The HR paper said that only 35 wind mills were approved and the landowners said that having only 35 would kill the project.
Also - I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that everyone who posted in favor of the windmills drives a car or truck that gets less than 25 mpg?

chrissmack · Since 08 Jun 2005 526 Posts portland Addicted

hobbsla · Since 28 Jan 2006 389 Posts Obsessed

Those windmills should be covered in solar panels Very Happy

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

http://www.google.com/search?q=columbia+gorge+BPA+wind+turbines&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox-a

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/05/bpa_says_it_will_tamp_down_win.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/07/too_much_of_a_good_thing_growt.html

http://www.gorgefriends.org/section.php?id=56

the links from google go on and on.

our GFD electric rates are higher because of wind power, we have to pay windfarm operators because we can't consume their electricity when the spring runoff is generating more than enough power to fill our current grid. second tier electric rates have gone up from about 6.827 cents per kwh to some ridiculous 7.265 cents per kwh in the last 6 months. WTF, more electricity should mean less demand, and hence the price should go down, not UP.

please no more wind power until we upgrade our grid to a smarter one that can actually handle and utilize the wind power.

rant over Wink

forrest · Mon Mar 12, 12 11:25 pm

I'm definitely with Magicmaker though, I would like to see a smarter grid first... But it's a chicken and an egg problem. There won't be a demand for a smart grid without the excess of electricity during the spring.

btw, My Jetta TDI gets about 40 mpg at 73 mph in a headwind. Razz

fisherman · Since 06 Aug 2007 113 Posts Stoked

No more wind mills. We need nuclear power generation. Only uneducated people fall for the green scam. Power and energy density is the answer. Wind mills and solar panels lack those, It's a NO from me.

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 204 Posts Stoked

quenyaistar · Since 21 Oct 2011 416 Posts Cougar, WA Obsessed

solar panels orbiting in space, microwaves beam the power down to the surface...problem solved, unlimited power.....that said rich oil wont allow it till all the oil has been sold Confused

saleeba · Since 05 Mar 2006 238 Posts Masshole Stoked

fisherman · Since 06 Aug 2007 113 Posts Stoked

People, I understand it sounds good to get energy from wind or sun but those sources are intermittently reliable and they need backup sources burning fossil fuels anyway and for the surface they cover they do not produce enough electricity at all.
Unfortunately, this world is changing dramatically and if you don't want to become 3rd world country you need to be able to generate whole lot of electric power the most efficient way. Like it or not the future is in safe nuclear. It is a progress you can not stop and avoid if this country should be one of the economical superpowers. I hope you don't want to become Cuba. I strongly recommend reading a book POWER HUNGRY and learn more on this subject. Of course it is not only about numbers here but it sort of is.

beech · Since 21 Aug 2010 486 Posts Longview, WA Obsessed

Its nice living in a rich country where we can dabble in these alternative energy sources but lets face it... fossil fuels aren't going away time soon. The cost of energy could determine whether we continue to be a “rich” country. Personally I like the benefits of living in a rich country. I can buy kite gear and have spare time to enjoy it. There's all kinds of reasons to conserve and use all energy sources more efficiently... but wind power will never be more than a supplemental energy source, ie less than 20%. Arguing about what the educated upper crust professors at Harvard are choosing doesn't necessarily sway me. I 'm familiar with some highly educated people who think Karl Marx had it right and animals should have the same rights as people. So what?
Personally, I think the wind farms are an eyesore and I'd be disappointed to see them built near Hood River. Kind of ironic that people are regulated regarding what color they paint their houses in some parts of the gorge scenic area, yet these giant monstrosities could be built that would dominate the landscape.
At any rate... its an interesting and controversial topic, and tends to get political, so I try to avoid demagoguery and say what I think with the understanding that I don't know all the facts... anyone who claims they do should be eyed with suspicion.

Wanna-Go · Since 14 Sep 2009 95 Posts Central, Wa

Tell em to put them across the river from Vantage, WA then that way my local will have some more work.

See how pissed off my wife looks. It was 60 feet to the 1st deck. These are the ones above NW Ellensburg off HWY 97.

saleeba · Since 05 Mar 2006 238 Posts Masshole Stoked

I find this comment to be hilarious..turbines are an eye sore? dude, nuclear towers are easy on your eyes? i'm currently living in massachusetts where there is a coal burning power plant in every county. I lived in portland for 8 years and didnt realize how good we had it until we moved back here. eyesore? are you kidding?smokestacks are really nice to look at.. they have been trying to put a wind farm in the Nantucket sound for years but the rich vacation home owners continue to oppose it. it will disrupt the landscape/ seascape! they will be an eyesore. but it's ok to blow the tops off mountains in west virginia, which they dont ever have to see, so that they can have coal for their power plants to allow them to turn on the lights. you think homeowners would think that way if mining companies were blasting in their neighborhood or backyard?how about if they remove the turbines and put a nuclear or coal power plant right in the middle of the windiest region in the pacific northwest so we all can save a few bucks on our power bill. oh but we have to be a rich country and we all have to be able to do what we want to do when we want to do it.. give me a break! what are you 5? there's plenty of wind in the gorge as well as hydro power. Be appreciative that the area has these renewable resources and advocate for them to ensure they are being utilized. windy as hell throughout the year here and the region still relies on coal for it's primary energy source so the rich f%&$'s can sit back and enjoy the seascape while west virginians are seeing their landscape decimated by coal mining.