Wind Turbines

[Deleted]

So i've just read up on some news about Southern Australia and how energy efficient it is because it's nearing a point where half it's energy is produced by wind turbines.
It went on to talk about how development and investment is pretty much halted because of mixed policies, the crux of it being they're a blight on the landscape.

So i was just wondering what peoples thoughts on them are?

[Deleted]

"Not in my back yard" basically sums it up for me with wind turbines. Although I would prefer we put our money into nuclear power instead of stuff like wind, at least in the main. I'd rather have nuclear waste stored in my back yard than a big fucking wind turbine

[Gumboy]

I live near a pretty large wind farm, and you should see the bird corpses! Its pretty crazy :P Glad they are not next to my property, i'd be pissed at having to see them constantly..but I don't know enough about wind power to say if it is worth it or not.

[Yvaelle]

You're missing my option - I think they're pretty

They don't need to be near human civilization though, that's what cables are for - so I don't really see why it's always a question of whether or not we should live in their shafts or something - they aren't oil-operated lighthouses that need a live-in attendant or anything.

[Crissi]

West Texas is like all wind farms. T Bone Pickens also wants to transfer more and more energy production to wind. my undergrad university also has 3 wind turbines to produce energy for the campus!

You get used to them visually after a while. Prettier than oil rigs imo.

[zorkuus]

Nuclear power is the future. Too bad many people have an irrational fear about it.

[XDurionX]

The downsides aren´t nearly half as bad as coal or even nuclear waste, which we still don´t know where to store for a decade, let alone millenia. Biggest drawback is the unreliability, we need better storage capabilities.

[Dendrek]

Totally agree with them. A power plant is much less of a visual blight than a bunch of turbines.

sarcasm

[frumper]

I remember driving through wind farms when I was kid, always thought they looked cool.

[Deleted]

The downsides aren´t nearly half as bad as coal or even nuclear waste, which we still don´t know where to store for a decade, let alone millenia. Biggest drawback is the unreliability, we need better storage capabilities.

Everyone keeps saying this. "We don't know where to store it"

We know exactly where to store it, keep up.

[belfpala]

I live near a pretty large wind farm, and you should see the bird corpses!

Are we doing this again? I'm pretty sure my big window has killed more birds than any turbine.

Edit: If you're concerned about birds, it should be about how they change their nesting habits, not about them flying into a moving blade.

[XDurionX]

Everyone keeps saying this. "We don't know where to store it"

We know exactly where to store it, keep up.

There is not a single working ultimate disposal place in the whole world. Not a single one. And all the limitations of the intermediate stores begin to show already. Not even mentioning the cost of storing that shit for millenia, which the taxpayer has to pay, not the corporations that earned billions with nuclear power.

I´m quite happy that my country will be rid of that crap a few years from now on. Nuclear power is the past, and not even economically feasible if you compute the true cost. Once we decided that it is a bad idea to dump the waste into the ocean (those very barrels are now, 20 years later, beginning to rust and break), we should have abandoned that outdated technology alltogether.

One could argue whether wind turbines are beautiful, and I´m aware of the drawbacks. But it´s not that hard to see that combined with controlling- and storagetech they´re better than nuclear power anytime. Not even starting about dismantling nuclear power plants, which are radioactive waste themselves and will cost billions.

[Dispraise]

I live in a patchwork map. We've got icecapped mountains, vast deserts, thick forests, and great swampland all within spitting distance of eachother. It's frickin' gorgeous here.

Don't need a huge and ugly-ass windfarm mucking that up.

[Gumboy]

Are we doing this again? I'm pretty sure my big window has killed more birds than any turbine.

Edit: If you're concerned about birds, it should be about how they change their nesting habits, not about them flying into a moving blade.

lol, have you ever been near a big wind farm? Their are def bird corpses there! If you are trying to say its a myth that they kill a ton of birds, thats fine, but to say they kill none is a flat out lie. I have SEEN THEM with my own eyes...

[Flutterguy]

There is not a single working ultimate disposal place in the whole world. Not a single one. And all the limitations of the intermediate stores begin to show already. Not even mentioning the cost of storing that shit for millenia, which the taxpayer has to pay, not the corporations that earned billions with nuclear power.

I´m quite happy that my country will be rid of that crap a few years from now on. Nuclear power is the past, and not even economically feasible if you compute the true cost. Once we decided that it is a bad idea to dump the waste into the ocean (those very barrels are now, 20 years later, beginning to rust and break), we should have abandoned that outdated technology alltogether.

Outdated by what?

[Deleted]

Nuclear power is the future. Too bad many people have an irrational fear about it.

Apart from the MCA every 20-25 years (earlier if (e.g., but not only) the Russians don't get their shit together and improve the conditions of their huge, old and rusty nuclear plants) - what's so irrational about that fear if you look at actual accidents that have happened? - : what's your solution for the nuclear waste problem?
If one takes the cost for the disposal of the nuclear waste into account and keeps in mind that nuclear power is hugely subsidized in many countries (every country that I know of), nuclear power as it exists today is by FAR the most expensive form of power.

[Deleted]

Entirely depends on location. Down in the Scania it's pretty and adds to the Scanian landscape, it almost gives a futuristic vibe to it.



However, wind turbines in forests are less so beautiful, it just looks completely out of place there. Besides, I think there was research that showed that the ecosystem in forests got disturbed by wind turbines (if it's added wind or some noise, I don't remember the details).

[belfpala]

lol, have you ever been near a big wind farm? Their are def bird corpses there! If you are trying to say its a myth that they kill a ton of birds, thats fine, but to say they kill none is a flat out lie. I have SEEN THEM with my own eyes...

There's the one down on I-90 near Austin that looks like the UFOs have landed if you drive by at night....

I haven't got out of my car to inspect the bird scene personally, if that's what you're asking.

[Deleted]

There is not a single working ultimate disposal place in the whole world. Not a single one. And all the limitations of the intermediate stores begin to show already. Not even mentioning the cost of storing that shit for millenia, which the taxpayer has to pay, not the corporations that earned billions with nuclear power.

I´m quite happy that my country will be rid of that crap a few years from now on. Nuclear power is the past, and not even economically feasible if you compute the true cost. Once we decided that it is a bad idea to dump the waste into the ocean (those very barrels are now, 20 years later, beginning to rust and break), we should have abandoned that outdated technology alltogether.

One could argue whether wind turbines are beautiful, and I´m aware of the drawbacks. But it´s not that hard to see that combined with controlling- and storagetech they´re better than nuclear power anytime.

Define "ultimate disposal place" though. It's not like we can do anything to un-radioactive it, but you dump it in some water and job done. Not to mention that of all the waste that comes out of it, very little is the ultra hazardous stuff. Most of it can be disposed of just fine.

[Deleted]

Plus, Offshore Windparks are feasible and in use.