Wind Farms - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

123c · #1 02-21-2009, 08:08 AM

I was out driving around yesterday, and I saw several smaller wind turbines, they are on a farm about 20 miles out of town. This has got me thinking, I am seeing more and more wind farms going up in the region, so are these going to replace all of the hydro projects on the Columbia River?

Botnst · #2 02-21-2009, 09:06 AM

Augment.

kip Foss · #3 02-21-2009, 03:35 PM

These farms are sprouting up like, well, like wind farms here in Tx. Most of the turbines are coming in through the port of Corpus Christi. They are loaded onto huge 'low boys' and hauled either down to the King Ranch or up to N. Tx. I think that Tx. has more wind turbines that Calif.

The farmers love it. They rent their property for a wind farm and can still farm or ranch it.

#4 02-21-2009, 03:39 PM

Wind farms are great for killing birds. Its also expensive and unreliable.

kip Foss · #5 02-21-2009, 03:43 PM

The part about killing birds has not really been proven. Besides, any bird that can't avoid a slow turning blade is not an asset to the bird gene pool.

Botnst · #6 02-21-2009, 03:53 PM

The bird thing has been proven many, many times. Especially in Europe.

If we look closely at a bird, we notice that it is built for flight not strength nor digestive efficiency, nor water efficiency nor (ahem) intelligence. Birds save weight on every important biological system in order to reduce weight and drag. Except for one system, vision. Birds are extravagant when it comes to weight proportion dedicated to vision. Instead of intelligence, birds' brains are dedicated to vision and decoding visual signals. This is why they fly so easily through the 3-dimensional problem of a forest with apparent ease and without bashing into limbs or each other.

Instead of intelligence, birds (as a species) are highly instinctual. They rely heavily on the 4 F's of survival -- Food, Flight, Fight and Reproduction.

On a clear, sunny day a bird has no trouble at all avoiding windmills.

Migratory birds fly more at night than during the day. As a general rule (frequently violated) they rest and feed by day and travel by night. They fly high above natural obstructions. That altitude for safe flight is instinctual to a great degree.

Instinct, evolution's harshest educational program, does not prepare the student for giant mechanical rotating bird-swatters.

B

pawoSD · #7 02-21-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Wind farms are great for killing birds. Its also expensive and unreliable.

If thats the case then why are there countless amounts of them across europe....along with plenty of birds?

You don't work for the Coal Producers of America do you?

Kinda like the corn syrup is good girl....

Botnst · #8 02-21-2009, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

If thats the case then why are there countless amounts of them across europe....along with plenty of birds?

You don't work for the Coal Producers of America do you?

Start here. Get back to me when you're done.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?client=safari&rls=en&q=wind%20farms%20migratory%20birds&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=ws

pawoSD · #9 02-21-2009, 04:00 PM

You could also ask if the cleaner environment and reduced impact on world climate would have a Positive impact on birds.....wind turbines are clean energy.

Botnst · #10 02-21-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

You could also ask if the cleaner environment and reduced impact on world climate would have a Positive impact on birds.....wind turbines are clean energy.

Uh, that was not the question nor the comment, was it? You want to talk about something else, that's fine.

But don't ignore the inconvenient truth to promote a convenient one.

tankdriver · #11 02-21-2009, 04:14 PM

I hate birds. I wish I could have a wind farm over my car.

jplinville · #12 02-21-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Wind farms are great for killing birds.

Start a wing restaurant under the windmill. Location, Location, Location

123c · #13 02-21-2009, 10:47 PM

Here's more info on what I saw: http://www.brookssolar.com/news/NicholsWindTurbine.htm

I've seen some of the larger wind turbine projects being trucked in, along the Columbia Gorge. Those things are massive, and they had to stop traffic to get them down the narrow service roads.

mgburg · #14 02-21-2009, 11:37 PM

During a recent trip south, there is a wind-farm in PawPaw, IL. and a "staging area" for the generator box, blades and such just south of Clinton, IL..

Here are some shots I took...

mgburg · #15 02-21-2009, 11:39 PM

Here's some more...