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An Island Covered In Wind Turbines?


Cronky

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Well, it had to happen I suppose, a local politician gets on the wind turbine band wagon:

 

Wind power must be progressed

 

Oil price crisis excepted, personally I can't stand the things. Noisy, unsightly and they will produce bugger all during a winter anti cyclone.

 

Let the debate begin . . .

 

 

Where exactl;y did you see those 'noisy and unsightly' turbines?

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For some reason though, Peter Karran thinks comparing electricity prices with those in Jersey makes sense.

 

I think I've worked it out now. I certainly didn't vote for you this time around ;)

I'd be very surprised if you had...

 

:D

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Where exactly did you see those 'noisy and unsightly' turbines?

 

Mid Wales in last winter. Similar countryside to St Johns. If you can imagine driving from Douglas to Peel and seeing the skyline dotted with wind turbines and you will get the picture.

 

However . . . It was a cold , calm day so they were stationary and therefore quiet!

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Where exactly did you see those 'noisy and unsightly' turbines?

 

Mid Wales in last winter. Similar countryside to St Johns. If you can imagine driving from Douglas to Peel and seeing the skyline dotted with wind turbines and you will get the picture.

 

However . . . It was a cold , calm day so they were stationary and therefore quiet!

there are many in the Pas de Calais area of France - drove quite close to one farm whilst they were turning - no noise I heard - actually looked very impressive in that scenery

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The concerns the letter raises about wind power and turbines are pretty standard, though it is worth pointing out that whilst wind turbines operate at only 30% efficiency, even coal plant only operate at around 50%. I feel the writer's concern that the countryside will be ruined to power the urban lifestyles of people who will be untouched by them is legitimate, which is why I favour offshore installations.

 

My understanding is that there is a difference in the 'efficiency' meaured for coal and wind power generation. This is the difference between power supply fluctuation (a wind power problem) and equipment running efficiency (coal power problem).

 

The ESB in Ireland (who have the reputation of having the best wind power management software) estimate that the maximum contribution that can be achieved from windpower is approximately 30% of its maximum potential due to fluctuations in supply outputs as wind speeds vary. That is why windpower requires quick acting gas turbines to cut in and steady the supply as the output fluctuates. My understanding is that coal power output is much more stable and predictable but the machinery is not 100% efficient. Presumably wind power also has some efficiency losses due to maintenance downtime.

 

Wind power could be a contributor to solving energy supply needs but is clearly not a 'silver bullet'.

 

I share your concerns about the impact on the countryside (one of the IOM's tourism key selling propositions). Do you have suggestions on offshore locations?

 

Wave power seems to be on the go in the Orkneys and Shetlands but the Calf Sound aside do we have anywhere with sufficient tidal flow to be useful?

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The concerns the letter raises about wind power and turbines are pretty standard, though it is worth pointing out that whilst wind turbines operate at only 30% efficiency, even coal plant only operate at around 50%. I feel the writer's concern that the countryside will be ruined to power the urban lifestyles of people who will be untouched by them is legitimate, which is why I favour offshore installations.

 

 

Wave power seems to be on the go in the Orkneys and Shetlands but the Calf Sound aside do we have anywhere with sufficient tidal flow to be useful?

 

wave power doesn't necessarilly have to come from the 'flow' of the tide per se. you can use the tide to fill a dammed up area and release the water from the 'reservoir' back into the sea through a turbine at a lower tide so a certain amount of control can be excersised. liken it to putting a turbine in the wall of the recent marinas in peel and douglas. emptying mooragh park through a turbine into the bay would make some power too.

 

then are the systems that use waves rather than the tide to raise floats and the kinetic energy of the raiseing and lowering float is used to make electric.

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The concerns the letter raises about wind power and turbines are pretty standard, though it is worth pointing out that whilst wind turbines operate at only 30% efficiency, even coal plant only operate at around 50%. I feel the writer's concern that the countryside will be ruined to power the urban lifestyles of people who will be untouched by them is legitimate, which is why I favour offshore installations.

 

 

Wave power seems to be on the go in the Orkneys and Shetlands but the Calf Sound aside do we have anywhere with sufficient tidal flow to be useful?

 

wave power doesn't necessarilly have to come from the 'flow' of the tide per se. you can use the tide to fill a dammed up area and release the water from the 'reservoir' back into the sea through a turbine at a lower tide so a certain amount of control can be excersised. liken it to putting a turbine in the wall of the recent marinas in peel and douglas. emptying mooragh park through a turbine into the bay would make some power too.

 

then are the systems that use waves rather than the tide to raise floats and the kinetic energy of the raiseing and lowering float is used to make electric.

There is a guy who lives in baldrine who has made a working model for the tidal system you describe, he has took it to many energy shows and the like and met representatives from the manx government but they just dont want to know. He has the patents in place and has spent lots in the process and has a university running tests on it. ocean energy he calls himself.

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If you are quick, you can put your two penneth to our mighty leaders....

 

DTI Energy Consultation

 

Since when has it mattered what we the great unwashed think !!

Er, the flouride consultation changed the minds of the DHSS...

 

I share your concerns about the impact on the countryside (one of the IOM's tourism key selling propositions). Do you have suggestions on offshore locations?

 

Wave power seems to be on the go in the Orkneys and Shetlands but the Calf Sound aside do we have anywhere with sufficient tidal flow to be useful?

 

If you go to the dti consultation page above, you can download a report that was comissioned into the Island's renewable resources. Its pretty exhaustive and occasionally difficult to understand, but it shows all the locations they at least identified as possible sites for wind, tidal stream and tidal impoundment.

 

The problems with wave power is that a) Its wind power and b) It is expensive and experimental. Yes, there is an extensive Pelamis (sea-snake) test off Portugal, and plans for a similar facility off the Cornish coast, but the numbers on them are poor and they are vulnerable to storm damage.

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