Comments on: 50kW wind turbine installation, Maple Honda, Maple Ontario

By: yojohanincanada

yojohanincanada — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:10:08 +0000

How much is it? That is expensive and its not that big! is? it possible to make one urself with the same ificency

By: URTARDS

URTARDS — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:32:27 +0000

I love killing birds!

COW KILLER!!!!!!!!!!

Yup, yum yum, I’ll take mine med rare

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:27:51 +0000

The average housecat kills more birds per year than the average wind turbine.

By: greenearthification

greenearthification — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:26:15 +0000

BIRDKILLERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: xxPowerOnxx

xxPowerOnxx — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:12:45 +0000

I`m looking for information on wind turbines and really don`t know where to start. I have gathered a few vidos in (see my channel) and now Im familiat with I knew this turbines I was wondering if anyone knows more practocall information. I would appreciate any help and if you suscribe to my channel or drop suggestions

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:39:06 +0000

The only regular maintenance required on this type of unit is changing the transmission oil every couple years depending on the duty factor and wind resource of the machine. Aside from that, the expected mechanical lifecycle is approximately 30 years before requiring a rebuild. Traditionally, these machines are installed on lattice towers.

By: flyingfarm1

flyingfarm1 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:33:43 +0000

It does not appear the tower can be climbed for repairs and maintenance. It will take a very expensive crane to work on this windmill. My general impression is that wind generators require a lot of ongoing maintenance.

By: icanfeelthebeat

icanfeelthebeat — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:21:44 +0000

hey there, how much does one of these suckers cost? will we see them on buildings any time soon? cheers.

p.s. …………………..nice music

By: mmmikeey

mmmikeey — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:32:42 +0000

Too bad I almost never see it spinning, and I dont live too far.

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:41:02 +0000

Been a pleasure talking to you Fox. Please don’t get me wrong…the environment is of course of paramount importance to all of us and nothing distresses me more (apart from the wife getting angry about money) than the destruction of the rain forests…(bio fuels, but that’s another argument) I love this project that you’ve posted and assure you that I can see the benefits for localised WTs…but as discussed, as a national solution I think it’s a combo of gesture politics and making $.

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:31:53 +0000

You are indeed very informed on this issue, and I must say I agree with you, but think of it this way – at least they are investing in a green technology – there is much more concrete etc/CO2 emissions involved in building a single power station than thousands of WTs. At the very least, think of it this way – nobody has ever died, or wars been waged while trying to power a wind turbine. There are much worse things they could be spending their money on..

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:47:16 +0000

for £100,000,000,000!!! And in terms of the all important ‘carbon footprint’ who is to say that 7K individual generators with all that concrete for foundations, logistics, steel, copper windings, massive infrastructure, added complications in terms of frequency to the grid, maintenance…doesn’t add up to the C02 released from a couple of reliable coal stations? I don’t know, haven’t and probably can’t do the math but in the end, I think as a national solution, the whole thing whiffs a bit.

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:33:36 +0000

with WTs. Anyway, enough of politics and lets get back to the science. Of course I can’t say catergorically because I myself have never stood there and actually measured, but I have read from what I would consider to be fairly reliable sources that a turbine will on average produce over a year about 27% of its rated output. So if you tot this up over our learned governments (sorry, politics again) proposal of 7000 of them your talking the equivalent of just a couple of decent sized CFPSs…

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:13:30 +0000

on an already extortionate rate for your energy. There are two main directives…the RO (renewables obligation) and ETS (emissions trading scheme). It’s all supposedly lovely save the planet stuff but its real aim is essentially to charge the customer a great deal more for what is a necessity rather than a luxury which is then returned to governments as almost completely invisible taxes. This I think is the real reason why we are now so keen to be covering our land and as you say sea…

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:40:45 +0000

which for reasons best known to the press and our national leaders is kept as quiet as possible. What I do know is that EU diktats now state that we must supply a certain percentage of our power from ‘renewable’ sources and our government has opted, like all others within the EU for wind. If you’re in the wind industry I guess there couldn’t be better news but for us minion consumers (and I tell you, hardly a single one of them are aware) you will be paying way over the odds…

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:28:12 +0000

Thanks again Fox. I remember seeing my first large turbine just outside a small town called Swaffem in Norfolk UK sometime around 2002. I think it was rated at 2.2MW and I was mightily impressed and subsequently became very interested. Trouble is, as said the whole issue has now been politicised. I know and I think you know too that wind is actually a very expensive method of gen’ for national purposes. We are now in a very strange political climate, being part of the EU…

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:18:56 +0000

The exisitng generation capacity will always be around to power the grid however, by building these turbines they can shed a huge portion of that load. Don’t worry- your traditional generation will always be there and you wont be left in the cold. These machines are also being installed in an extremely high wind resource area such as along coastlines. It is very rare for the wind to “stop blowing” and these installations will be extremely reliable forms of generation.

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:11:56 +0000

The diesel generation was just an example of where this particular machine is used. You are right, nuclear is used for base load supply, wind and other forms like coal and gas are used to volley peak load back and forth with wind as they can easily and quickly be brought online. However, in many areas with good wind resource, turbines can supply much of the base load as well. For example, Denmark has been very successful with wind and are on their way to 20% of their energy comming from it.

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:00:13 +0000

One more thing before I get on. You talk of taking up the slack from diesel gen’. That, I know is fairly straight forward but diesel only accounts for a very tiny percentage of our grid. Infact they are usually only fired up at times of very high demand (half time England Vs Germany). Apart from hydro, the rest, as I’m sure you know is Nuke, coal and gas…one of which is impossible to stop start the other two extremely expensive and wasteful.

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:47:28 +0000

as a bigger vote winner than being more sensible about things. I really do think that we are heading towards a major problem and it’ll only be then, when we have people sitting at home, under candle light, freezing cold that they’ll start to care a little less about Polar bears and the like and start to wonder where the hell it all went wrong.

By: scudlington

scudlington — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:37:56 +0000

Once again thanks for your answer Fox. Now, I know that they have their place but a £100 billion! On top of that, they seem to be under what I would consider a completely misguided opinion that these 7000 odd giant mills will do the job on their own without any investment in any other forms of gen’. There is talk…and I can see it happening, of not only rocketing bills but also regular power cuts. They have become political because they are banking on the electorate seeing the green agenda…

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:47:08 +0000

These are valid points but the technology IS there to produce perfectly viable electric cars – just run a search on the T-zero, Tesla Roadster, X-1 electric car. These vehicles can easily take out some of the highest performance supercars yet will drive 300km on a charge and frankly, they look amazing. These vehicles can be charged in less than an hour provided you have a high amperage power supply to plug in. The only problem at the moment is the cost of lithium batteries due to lack of demand.

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:40:42 +0000

These units in particular are most popular in remote communities that rely on diesel generation. Diesel power can cost upwards of $0.40/kW. One of these units can supplement that generation with a cost of $0.13 per kW or less depending on the wind resource in the area. When the wind doesnt blow, the diesel takes up the slack, but when there is wind you are cutting costs by up to 75%. Same holds true in the UK. Wind power is much cheaper and easier to install than any other.

By: Fox22

Fox22 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:37:11 +0000

This is very true- wind will never be a primary source of power for the electrical grid but it is excellent at offsetting load from other types of generation. You will always need traditional technology to take up the slack when the wind doesnt blow but when it is, it is not only extremely economical, but also environmentally friendly.

By: scudlington

scudlington — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:24:53 +0000

Oh and just one other thing, I noticed a reply from you about electric cars. I would say that the problem with them is not so much the simplicity and lack of profit margin but more to do with range, a several hour re-fuelling stop, crap performance, battery degradation and looking like an idiot…well, at least the ones here in the UK.