# Wind Power !



## HOBIE (Sep 11, 2017)

Was on the news today. Cheaper than Nuc power


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## mikeyB (Sep 11, 2017)

Yup. There was a day quite recently in Scotland where all the electricity needed in the country came from renewables. Tidal power is the next big thing here because it's permanently reliable.


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## HOBIE (Sep 11, 2017)

Its good for the planet too


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## Ljc (Sep 11, 2017)

We have around 45 off shore  wind turbines on the Kentish flats. 
I'm a firm believer in renewable energy.


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## Northerner (Sep 11, 2017)

And yet the government insists on going ahead with nuclear and that hugely expensive deal for the new reactor, placing our future power supplies in the hands of the French and Chinese  Germany has a brilliant record on power generation methods - if they can manage without nuclear, why can't we?


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## HOBIE (Sep 11, 2017)

I think you will find its this gov that is responsible for wind power.


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## Northerner (Sep 11, 2017)

HOBIE said:


> I think you will find its this gov that is responsible for wind power.


I think you'll find it goes back a lot further than that @HOBIE! 
*1991 – Cornwall, UK*
The UK's first onshore windfarm is opened in Delabole, Cornwall. The farm consists of 10 turbines and produces enough energy for 2,700 homes.

*2003 – north Wales, UK*
The UK's first offshore windfarm is opened. North Hoyle offshore windfarm is located 7-8km off the north Wales coast between Prestatyn and Rhyl and consists of 30 2mW turbines.

*2007 - Stirling, UK*
Installed capacity of wind power in the UK reaches 2gW, with the opening of the Braes O'Doune windfarm, in Scotland, which produces 72mW of power.

In 2007 (Labour government):

Thousands of new offshore wind turbines could power every home in Britain by 2020, the government announced today, as it set out new wind-energy plans.

John Hutton, the business secretary, proposed the creation of up to 33 gigawatts of offshore wind energy at a European energy industry conference in Berlin.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/dec/10/politics


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## Martin Canty (Sep 11, 2017)

Driving through Kansas a couple of years ago, it appeared that the whole state was just one giant wind farm, turbines as far as the eye could see from the freeway!!!


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## HOBIE (Sep 11, 2017)

I was thinking of bolting one on the side of my house. Solar no thanks but wind yes. . Nissan in Sunderland have a few turbines on there land.


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## Martin Canty (Sep 11, 2017)

Our solar works really well, we will end up paying next to nothing for power (don't know if you guys have Net Metering)


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## HOBIE (Sep 11, 2017)

Martin Canty said:


> Our solar works really well, we will end up paying next to nothing for power (don't know if you guys have Net Metering)


Are you talking "sunny CaliF"


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## Martin Canty (Sep 11, 2017)

HOBIE said:


> Are you talking "sunny CaliF"


I am, over 300 days of sun here in Big Bear


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## HOBIE (Sep 11, 2017)

I drove from Los A to Vegas(400mile) through the Baker Desert. A bit different to the NE of England. Good on you Martin.


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## Copepod (Sep 11, 2017)

Great news that cost of renewable energy generation is decreasing. Nuclear power stations still need subsidy, having started in 1950s. Not exactly a level playing field!
Remember that there are electricity companies which supply only energy generated by renewables.
Plus, drying clothes in a washing line is direct use of solar and wind energy. I haven't had access to a drier since I left student hostels in 1998, and with a bit of careful choice of washing days, combined with irregular work patterns, it's worked fine. Tomorrow is a day off and washing day


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## Northerner (Sep 11, 2017)

Hehe! I check the weather forecasts for good washing days!


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## mikeyB (Sep 12, 2017)

As I've said before, most of the leccie in Scotland comes from renewables. The government justifies nuclear by saying it's reliable 24/7. 

Well, in Scotland and other lumpy areas of the UK, we use all this daytime power to pump water to the lochan at the top of the hill, then in the evening allow it it to fall through the turbines to create that 24/7 power. 

It just needs a lake/loch/lough, a small mountain and political will. And it's far, far cheaper than nuclear, and environmentally safe.


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## Martin Canty (Sep 12, 2017)

HOBIE said:


> I drove from Los A to Vegas(400mile) through the Baker Desert. A bit different to the NE of England.


Just near State-Line (California/Navada) just north of Baker they have constructed 3 massive thermal solar arrays... Many more smaller scale thermal  solar arrays have been constructed near us on the edge of the Mojave Desert.

Many of my friends and neighbors have solar & wind turbines; the advances in technology & reduction in price have been fantastic enough to make it affordable. I wanted to go solar years ago but I just couldn't figure out how to fund it until (a couple of years ago) the lower cost of the panels & state subsidy made it a practical option. Would like a rooftop wind turbine as well but the technology in that area is just not there yet.


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