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Wind Turbines - Totley Moor / Hathersage

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Originally posted by cgksheff

The wind is not reliable and we have not yet developed a means of storing the power to provide supply in windless times (although hydro-schemes could be used).

You make good points but I think you will find that the turbines will be generating for most of the time in even light winds. However this is the very reason why this type of electricity generation must be tried, to prove it's value.

 

But even if they don't then all the more reason for having smaller wind farms all over the UK instead of a large one in one place.

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Dont know if this been mentioned before, too lazy to read whole thread, but latest idea would be to put a small turbine on each roof and generate your own leccy. That, coupled with photo-voltaics and solar heat collectors for your water, would make most houses almost energy self-sufficient!!

No need to build huge great windfarms anymore.

Check out the package that's on the Zedfactory website. Can get some grants for some of the costs too!

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sorry, don't know how to quote from previous posts...

 

No-one is saying that you wouldn't need other sources of energy. However, the system is set up so that every unit of energy you produce using wind is a unit you don't have to get from more polluting sources. You CAN moderate the amount of fuel you burn to produce power in conventional power stations, and they do this all the time.

 

Wind energy has been proven to integrate with other electricty generating sources up to about 20% of capacity. The grid has this flexibilty in it to make sure that it can cope with the big surges (people putting the kettles during Corrie commercial breaks), and if a power station goes down for some reason. So the grid can take up to 20% power from intermittent sources, like wind, without messing with continutiy of supply.

 

cgksheff, wind energy in the UK is about the same price as new build gas powered stations, and far far cheaper than the full costs of nuclear. If renewables got even 1/10th of the subsidies and grants and handouts that the nuclear industry gets, the UK would be a world leader in one of the fastest growing energy industries in the world.

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Ferret, you are absolutely right about this but you are still talking about an outlay of 15-20 thousand pounds. Which is far too much capital for the average houseowner.

 

Having said that, you sell electricity back to the "national grid" and you have a seperate meter for this, and it is taken from your consumption bill. Making your fuel costs a fraction of their current level over a full year.

 

I believe that house roof wind turbines are being developed which do not look like windmills, they look more like roof vents and are very small. You take of ridge tiles on your roof and put these on instead at the apex.

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Originally posted by EricaJane

sorry, don't know how to quote from previous posts...

 

No-one is saying that you wouldn't need other sources of energy. However, the system is set up so that every unit of energy you produce using wind is a unit you don't have to get from more polluting sources. You CAN moderate the amount of fuel you burn to produce power in conventional power stations, and they do this all the time.

 

Wind energy has been proven to integrate with other electricty generating sources up to about 20% of capacity. The grid has this flexibilty in it to make sure that it can cope with the big surges (people putting the kettles during Corrie commercial breaks), and if a power station goes down for some reason. So the grid can take up to 20% power from intermittent sources, like wind, without messing with continutiy of supply.

 

cgksheff, wind energy in the UK is about the same price as new build gas powered stations, and far far cheaper than the full costs of nuclear. If renewables got even 1/10th of the subsidies and grants and handouts that the nuclear industry gets, the UK would be a world leader in one of the fastest growing energy industries in the world.

 

Nice one. And with the skills base and geographic location of Sheffield, the hardware could all be built here, creating jobs and reducing distribution mileage. But thats another argument.

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Originally posted by muddycoffee

Ferret, you are absolutely right about this but you are still talking about an outlay of 15-20 thousand pounds. Which is far too much capital for the average houseowner.

 

Having said that, you sell electricity back to the "national grid" and you have a seperate meter for this, and it is taken from your consumption bill. Making your fuel costs a fraction of their current level over a full year.

 

I believe that house roof wind turbines are being developed which do not look like windmills, they look more like roof vents and are very small. You take of ridge tiles on your roof and put these on instead at the apex.

 

I'll have a look for those.

Fairly obviously, if we spent as much as we do on our cars, holiday loans and assorted other distractions, on making our homes 'sustainable' instead, then that price seems fairly reasonable to me. I'm convinced. Just don't know how to persuade my neighbours!

A single rooftop turbine is around a grand. I'm seriously thinking about it. It'd one thing to do that would generate awareness in your street. Wot the 'ells that!, etc..

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Just so you know, I used to work for a wind energy development company (doing PR) about 5 years ago. Not the ones who are proposing this scheme, but it is an issue very close my heart. Still captures my youthful idealism now that I am a big sell out.

 

in the spirit of full declaration of interests etc etc

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I'm really glad that so many people have spoken in defence of wind turbines. I actually find them oddly beautiful, and strangely soothing to watch.

 

We have them up here in Scotland, in some of the most beautiful countryside on the British Isles, and I don't think they spoil it at all.

 

And to all those people who think they're ugly - are you really so selfish as to insist on covering the world with smog and greenhouse gases, which pollute our air and melt our oceans, just because you want a bit of countryside to remain postcard-pure?

 

Odd. Very odd.

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Originally posted by ferret

A single rooftop turbine is around a grand. I'm seriously thinking about it. It'd one thing to do that would generate awareness in your street. Wot the 'ells that!, etc..

Don't you have trouble with planning permission for one of those? They sound like a great idea. Are they like the one at heeley city farm?

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Originally posted by muddycoffee

Don't you have trouble with planning permission for one of those? They sound like a great idea. Are they like the one at heeley city farm?

Now that would be fun to put up!

Actually they are quite small and are i think designed for any house with planning permission in mind.

If you put 'Zedfactory' into google and look for their improvements to existing houses, you will see them on there.

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Originally posted by JBee

I'm really glad that so many people have spoken in defence of wind turbines. I actually find them oddly beautiful, and strangely soothing to watch.

 

We have them up here in Scotland, in some of the most beautiful countryside on the British Isles, and I don't think they spoil it at all.

 

And to all those people who think they're ugly - are you really so selfish as to insist on covering the world with smog and greenhouse gases, which pollute our air and melt our oceans, just because you want a bit of countryside to remain postcard-pure?

I agree that they can be beautiful, but its really unnecessary to have them at all if you combine home-generation with efficiency measures.

The wilds of Scotland are as much a state of mind as they are actual wilderness. You may never see them, but the signs of humanity are never far away. You can't be further than nine miles away from a road, in GREAT Britain! Turbines are visible for miles, how will you ever feel like you're in a wilderness again, considering the amount needed to service our current energy needs, let alone projected ones??

 

Odd. Very odd.

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Originally posted by ferret

 

oops. got my reply mixed with a quote. Now how did I do that?

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