U.S. may speed approval of nuclear plants

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
What about regular old windmills? I guess it's a good thing they've been around so along, or we'd be virtually inundated with birds. Cull the bird herd!

The same technology that came standard on my '92 Explorer to scare away deer that might jump across the road in front of me can be affixed to the rotor blades of a windmill. It's a little plastic doohicky with two little tunnels that make a whistling sound. Thing probably cost Ford $0.50 a unit to make. I imagine something similar can be used for windmills, but recall having heard that the bird-vs-windmill thing was a myth or at the very least an exageration.

[Barnabas]

Originally posted by Dis
yes

how else would it kill them?

I hear the newer ones kill less birds.

Have they put some scarecrows?

[Dinner]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Texas has in fact now overtaken California in wind energy. Excellent step.
This is another energy source we should be harnessing.

California has a problem in that the best land (the coastal plain) for wind power generation is the most expensive and densely populated. Texas has an advantage in that it is almost entirely flat so that wind turbines can be located just about any where. The new generation of wind turbines in California is supposed to be located in mountain passes but there is a problem that most of the best mountain passes are in national parks or national forests thus making permiting difficult.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride


Have they put some scarecrows?

The newer ones are designed to be slower spinning and to not have as sharp of edges. They make them bigger though so even though it spins slower it still has more torque.

[SlowwHand]

The remaining birds will learn.

Yeah, Texas has rolling hills, but the only mountainous regions are in the far west. Davis Mountains, and they're not like the Rockies or anything.
What we do have is wind.

[Dinner]

I saw the Davis Mountains. Coming from California I was disappointed since they were more like little hills. If your mountains don't go up to atleast 14k feet then they aren't mountains.

[SlowwHand]

BUT, we do have 2nd deepest canyon in the USA.
Like a mountain in reverse.

[Jon Miller]

Only Shasta goes up 14k feet. You can make the requirements 7k feet, and get rid of most the hills that other regions call mountains..

JM

[SlowwHand]

I was gioing to say that California was more hills than mountains, but it's a trivial point and I didn't feel like another debate.

I loved Yosemete.
I liked Northern California quite a lot. The coast highway is a beautiful drive.
Never saw the Redwoods, even though I was near. I'll always regret that.

[Jon Miller]

You will never go back? I didn't realise you were so old..

JM

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Texas has in fact now overtaken California in wind energy. Excellent step.

That's cuz y'all are always jawing about how great Texas is.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Dis
doesn't wind power kill millions of birds?

It's a myth. The blades don't move fast enough to kill birds.

[chequita guevara]

nuke power
WAYYYY Too expensive, wayyyy too polluting (using current U.S. methods of disposal)

There are electrical generators that use waves for power. The damn things are amazing. Ten square miles of these things would power all of California. No waste, not pollution, free energy. Might be a problem for whales.

[SlowwHand]

I may get back; but in nearly 30 years I haven't made it back.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
nuke power
WAYYYY Too expensive, wayyyy too polluting (using current U.S. methods of disposal)

There are electrical generators that use waves for power. The damn things are amazing. Ten square miles of these things would power all of California. No waste, not pollution, free energy. Might be a problem for whales.

Not way to expensive or way to pollouting.. the ones we built with 40 year old technology arne't the greatest. But if we use current technology they are very cheap and clean.

JM