Fatal Attraction: Birds and Wind Turbines

[Dinner]

Wind power is a growing alternative energy source but it has a serious problem with bird strikes. This is especially true for large birds such as raptors and owls both of which are protected species under Federal law. Finding ways to cut (pun intended) the deaths of protected bird species will be necissary if wind power is to continue growing. Here's a short 10 minute documentary produced by Californian Public Television on the problem (public means it can be legally distributed free of charge over the internet).

http://www.surfthechannel.com/info/documentaries/Quest/67297/Fatal+Attraction%3A+Birds+and+Wind+Turbines.html

[Apocalypse]

This is only a real problem if you give a **** about birds.

[Zkribbler]

I see two solutions:

1) Switch to helix-shaped blades. They don't build up the RPM's that propellar-type blades develope.

2) Evolution. I see bird species each dividing into two subspecies. One subspecies will avoid wind turbines and will survive. One subspecies will fly into wind turbines and will therefore not reproduce.

[Asher]

Re: Fatal Attraction: Birds and Wind Turbines

Originally posted by Oerdin
Wind power is a growing alternative energy source but it has a serious problem with bird strikes. This is especially true for large birds such as raptors and owls both of which are protected species under Federal law. Finding ways to cut (pun intended) the deaths of protected bird species will be necissary if wind power is to continue growing. Here's a short 10 minute documentary produced by Californian Public Television on the problem (public means it can be legally distributed free of charge over the internet).

http://www.surfthechannel.com/info/d...+Turbines.html

Holy ****, how bored are you

[Ben Kenobi]

Real world solution: Burn more coal.

California solution: Padded blades.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Real world solution: Burn more coal.

[Dinner]

Real world solution: Build more nuclear plants.

[Apocalypse]

Or build both nuclear and wind turbine plans.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Real world solution:

Label birds as terrorists.

[Jonny]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Real world solution:

Birds of Prey - the other other white meat!

[SlowwHand]

Pickens Orders First Turbines for World's Largest Windfarm


DALLAS, Texas, May 16, 2008 (ENS) - Texas energy executive T. Boone Pickens has taken the first step towards building the world's largest windfarm in the Texas Panhandle. On Thursday Pickens announced that his company, Mesa Power, has ordered the first 667 wind turbines for the Pampa Wind Project.

When complete in 2014, the windfarm is expected to generate more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity to feed into the Texas grid, enough to power 1.3 million homes.

Pickens said he expects that first phase of the Pampa project will cost about $2 billion, and that the first electricity from the project will be on-line by early 2011.
GE wind turbines in operation (Photo courtesy GE via EERE)

In total, the project will include between 1,700 and 2,000 turbines at a cost of $200 million to $300 million.

Pickens envisions that large scale renewable energy projects like Pampa will permit the United States to become less dependent on foreign oil. Also, once the initial investment is made, the wind just keeps on spinning those turbine blades, generating power.

"You find an oilfield, it peaks and starts declining, and you've got to find another one to replace it," said Pickens, who once operated one of the largest independent oil and gas production companies. "It can drive you crazy. With wind, there's no decline curve."

But big renewable energy projects are tough to execute because they rely upon the federal production tax credit, which provides incentives for the development of renewable energy.

Uncertainty arises because large scale renewable energy projects require financial commitments years in advance, while Congress has only extended the production tax credit one or two years at a time.

"I believe that Congress will recognize that it is critical not only to this project, but to renewable energy in this country, that they enact a long-term extension of the production tax credits," Pickens said.

The production tax credit is now set to expire December 31, 2008, although a one-year extension was recently approved by the Senate.

In April, the American Wind Energy Association, AWEA, renewed its call for Congress to enact a long-term, stable production tax credit.

"Industry expansion over the past three years can be directly credited to the renewable energy production tax credit," said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher.

"Studies indicate that an expiration of the tax credit will place $19 billion in renewable energy investment and 116,000 American jobs at risk," he said. "We are dedicated to the extension of this tax incentive, which will generate jobs and economic growth while simultaneously reducing global warming pollution."

The production tax credit provides an incentive of two cents per kilowatt-hour generated to facilities that produce electricity from renewable energy resources, including wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydropower.

The AWEA says previous short-term extensions of the tax credit have caused a "boom-and-bust cycle in the wind industry, increasing costs along the entire supply chain and keeping businesses from growing to their full potential."

Pickens says, "The development of alternative energy projects, especially renewable resources such as wind power, is critical for the future of the country in the face of declining world oil resources."

When complete, the Pampa Wind Project will cover some 400,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle and be five times as big as the nation's current largest wind power project, now producing 736 megawatts.

The Panhandle, with its wide-open spaces, low population and steady winds, is a logical location for wind-generated energy. Studies show the Texas Panhandle winds are optimal for such a project, blowing much of the time in the middle of the day when electric demand is at its peak.

Pickens expressed satisfaction that area landowners have been so supportive of the project.

"We have had a great response to this project," Pickens said Thursday. "We are making Pampa the wind capital of the world. It's clear that landowners and local officials understand the economic benefits that this renewable energy can bring not only to landowners who are involved with the project, but also in revitalizing an area that has struggled in recent years."

Mesa Power has leased land in Carson, Gray, Hemphill, Roberts and Wheeler counties, where the landowners will receive annual royalties for the wind turbines operating on their property.

Pickens' company Mesa Power LLP announced Thursday that it has placed an order with General Electric to purchase 667 wind turbines for the Pampa project. These turbines are capable of generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 300,000 average U.S. homes.

GE is to deliver the 1.5-megawatt wind turbines in 2010 and 2011.

General Electric, GE, runs the NBC television network in addition to generating power, manufacturing refrigerators, washers, and jet engines and a host of other products and services.

"T. Boone Pickens' commitment underscores the ability of wind technology to help meet the country's need for diverse sources of energy," said Jeffrey Immelt, GE chairman and chief executive. "As America's demand for energy escalates, it is clear that wind can and will play a bigger part in meeting that need."

[Dinner]

Yeah, wind farms are really taking off in Texas. From what I hear they went from zero to highest in the nation in almost no time at all. It's a shame wind farms have been subject to so many lawsuits here in California.

[SlowwHand]

Texas has the most wind in the country. I don't know as I write this, if that was mentioned in this particular article.

I keep expecting California to get them started.

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Real world solution:

Go Nuclear!

[Dinner]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Texas has the most wind in the country. I don't know as I write this, if that was mentioned in this particular article.

I keep expecting California to get them started.

They started a few then got hit with lots of law suits which stopped them all in their tracks. Texas seems to be adding lots of capacity though. This is one place the rest of the country has to catch up to Texas on.