Domain: nexteraenergyresources.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to nexteraenergyresources.com.
Comments · 8
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NIMBY rules
As someone who works at the company that is the largest generator of wind and solar power in North America I know how hard it is to get Nuclear projects off the ground. Most people will agree that Nuclear is a very cost effective and efficient means of power generations but mention building it anywhere near their zip code and they go ballistic.
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Shameless plug
OT Google is using all kinds of renewable sources for their energy.
Back OT Do you think they keep all their servers in mobile homes so they can keep the number of servers a secret? -
Re:Smart move
In a word...no. In fact at present Texas doesn't have the GRID infrastructure to get all the electricity that is produced by West Texas wind farms to the cities that need them so electricity is lost every day. There are some very promising storage technologies which could address the issue but they are still years away. The GRID is currently being expanded to address the capacity issue for now and should be coming on-line ~2012. I've talked to several people who work in the Wind Generation department (disclaimer: I work for Nextera Energy Resources the largest generator of wind and solar power in North America) and asked about the storage issue and there doesn't seem to be a good cost effective solution just yet.
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Re:Smart move
In a word...no. In fact at present Texas doesn't have the GRID infrastructure to get all the electricity that is produced by West Texas wind farms to the cities that need them so electricity is lost every day. There are some very promising storage technologies which could address the issue but they are still years away. The GRID is currently being expanded to address the capacity issue for now and should be coming on-line ~2012. I've talked to several people who work in the Wind Generation department (disclaimer: I work for Nextera Energy Resources the largest generator of wind and solar power in North America) and asked about the storage issue and there doesn't seem to be a good cost effective solution just yet.
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Re:Reminds me of broadband internet in the beginni
Your link is a little laughable. Try this one These are the ones used in commercial applications and I guarantee they are more than $10k
As someone who works for a company that boasts one of the largest wind footprints in the world I know a little about the subject. Ironically I work in the natural gas group but I know it is still EXTREMELY expensive to build and maintain the wind turbines. As others have already pointed out wind is sporadic and doesn't always blow when it's needed while at other times it produces so much electricity the existing transmission lines cannot handle the load. Texas has already started a project to build new transmission lines from west Texas to Dallas/Ft. Worth and battery technologies are being researched as possible storage stations. -
Re:How is that sustainable?
WHY DON'T WE GET SOME DAMN POWER LINES FIRST!!!!
Very good question. It's so good ERCOT asked it themselves and the first fruits of that discussion have already started coming on line. The problem is construction of those new lines will take time and the growth spurt of West Texas Wind the last few years has overwhelmed the existing grid.
Disclaimer: I work for Nextera Energy Resources (formerly FPL Energy)
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Re:What to do with 650 windmills?
Power transmission is a bigger emergency than wind power.
And it would seem Texas and California would agree. Both have approved multi Billion dollar infrastructure upgrades. Which, even if a new wind farm started construction today likely would not be operational prior to the completion of the new lines several years from now.
Disclaimer: I work for the parent company of Lone Star Transmission.
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Re:A fool and his money are some party
I suspect there are more things involved but these are the two most likely reasons AFAICT:
1) The "Not in my back yard!" mentality. There are plenty of people fighting giving right of way for new transmissions lines.
2) The Texas state government has had it's own set of financial issues of late and may not have been able to follow through on an agreement they might have had worked out with T. Boone Picken's.
Disclaimer: I work for one of the largest wind energy providers in N.A. NextEra Energy Resources