Energy Dept. Wants Big Wind Energy Technology In All 50 US States

coondoggie writes: Bigger wind turbines and towers are just part of what the U.S. needs in order to more effectively use wind energy in all 50 states.That was the thrust of a wind energy call-to-arms report called "Enabling Wind Power nationwide" issued this week by the Department of Energy. They detail new technology that can reach higher into the sky to capture more energy and more powerful turbines to generate more gigawatts. These new turbines are 110-140 meters tall, with blades 60 meters long. The Energy Department forecasts strong, steady growth of wind power across the country, both on land and off shore.

Comments

Re:Won't someone think of the birds.

[ShanghaiBill]

That energy has to come from somewhere and blocking the surface wind reduces the air velocity and increases the amount of heat at ground level.

Trees also block the wind. So a simple solution is to require anyone erecting a windmill to cut down a tree to compensate.

A more complicated solution would be to improve math and physics education, so even dimwitted people can figure out that the amount of energy windmills extract from the atmosphere is utterly inconsequential.