I think I can understand why you're a coward....
Just because somebody says something like, "Make my day", doesn't mean they're good Army material, dude. What a pathetic way to handle a difference of opinion....
What an excellent idea! THIS is how it's supposed to work--private industry teaming with private industry to respond to consumer demands.
Well done GE...well done!
That isn't remotely true.
The BLM has been getting beaten up right and left for silly stuff like this when it comes to practically everything else they do--don't see why this is a surprise. Do the solar fans think that their personal favorite technology should be exempt from the very rules they argued so strongly for?
That's one of my points. If everyone bitching about rising gas prices instead actually started bitching about bike facilities (esp. lanes, parking, showers), then we might be able to start to move in the right direction.
Actually, I think gasoline prices are pretty much EXACTLY where they ought to be, when adjusted for inflation and the increased worldwide demand. Do I like it? Nope. But can't really complain--they're just about exactly right.
Well said. Where I work it's just not a doable option--I work 16 miles out in the nigh-desert and there ain't NOTHING around. Biking isn't an option either unless I want to start each trip a couple of hours early and bring some changes of clothing (and get a shower somewhere).
Better to focus on efficient transportation like electric cars and high-mileage gas cars.
Exactly right! Oil companies have been big supporters of solar and wind, and will continue to be. They all want to be, as you say, "energy companies", not "oil companies".
That article mostly talks to the fallacies of putting your turbine on your roof, or attaching it directly to your building in some way. It's NEVER a good idea to do this....the sound and vibration will drive you crazy and damage the building.
I've thought about this, since I'll have more power production capacity(at least by my estimate) than I'll use. I don't really have any nearby neighbors up there though.
Most folks mean "my own power" when they say "off the grid". Some go whole-hog and raise their own food, spin their own cloth, etc.--I am *definitely* not one of those. I admire them immensely, but it's not my chosen lifestyle.
I had resigned myself to using satellite--a poor second choice--but the newer WiMax technologies just *might* get mature by the time I get around to putting Internet in. We'll have to see.....
I'm lucky in that I've got 30 acres to play with. My tower will go on the NE ridge of the canyon about 100 feet above anything else and will get excellent wind.
Whether or not the neighbors like it is moot in this case. I own the land and the access road, and county building codes specifically allow 100' for wind towers. I have to be 100' back from my nearest property line (so if it falls over it doesn't land on somebody else's land) but that's about it. This very weekend, as it happens, I'm going up there to let my neighbors know what's happening this summer. I'll certainly work WITH them as much as possible if there are concerns--I like to be a good neighbor--but this is far more feasible for me than solar.
I've been near some towers and found them very pleasant, myself. No whine; a slight buzz that varies with windspeed up to around 50' away, maybe. I personally think they *look* nicer than a telephone pole. I can see why they're problematic in a neighborhood though; you'll hear that buzz pretty much everywhere around.
This is a great topic and I'm glad to see it pop up here. I'll be buying a wind turbine for the new house I'm building here in a couple of months.
The reason has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with "being green" or "sticking it to the man". I'm greener than your average bear and have found that "sticking it to the man" rarely works as well as one might have hoped.
Quite simply, I'll be five miles back from the nearest power line. I poked around and considered solar, but the idea of getting power production 24/7 rather than 5 or 6 hours per day closed the deal for me. My property is in an excellent wind zone (Cat 4 thru Cat 6, depending on which map you look at) and I'll be able to provide 120% of my power needs--excellent. Being able to provide all of my own needs and not be dependent on an ever-more-fragile grid is just a bonus that appeals mightily to the geek in me.
Turbines overall are great, though I've become convinced the industry is still at the "hand-built and tuned" phase the automotive industry was once in. It'll need more standardization before it can go mainstream in any significant fashion.
Actually, this is NOT true. I know because I'm buying a wind turbine for my house as I write this.
The tower is $24K, a 10kW turbine is $22K.
They rarely produce rated power except in Cat4+ areas, and those are rarer than you might think. I'm fortunate that mine is going up in a Cat 6 area though.
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I think I can understand why you're a coward.... Just because somebody says something like, "Make my day", doesn't mean they're good Army material, dude. What a pathetic way to handle a difference of opinion....
What an excellent idea! THIS is how it's supposed to work--private industry teaming with private industry to respond to consumer demands. Well done GE...well done!
Actually, he's the one with the facts on his side. Do some research and then get back to us with your next batch of predictable talking points....
What a grand way to get something useful out of the ISS! If it gets us really out and up into space, I say let's do it.
Amen and well said. Ferretman
Maybe...and I know I'm going out on a limb here..it's possible that this has a little something to do with it...?
Ferretman
That isn't remotely true. The BLM has been getting beaten up right and left for silly stuff like this when it comes to practically everything else they do--don't see why this is a surprise. Do the solar fans think that their personal favorite technology should be exempt from the very rules they argued so strongly for?
Ferretman
That's one of my points. If everyone bitching about rising gas prices instead actually started bitching about bike facilities (esp. lanes, parking, showers), then we might be able to start to move in the right direction.
Actually, I think gasoline prices are pretty much EXACTLY where they ought to be, when adjusted for inflation and the increased worldwide demand. Do I like it? Nope. But can't really complain--they're just about exactly right.Ferretman
Well said. Where I work it's just not a doable option--I work 16 miles out in the nigh-desert and there ain't NOTHING around. Biking isn't an option either unless I want to start each trip a couple of hours early and bring some changes of clothing (and get a shower somewhere).
Better to focus on efficient transportation like electric cars and high-mileage gas cars.
Ferretman
Exactly right! Oil companies have been big supporters of solar and wind, and will continue to be. They all want to be, as you say, "energy companies", not "oil companies".
Ferretman
Saw this in a couple of places on TV (Fox, ABC, etc.) this weekend, and tracked down an online article about it. Very interesting solution they chose.
http://www.enquirerherald.com/365/story/134085.html
Ferretman
That article mostly talks to the fallacies of putting your turbine on your roof, or attaching it directly to your building in some way. It's NEVER a good idea to do this....the sound and vibration will drive you crazy and damage the building.
Ferretman
I've thought about this, since I'll have more power production capacity(at least by my estimate) than I'll use. I don't really have any nearby neighbors up there though.
I'm buying rather than building, from Bergey Windpower (www.bergey.com).
You're mixing apples and oranges, really.
Most folks mean "my own power" when they say "off the grid". Some go whole-hog and raise their own food, spin their own cloth, etc.--I am *definitely* not one of those. I admire them immensely, but it's not my chosen lifestyle.
Ferretman
Totally agree---just as I've got to drive to work and buy my food at the grocery.
I should have said "all of my own POWER needs"--apologies.
Ferretman
Choices there are more limited, sadly.
I had resigned myself to using satellite--a poor second choice--but the newer WiMax technologies just *might* get mature by the time I get around to putting Internet in. We'll have to see.....
I'm lucky in that I've got 30 acres to play with. My tower will go on the NE ridge of the canyon about 100 feet above anything else and will get excellent wind.
Whether or not the neighbors like it is moot in this case. I own the land and the access road, and county building codes specifically allow 100' for wind towers. I have to be 100' back from my nearest property line (so if it falls over it doesn't land on somebody else's land) but that's about it. This very weekend, as it happens, I'm going up there to let my neighbors know what's happening this summer. I'll certainly work WITH them as much as possible if there are concerns--I like to be a good neighbor--but this is far more feasible for me than solar.
I've been near some towers and found them very pleasant, myself. No whine; a slight buzz that varies with windspeed up to around 50' away, maybe. I personally think they *look* nicer than a telephone pole. I can see why they're problematic in a neighborhood though; you'll hear that buzz pretty much everywhere around.
Ferretman
This is a great topic and I'm glad to see it pop up here. I'll be buying a wind turbine for the new house I'm building here in a couple of months.
The reason has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with "being green" or "sticking it to the man". I'm greener than your average bear and have found that "sticking it to the man" rarely works as well as one might have hoped.
Quite simply, I'll be five miles back from the nearest power line. I poked around and considered solar, but the idea of getting power production 24/7 rather than 5 or 6 hours per day closed the deal for me. My property is in an excellent wind zone (Cat 4 thru Cat 6, depending on which map you look at) and I'll be able to provide 120% of my power needs--excellent. Being able to provide all of my own needs and not be dependent on an ever-more-fragile grid is just a bonus that appeals mightily to the geek in me.
Turbines overall are great, though I've become convinced the industry is still at the "hand-built and tuned" phase the automotive industry was once in. It'll need more standardization before it can go mainstream in any significant fashion.
Great technology though.
Ferretman
Like a great investment....?
Actually, this is NOT true. I know because I'm buying a wind turbine for my house as I write this.
The tower is $24K, a 10kW turbine is $22K.
They rarely produce rated power except in Cat4+ areas, and those are rarer than you might think. I'm fortunate that mine is going up in a Cat 6 area though.
This is a non-story. All of the online retailers have something similar and (frankly) so do the brick-and-mortar stores.
Oh it will....it's just that the definition will change such that everybody is a criminal of something, and there ya go!
Caught speeding? We need to chip you "for a year or two" to "monitor your compliance" with the law.
Get audited and owe the Feds money? A chip will help "protect the government's interests".
It goes on and on and on......it's amazing how clever they can get for something like this.
Ferretman
Amen brother.
Er....you REALLY DON'T want to use the cheapo "$3/watt" cells for something like this....we're talking Harbor Freight types here.
Good, REALIABLE, long-lasting solar cells run more like $6/watt, I think.
Ferretman