- Jul 20, 2016
- 6,572
- 20,210
On our vacation we drove through west Texas and noticed the incredible growth in wind turbines - wind farms. They were on the ranges with the cattle, on ridge lines, and on mesas. I was not happy about the last two because I felt they were an intrusion into sacred spaces.
We saw blades and towers being transported - they are huge. It is hard to imagine how the wind could turn the blades. We also learned that these "farms" are a boon to the local economies - providing jobs where there are few, as well as offsetting ranching expenses. Even the cows appreciate them, resting in the shade from the towers. You can see them lined up in the shadows. I wanted to get a picture, but could not find a vantage point that would show the enormity of the farms.
If you've ever been to west Texas, you know that the wind and sun are constant companions. I came across this article describing the growth in wind farms along the Texas coast (Gulf of Mexico). In other parts of the country, the wind is not constant and often peaks in the evening. Along the coast the difference in wind temperatures blowing from the water across the land creates a convection current that is strong enough to turn the turbine blades. The peak time of this convergence matches the peak time of electrical usage.
And it’s not just the coastal turbines that are cutting into gas-fired plants’ business. When inland farms are included, wind power now supplies about a fifth of Texas’s electricity market. Solar power is also growing in the state. All of this helped push the average on-peak price set by Ercot—the grid operator that controls most of the Texas market—down 55 percent the past five years to $25.34 per megawatt hour, according to data compiled by Genscape Inc.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-06-20/texas-is-too-windy-and-sunny-for-old-energy-companies-to-make-money
The drop in electrical costs is interesting because we've not seen it on our electric bill. Sigh....
I've also heard about these wind farms being a danger to birds, but did not know anything more until I found this article. The upshot is that bird deaths associated with wind turbines may be fewer than those found with other power generating facilities. Additionally, the environmental fallout from the other sources may have a farther reaching effect on birds and animals. It seems there are some questions to be answered about migratory paths and the presence of any facility along these routes. I also want to see attention paid to the migratory path of butterflies, as well.
https://theconversation.com/wind-farms-are-hardly-the-bird-slayers-theyre-made-out-to-be-heres-why-79567
We saw blades and towers being transported - they are huge. It is hard to imagine how the wind could turn the blades. We also learned that these "farms" are a boon to the local economies - providing jobs where there are few, as well as offsetting ranching expenses. Even the cows appreciate them, resting in the shade from the towers. You can see them lined up in the shadows. I wanted to get a picture, but could not find a vantage point that would show the enormity of the farms.
If you've ever been to west Texas, you know that the wind and sun are constant companions. I came across this article describing the growth in wind farms along the Texas coast (Gulf of Mexico). In other parts of the country, the wind is not constant and often peaks in the evening. Along the coast the difference in wind temperatures blowing from the water across the land creates a convection current that is strong enough to turn the turbine blades. The peak time of this convergence matches the peak time of electrical usage.
And it’s not just the coastal turbines that are cutting into gas-fired plants’ business. When inland farms are included, wind power now supplies about a fifth of Texas’s electricity market. Solar power is also growing in the state. All of this helped push the average on-peak price set by Ercot—the grid operator that controls most of the Texas market—down 55 percent the past five years to $25.34 per megawatt hour, according to data compiled by Genscape Inc.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-06-20/texas-is-too-windy-and-sunny-for-old-energy-companies-to-make-money
The drop in electrical costs is interesting because we've not seen it on our electric bill. Sigh....
I've also heard about these wind farms being a danger to birds, but did not know anything more until I found this article. The upshot is that bird deaths associated with wind turbines may be fewer than those found with other power generating facilities. Additionally, the environmental fallout from the other sources may have a farther reaching effect on birds and animals. It seems there are some questions to be answered about migratory paths and the presence of any facility along these routes. I also want to see attention paid to the migratory path of butterflies, as well.
https://theconversation.com/wind-farms-are-hardly-the-bird-slayers-theyre-made-out-to-be-heres-why-79567
