America’s First Offshore Wind Farm
Here’s some good news that I came across on Facebook just now: From Business Insider: America’s first offshore wind farm launched with GE turbines twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. It really does appear that offshore wind is going to be an important element of the grid-mix of the future, largely because the turbines themselves can be utterly massive.
And here’s a conversation based on something that happened to me a couple years back:
FB Commenter1: I did not know there was such a thing! What does it do?
FB Commenter2: Clean energy.
Me: Commenter2, you may be amused to know that I was interviewed on a TV show a couple of years ago, and the lady started off like this: “All right, Craig. So what can you DO with renewable energy?” I had to explain, on live television, that your toaster doesn’t care where the electrons are coming from, etc.–all without making her look stupid. It wasn’t a piece of cake.
Craig,
Looking at the photo I can’t help wondering if we shouldn’t be seeking a better, more efficient method of generating low emission power than these giant eyesores destroying the aesthetics of the coastline, needing costly and inefficient transmission infrastructure, not to mention the impact on wildlife.
I suppose it’s a case of beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and maybe it’s only me who finds these towers an eyesore and potential disaster.
Continuing my question about your cancelling the alerts, I observe that the last post you sent out alerts attracted 51 comments, yet the last 5 posts without alerts, attracted none (if you don’t count me).
I realize it must be hard for crusading advocates like yourself to watch the halcyon days of Obama dissipate, but the debate hasn’t ceased, just more and diverse voices are being heard on the environment and clean technology.
I know it must be heartbreaking to observe Obama era stalwarts Adam Sieminski, President Obama’s appointee to head the US Energy Information Agency, now say opposing the Keystone XL was a mistake. Even harder is his admission “symbolic climate politics won out over pragmatic energy policy.”
It must seem his defection is evidence of him going over to the “dark side”.
So many defections as the US and UK governments begin to strip away the “symbolism” of Paris, and reveal the flaws in the accord.
New opportunities for clean tech abound !Dr. Richard Tol, study into the effects of uncontrolled urban heat islands is an example.
Considering major cities occupy leas than 0.1% of the planets surface, yet produce 80% of Gross World Product while, consuming 78 % of the world’s energy and over half of the world’s population, these “heat islands” , could almost double the problems of climate change.
Obviously, the answer is more roof gardens, better roof and pavement technology, as well as reclaiming heat energy before it dissipates into the atmosphere.
There are vast new industries being created. It’s a time of hope and excitement !
Sure the revolutionary ideological excitement may have dissipated, in the same way leftist excitement dissipated after the excitement of the 60’s, but it’s being replaced by far more interesting, and practical interest in clean technology.
Well, I agree that is clean energy but they do create a noise up to deep sea. I’m not sure if those sea creatures are can tolerate the noise from Wind Turbine.