Wasted Effort in Going Green

As an engineer involved in wind farm (and other forms of power generation) I can honestly say that sometimes politicians get "the wrong end of the stick" (or in other words sometimes don't have a clue what they are doing).

By their very nature, wind farms are NEVER going to be able to provide the base load that is currently provided by coal, gas, hydro and nuclear power stations. Banks of sulphur or lead acid batteries provide a little storage but they are hardly green.

From the Dutch article "As the word 'nuclear' is considered blasphemy by a few political parties", it is down here too but even we are considering it (a little), why? due to environmentalist and other groups we have little choice remaining for increasing base load for our ever hungrier energy consumers. Wind and waste tip methane turbine generation only goes so far.

Hello Jack of all Trade,

Last nite I made mistake with the second link and when I reposted it this morning it only made it here, hidden away from everybody.

Your comment is interesting because I agree with you about it more than ever.

I started my negativity about it after I watched the first link by realising how greedily the energy giants trying to seize the monopoly about it also.

While I used to have a considerable respect for windmills after reading the articles about it on the Dutch website I well and truly give it now a big thumbs down.

I always believed that where there are remote farms on far away places and vast distances it is better to develop a relatively affordable self supporting power supply and as green as possible rather than extending the grid network.

But this is madness on a grand scale.

However, I guess a simple rule should be applied to save any type of energy is that to teach people to be thrifty not just for the shake of their money, but more so for the environment.

We will not be able to keep up with this rate of energy demand forever but could save a hell of a lot in the civilised world in particular through saving it as much as possible.

And the energy ministers should be experts in the field with considerable relevant experience.

And the energy ministers should be experts in the field with considerable relevant experience.

That ain't going to happen. I am happy enough if they don't know a great deal but actually listen to the experts and get good advice before making decisions.

See previous threads myself and others have been involved with on CR4 with regard to wind farms, such as the following

http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/688/For-Whom-the-Wind-Blows

They have their uses, but they are by no means a "magic bullet" when it comes to fulfilling the world's energy needs (the magic bullet is in fact "energy conservation", ie- increasing power efficiency and reducing energy waste both in manufacturing and also in energy usage).

When I said:-

"the energy ministers should be experts in the field with considerable relevant experience"

- because I hope they would realise the severity of the problem and listen better.

I know, ministers (politicians) will never take things serious enough unless there's something in it for them or when it's too late. They rather like to profile themselves to be in the spot light, just like a movie star, but with a limited time frame and maybe that is why they seize every little opportunity to act, the way they do, to enjoy the limelight in the public-eye.

The energy issue is one of the greatest concern of our times that sets such new challenges for modern technology that no one seem to can answer, yet.

I just really thought the Dutch report looked serious enough to put and end to all the wind generated power hopes for the future. Instead, it should cause anybody with the right mind to retreat and think twice, before they say anything again, about the abundance and practicality of all the renewable energies - as there is none at the moment!

Meaning we should try save as much as we can of the current energies, which we still have, to prolong them as long as possible until heaven forbid we may find the suitable type of renewable energy, which I believe still light-years and not miles away.

To find the reliable source of renewable energy is just a concept, like finding the fountain of youth, as far as I can see, because they're both would be nice but, are they humanly achievable?

The reason why I say HUMANLY achievable because the current energy resources we have weren't invented by us either.

This is what makes me puzzled, more than anything, at times once these reliable resources start to run out, what's next?