Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Some more links to add to the conversion.

https://twitter.com/StopEolicoAgata https://twitter.com/stopeolicos

https://www.eldebate.com/economia/20...es_118346.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...anned-windfarm

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Some years ago, the first windfarms were proposed to be placed on various parts of the Cordillera Cantabrica, but the government here decided to look for alternatives due to the environmental impact it would have to have the mountains bedecked by windfarms. As soon as they did that, the Burgos side of the mountains got windfarms and they are visible from the Cantabria side! Classic example of why regional government can often lead to really weird outcomes.

Personally I don''t like them, even though I've made a habit of photographing them!


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...2c0135f854.jpg

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

I'm not going to parse all those links and statistics but the problem with statistics - and this is just about statistics alone, not what they are representing, is that in isolation they don't usually give the full picture. For example, with the Guardian article, it states that "1,387 griffon vultures.... died in windfarms in the two regions between 2020 and 2022..." That is three years inclusive so 462 a year.
The Vulture Conservation Foundation say, "The Griffon Vulture population trend in Spain is clearly positive, with a 17.6-26% increase over the decade 2008-2018. However, the growth rate seems to be declining since the beginning of the national censuses in the 1980s, suggesting that the Spanish population of Griffon Vultures could be reaching carrying capacity and will stabilise over the coming years. With an estimated 30,100-36,500 individuals, Spain is home to the largest European population of Griffon Vultures."
That'd mean 1.2% die each year because of windfarms, so they say.

I doubt that would be enough to stop any development.

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Yep, Vultures and birds in general have often been used as an argument against windfarm development. Ecologist fighting Ecologists and both sides convinced they are right. At the risk of turning this into a photo thread, Black Vultures are alive and well in Cantabria. When they smell a dead carcass, there can be hundreds overhead in no time at all and a dead animal on the ground does not last long! This was nearby in January 2021 during COVID so clearly they did not obey lockdown rules..


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...e533ab882c.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...c93eabbe0c.jpg

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Everyday along the A8 (Autovia del Cantabrico) we get loads of long low loader trucks from LASO carrying the components for wind turbines. I wonder if folks realise how BIG these things are? Some of the bigger ones can have blades up to 70 metres long (think of four lorries nose to tail), and require ten individual truck journeys for each turbine to transport the column, generator head and blades etc from manufacturers to point of assembly. I often wonder if you take all the energy used to clear the assembly site, then the manufacture of the components, transportation and assembly, maintenance costs etc, how many years are needed before you get to net zero energy and eventually you get "green" energy? This photo comes from the company's twitter feed, but it is what we see all the time along the motorway.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...147fddf551.jpg

Truly impressive company video on youtube here

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

They also have to dig a big hole where each turbine will be, and put a load of concrete in it - or so I saw on YouTube. But I suppose it's all less energy than would be used building a coal-fired or nuclear power station. The best thing would be for us all to use less electricity, but given that's not going to happen these wind farms seem the best option to produce more.

Did you know that in the UK they ship wood pellets across the Atlantic (from Canada I think) and burn them in a generator, giving off all that pollution. And the government calls it green energy because the trees will grow again. Only in Britain!

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

That needs a correction.
This is in Dutch because I cannot find equivalent information on what the Dutch are doing in English. https://www.trouw.nl/opinie/wij-stok...prijs~b9f83cb8

Do you know that wood pellets have been declared energy neutral by the EU? That makes them ok to be designated as green energy.

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

This is what they are planning,
https://northseawindpowerhub.eu/

Take the UK where a good deal of the so called wind farms are offshore, as you can imagine the construction costs are eye watering but the maintenance costs are no different.
Now what do you think that the linked project costs will run to (?) and who will be paying the bill.

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

We lived in Shoreham by Sea before moving here and there is a large off shore wind farm and a wood fired power station.
It was claimed that the off shore wind farm would never break even due to the costs involved and the erosion effect of the salt spray. Recycling the blades and towers is also a huge cost.

The power station burns timber and waste wood and in the five years we spent there no pollution was generated by it. I went on a tour of the Port once and it was explained that they were in the process of fitting solar to all the warehouse roofs to turn the whole port and industrial area carbon neutral.

Its a fascinating place to visit if you are ever near Brighton and have nothing else planned..
https://www.shoreham-port.co.uk/need...nability-week/

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Thanks, VFR - very interesting link, I have not heard any talk/news etc on this but looks like some joined-up thinking is going on.

I used to live in Worthing (just up the coast) from Shoreham - used to be a dirty little port but sounds like it has joined the 21st century.

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Some interesting UK efforts too here https://doggerbank.com/

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

How wonderful the doggerbank project is and one turn of the blades can power my home for 2 days (beside myself with happiness)
That is until the bill for this insanity arrives through the letter box (in fact “all” our boxes), yet we can produce the same power for a “fraction” of the cost via Gas.
Well maybe we could but Uncle Sam put paid to that.

Opps sorry I forgot they are at war and as you know only we are allowed to do that.

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

Could you come up with a source which says gas is cheaper to run than building renewables? Here's my source which says it isn't.

Building New Renewables Is Cheaper Than Burning Fossil Fuels

And if we scroll down we get a map which shows renewables are cheaper to build in the EU. Additionally it says:

This article was from June 2021, before gas prices shot up.

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

electricity is free for the next hour and forty five minutes.

https://euroweeklynews.com/2023/06/3...wo-free-hours/

Re: Renewables is a reality
 

https://www.levante-emv.com/medio-am...-91754366.html