Japanese breakthrough in wind power

[YosemiteSam]

The International Clean Energy Analysis (ICEA) gateway estimates that the U.S. possesses 2.2 million km2 of high wind potential (Class 3-7 winds) — about 850,000 square miles of land that could yield high levels of wind energy. This makes the U.S. something of a Saudi Arabia for wind energy, ranked third in the world for total wind energy potential.

Let's say we developed just 20 percent of those wind resources — 170,000 square miles (440,000 km2) or an area roughly 1/4 the size of Alaska — we could produce a whopping 8.7 billion megawatt hours of electricity each year (based on a theoretical conversion of six 1.5 MW turbines per km2 and an average output of 25 percent. (1.5 MW x 365 days x 24 hrs x 25% = 3,285 MWh's).

The United States uses about 26.6 billion MWh's, so at the above rate we could satisfy a full one-third of our total annual energy needs. (Of course, this assumes the concurrent deployment of a nationwide Smart Grid that could store and disburse the variable sources of wind power as needed using a variety of technologies — gas or coal peaking, utility scale storage via batteries or fly-wheels, etc).

Now what if a breakthrough came along that potentially tripled the energy output of those turbines? You see where I'm going. We could in theory supply the TOTAL annual energy needs of the U.S. simply by exploiting 20 percent of our available wind resources.

Well, such a breakthrough has been made, and it's called the "wind lens."

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Complete Story

 

[Signals]

Mox News -Unfair and Biased. :laugh2:

I enjoyed the video too.

SIA, you always come up with some cool stuff. Thanks man.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'll never understand why there are so many people opposed to wind farms. There is so much to be gained it seems silly not to take advantage of this technology.

 

[Hoofbite]

I always love how translations make it sound like the person speaking is a 3 year old.

"See, it's spinning faster".

Sounds good to me. Flood Western Kansas and entire state of Wyoming with them. Most desolate places in the US, nobody to complain about noise.

I'm interested in the idea.

Seems like if there's a low pressure current on the backside, you could stack three or four of them and get additional pull to the front two without losing anything on the back end.

Then again, I'm not an engineer and someone who is would likely laugh at the idea.

 

[burmafrd]

PETA and the Sierra Club and other bird lovers are fighting against wind farms because birds seem to have suicidal tendencies around them

 

[Cythim]

I'll never understand why there are so many people opposed to wind farms. There is so much to be gained it seems silly not to take advantage of this technology.

The article is quaint, but it would be a massive undertaking to cover 1/4th of Alaska with wind turbines. It would take another massive undertaking to ensure enough backup energy was on store for days when low winds put production below demand. I am all for the use of wind energy, I just don't think it is feasible to use it as a primary source of energy on a massive scale.

 

[dreghorn2]

The article is quaint, but it would be a massive undertaking to cover 1/4th of Alaska with wind turbines. It would take another massive undertaking to ensure enough backup energy was on store for days when low winds put production below demand[/B][/B]. I am all for the use of wind energy, I just don't think it is feasible to use it as a primary source of energy on a massive scale.

Yep, the one thing everyone forgets, for every Megawatt of wind power on the grid a corresponding Megawatt is required to be on standby.

 

[Hoofbite]

Yep, the one thing everyone forgets, for every Megawatt of wind power on the grid a corresponding Megawatt is required to be on standby.

I don't see why that's some giant road block.

It's not like anyone is suggesting the US go only with wind power. Using it while available and having a backup sounds a lot better than never using it at all.

Also a little hard to ever see an instance where there is ZERO wind at all possible locations at the same time.

 

[Illini88228]

PETA and the Sierra Club and other bird lovers are fighting against wind farms because birds seem to have suicidal tendencies around them

I don't know about PETA, but I'm pretty sure the Sierra Club is putting on a full court press in favor of wind farms.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Yep, the one thing everyone forgets, for every Megawatt of wind power on the grid a corresponding Megawatt is required to be on standby.

And for every megawatt delivered, another is lost in transmission.

Solar is nice, except that it completely misses peak demand times, i.e. early morning "wake up" time and the early evening return time home. Wind is variable.

Both have their place, but the point is as stated, when it's an overcast day in the winter with little or no wind you still must have the ability to generate full capacity needs for the nation or you end up with rolling blackouts.

Japan has completely ****** themselves. They've shut down almost every reactor at every nuclear facility due to local regulations that require an inspection sign off or permit to restart their reactors after routine mandatory maintenance. Local governments are kowtowing to fear and not issuing those permits thereby bringing Japan's nuclear power infrastructure to a standstill and costing their economy dearly. I think their last reactor is expected to go offline this month unless someone cuts the bull**** red tape and keeps irrational fear from crippling their energy infrastructure.

1.2 million people in China die from smoking and using tobacco related products every year. 0 people died from ***ushima.

 

[dreghorn2]

I don't see why that's some giant road block.

It's not like anyone is suggesting the US go only with wind power. Using it while available and having a backup sounds a lot better than never using it at all.

Also a little hard to ever see an instance where there is ZERO wind at all possible locations at the same time.

It doesn't have to drop to zero, any particular section of thôe grid merely has to see a reduction and supplementary power has to come online.

Wind power is incredibly inefficient and is only currently in use here in the US because of government subsidy and tax incentives.

I am very much for green alternatives and consider myself a proponent for protecting the environment however wind - solar etc.
only scratch the surface for what is truly required if people want green efficient and CHEAP to moderately cheap power.

 

[joseephuss]

And for every megawatt delivered, another is lost in transmission.

Isn't that an issue for any power source?

 

[The30YardSlant]

I'll never understand why there are so many people opposed to wind farms. There is so much to be gained it seems silly not to take advantage of this technology.

Because longterm they operate at a huge net loss even in the windiest of climates.

Wind power is a really cute idea that the "green" crowd fawns over but it's viability in terms of solving the energy crisis is simply non-existent. The true answer is nuclear power, but that will only come to full fruition once our idiocracy reaches the point where the word "nuclear" no longer terrifies the ignorant masses.

 

[Hoofbite]

Isn't that an issue for any power source?

I'm guessing the idea is that the farms are so far out that they lose a lot over the distance to the consumption site.

Maybe not. I kind of thought the same thing.

 

[Hoofbite]

Because longterm they operate at a huge net loss even in the windiest of climates.

Wind power is a really cute idea that the "green" crowd fawns over but it's viability in terms of solving the energy crisis is simply non-existent. The true answer is nuclear power, but that will only come to full fruition once our idiocracy reaches the point where the word "nuclear" no longer terrifies the ignorant masses.

As it stands right now.

Sure, they lack in real efficiency right now but I see no reason why we can't expect things to increase.

There was a time when a computer was as big as a house.

I think it's pretty foolish to just throw it out all together because it can't be the end-all, be-all answer that we need.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Isn't that an issue for any power source?

A large wind farm operating at 100% capacity twenty-four hours a day would never produce more energy than it used up in the process of utilizing the energy. In reality all operate at a net loss of power due to 100% capacity being impossible to attain.

In contrast, a large solar plant operating at 75% capacity for twelve hours everyday outputs 1.5x it's production and utilization energy costs.

A nuclear plant operating at 25% capacity for eight hours everyday produces 100x it's production and utilization energy costs.

Wind is not viable at all, solar is viable but not overly efficient AND it is lacking during peak energy hours as someone above me stated. Meanwhile, a nuclear power plant operating well below their normal operating capacity for only a third of the day produces exponential energy gains. In the real world, the average nuclear power plant is readily capable of producing 1000x times it's input in terms of power every single day.

You could cover every inch of the United States with wind plants, operate them constantly for 100 years and store enough electricity to last the entire country about twenty minutes...with a net loss in total energy due to the effort put into it.

 

[The30YardSlant]

As it stands right now.

Sure, they lack in real efficiency right now but I see no reason why we can't expect things to increase.

There was a time when a computer was as big as a house.

I think it's pretty foolish to just throw it out all together because it can't be the end-all, be-all answer that we need.

Wind power has a purpose, to satisfy the green needs of the American public. It's a nice small scale idea to point to and make them happy.

In reality we'd be better off if we took everyone in our prison system and made them run on giant hamster wheels all day.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'll never understand why there are so many people opposed to wind farms. There is so much to be gained it seems silly not to take advantage of this technology.

Because it requires so much land and so many wind turbines to create enough energy for a major city.

I'm not opposed just do not think it is practical at this time. I do think it can be a supplement in terms of energy resources

 

[Hoofbite]

A large wind farm operating at 100% capacity twenty-four hours a day would never produce more energy than it used up in the process of utilizing the energy. In reality all operate at a net loss of power due to 100% capacity being impossible to attain.

In contrast, a large solar plant operating at 75% capacity for twelve hours everyday outputs 1.5x it's production and utilization energy costs.

A nuclear plant operating at 25% capacity for eight hours everyday produces 100x it's production and utilization energy costs.

Wind is not viable at all, solar is viable but not overly efficient AND it is lacking during peak energy hours as someone above me stated. Meanwhile, a nuclear power plant operating well below their normal operating capacity for only a third of the day produces exponential energy gains. In the real world, the average nuclear power plant is readily capable of producing 1000x times it's input in terms of power every single day.

You could cover every inch of the United States with wind plants, operate them constantly for 100 years and store enough electricity to last the entire country about twenty minutes...with a net loss in total energy due to the effort put into it.

Can you elaborate on this.

 

[Hoofbite]

Because it requires so much land and so many wind turbines to create enough energy for a major city.

I'm not opposed just do not think it is practical at this time. I do think it can be a supplement in terms of energy resources

Land we have. And I thought many of the proposals were off-shore.

Anyhow, I agree with you about it being a supplemental resource right now.

Obviously it's not going to change things overnight but I think after time the ability to produce will grow. This guy put a ring around the blade and increased the capacity to produce.