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Small Cabin Forum / Off Topic / Large scale wind turbines
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Wilbour
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 11:24 - Edited by: Wilbour
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My location on the Eastern end of Lake Ontario is windy for a large percentage of the time. That being the case, my rather large island I share with 1500 full time residents (probably double that in the summer) has 89 large wind turbines.

This "free" energy has a peculiar event right after a heatwave, like we just had. They turn them off. Odd since it's "free" energy so why not let them keep producing electricity?

Well the issue is that the fossil and nuclear power plants were ramped up to produce the additional power required to cool or indoor spaces and they take time to cycle down. Too much energy produced has to be sold at a loss. The quickest and easiest way to reduce production is to stop the turbines from turning.

So sad to see these great non polluters standing still knowing we are burning fossil fuels elsewhere (or had burned elsewhere and now wait for the steam to cool)
20190801_111322.jpg
20190801_111322.jpg


KelVarnsen
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 15:32
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As an aside, you there is an app called GridWatch as well as a website (https://live.gridwatch.ca) where you can see realtime where Ontario's power is being generated. You can click on the energy type to see the individual power plants, wind farms, etc. output. It's pretty cool.

Wilbour
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 16:00 - Edited by: Wilbour
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KelVarnsen


Wow! How sneat is that!

Thanks, I love that sort of data.

And to prove my point...

Oh and I stand corrected. 86 turbines not 89
Screenshot_20190801.jpg
Screenshot_20190801.jpg


Steve_S
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 16:18
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The part of the big problem with our turbines in Ontario is that not a single solitary one is connected to any form of power storage. The capacity to carry the volume of power (grid lines) were also not increased sufficiently to handle the full capacity of what they can generate. This is a Wynne Boondoggle of lack of planning & foresight... surprise, surprise...

The solution is to curtail them when they over generate and the lines can't handle the extra capacity to get the power where it needs to be, when it needs to be there. The Grid Storage Power Packs fed from the turbines would replace Peaker Facilities and negate the ramping of Darlington & Pickering because their response is instant.

Sometimes, you'll also see turbines locked down when wind speeds exceed safe tolerance.

Should note that both Darlington & Pickering (especially) are scheduled for updates & refurbs costing another frapping 30 Billion ! and we know, add 25% overage costs... and still nowhere to put the damned waste.... we just had another "oopsie" at Chalk Lake... geezus murphy....

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 18:33
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sucks, but what is the solution?

Imagine the outcry if you told people they couldn't run their AC.

Unfortunately electricity isn't something that can reasonably be stored at the levels a province needs in a heat wave. Batteries work great at our cabins, but not so great on a large scale. And the cost would be astronomical.

Were a generation of people who want our cake and to eat it too, and the technology just hasn't caught up yet to make that feasible.

Wilbour
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 18:46
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Quoting: FishHog
sucks, but what is the solution?


Well said. Perhaps the more we equip ourselves to be independent the less of an impact we are.

Just seems sad that people who hate the site of wind turbines are pointing to them today and asking what they are good for. We who have accepted them don't have an answer.

Steve_S
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 18:48
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Grid Batteries are nowhere near as expensive as fudsters would have you believe, they have proven their value time & time again. Also are not all located in one place, these are distributed according to usage metrics for fastest response.

Maybe try looking it up instead of being a parrot.

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 1 Aug 2019 19:30
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Quoting: Steve_S
Maybe try looking it up instead of being a parrot


yeah OK then, appreciate the insult for no good reason.

For your house a Grid tie battery option? sure, but don't plan on running your AC long.

From a province wide perspective, love to see that math. And how much your electricity bill will go up. I hope they get there with new battery technology, but until then I'll just keep saying "Polly want a cracker"

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 2 Aug 2019 07:09
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So wind turbines are basicly a buffer for the power company to always make a profit...always.

There are some good videos on youtube about the after effects of a shut down wind farm. Basicly they put the brakes on and lock the door behind them. Its cheaper for them to find a new location than to clean up the old one. The life span of these turbines is not very long. 20-30yrs max. They can be shut down sooner for many reasons.

Wilbour
Member
# Posted: 2 Aug 2019 17:51 - Edited by: Wilbour
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When we make too much electricity we sell it to other providers at a loss. When people cannot afford to pay their bills here at home they cut them off.

Did I mention how much CEOs make?

Bancroft bound
Member
# Posted: 2 Aug 2019 22:09
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These are a BLIGHT on our landscape. Shut them ALL down. It LOOKS good ...only .The only green about these garbage monuments are the green of money the ones who own them are making off the rest of us. Look into the background of these before jumping onj the "Bandwaqon" Search the Dover wind farm and see what happens to the neighbours ground water. Surprise "Not our Problem" the province gave us Carte blanche!

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