27 April 2009

Lake George Windmills are the faux real?

| rosebud
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Everytime I drive past Lake George, the white stalks of the sci fi-like windmills on the far side always catch my attention.

They look striking and make me think of the giant mushrooms in Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

But sadly, they never seem to be turning.

Are they for real, or just for show?

Does anyone enjoy PC electricity from these ultra modern generators?

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There will be 67 of them in total.

They are all on land held by one family – who recieve free electricity and a bucket load of rent guaranteed for the next 25 years.

They are more visually dominating than depicted in any inforamtion provided to residents in the consultation process.

“All” the electricity generated by them will power the de-salination plant in Botany Bay in Sydney.

The site was selected as it could hook into the grid reasonably cheaply and it’s one of the most reliable, least populated places in NSW for wind.

Their installation has proved a nice little earner for local Bungendore retailers – through workers spending, staying there etc.

And I reckon they are great.

the only decent places for a solar power station is about 36,000 km straight up.

ant said :

I’m absolutely staggered to find that I can see the bloody things! and I’m miles from Bung, miles from Lake George, and yet there they are, growing up over the far ridge. argh. Why don’t they paint them pale blue?

I imagine they are white for the same reason they will have a red light on each at night. Visibility.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I think gathering energy from wind is a top idea. Provided the generators last long enough to make the whole thing cost effective, I think wind power would have to feature prominently in our energy future.

They are the most cost effective renewable energy source after hydroelectricity. They are a proven technology used extensively in Europe but like all the renewable energy sources will not fully replace fossil fuels.

deye said :

I don’t, the power generated is too unpredictable. Locating them off shore is a better bet for more constant wind, but even there it’s variable.

Off shore windmills may provide more power but are more costly to maintain and install.

taco said :

Turn the snowy hydro into the nation’s battery – when we’ve got an excess of wind/solar/etc we can pump water back uphill to reuse with the otherwise wasted energy.

I doubt that there will be excess renewable capacity anytime soon, not without new technology. The base load will remain coal.

Evening out wind and solar production will probably be carried by their geographical distribution and by hydro and gas fired plants which are capable of varying their output relatively rapidly.

It is my belief that they have brakes and a system that deye described that allow them to move no faster than a predetermined speed.

If you youtube it, you can see a classic example of where these brakes have failed and the engineers knowing that there was nothing they could do, retreated a safe distance and set up a camera and watched.

This thing was probably doing around 120rpm – which is a huge amount of force exerted on a step up gearbox, catrastrophic failure was inevitable.

AngryHenry said :

Ah hah! Thanks for clarifying people. I was driving past on Sunday in gale forced winds and was completely perplexed as to why they weren’t turning!

When they are operational if the wind is gale force the blades would probably be feathered and not turning so they don’t get damaged. You want wind that is not too fast and not too slow, just right.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:11 pm 28 Apr 09

Might I suggest that glimpsing them once in a blue moon when driving to Sydney, and having them firmly in one’s house view, are two quite different situations? They certainly won’t be “forgettable”.

I’m not trying to be rude here, but across the street from my house lives a family who’s teens drive some gay looking flouro coloured cars. These things aren’t forgettable either.

I no complaaaaaaaaain.

Gungahlin Al said :

I think they are beautiful – works of art if you like.
Only problem is the eye is drawn to them like magnets when one should be driving…

paint them black with orange blades, al. then you won’t notice them at all…

GardeningGirl11:27 am 28 Apr 09

vg said :

Trunking symbols said :

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

The windmills are an American rapper?

lol

Might I suggest that glimpsing them once in a blue moon when driving to Sydney, and having them firmly in one’s house view, are two quite different situations? They certainly won’t be “forgettable”.

That said, I’m not totally against them, but I am puzzled at being able to see them. They staged a consultation process with people who would be able to see them, I guess their surveyors didn’t do their sums correctly.

Let’s put some on the hills in Canberra, we might as well, they’re not being used for anything else. Plenty of wind up there, and it would be a lovely opportunity for the people who rail against Nimbys to front up and show that they’re not Nimbys.

I think it’s going to be interesting when they do ‘let them rip’, so to speak.

People complaining about them — tough, whine about something else. People admiring them — they’re different/unusual so they generate some comment. After a few years, they’ll be completely forgettable “A wind farm, oh yeah, out near Lake George, whaddya want to know about it?”.

Ant: you’re a bit tetchy these days. 🙂

“Ludicris”, that’s hilarious. I bet they use w/e for ‘Whatever’ as well, nudge nudge, wink wink.

Ex
[yes, I’m *always* tetchy, thanks for thinking about commenting, J.Random Newbie]

Ah hah! Thanks for clarifying people. I was driving past on Sunday in gale forced winds and was completely perplexed as to why they weren’t turning!

taco said :

Turn the snowy hydro into the nation’s battery – when we’ve got an excess of wind/solar/etc we can pump water back uphill to reuse with the otherwise wasted energy.

Slight Problem with that.
There has to be water to pump in the first place.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

The issue becomes one of storage. With some thinking I reckon we could find ways to conveniently store the power generated and apply it as required.

Turn the snowy hydro into the nation’s battery – when we’ve got an excess of wind/solar/etc we can pump water back uphill to reuse with the otherwise wasted energy.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy6:36 am 28 Apr 09

The issue becomes one of storage. With some thinking I reckon we could find ways to conveniently store the power generated and apply it as required.

DrKarl said :

Bet you both drive 4 x 4s that have never seen a dirt road too, I agree with…

I think gathering energy from wind is a top idea. Provided the generators last long enough to make the whole thing cost effective, I think wind power would have to feature prominently in our energy future.

I don’t, the power generated is too unpredictable. Locating them off shore is a better bet for more constant wind, but even there it’s variable.

DrKarl said :

Bet you both drive 4 x 4s that have never seen a dirt road too, I agree with…

what a stupid presumption. But since you completely failed to even quote competently, I suppose it’s to be expected.

I’m absolutely staggered to find that I can see the bloody things! and I’m miles from Bung, miles from Lake George, and yet there they are, growing up over the far ridge. argh. Why don’t they paint them pale blue?

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

Bet you both drive 4 x 4s that have never seen a dirt road too, I agree with…

I think gathering energy from wind is a top idea. Provided the generators last long enough to make the whole thing cost effective, I think wind power would have to feature prominently in our energy future.

Personally, I think that they should have bright coloured lights on the tips, so that at night you can see little circles in the night sky.

I’m absolutely staggered to find that I can see the bloody things! and I’m miles from Bung, miles from Lake George, and yet there they are, growing up over the far ridge. argh. Why don’t they paint them pale blue?

If you want to go have a look, drive to Bung and then take the Tarago Road. There’s several waves of them, on a series of ridges. Craploads. They’re still building them, they’re in bits on the ground. I figure that once they’re all built, they’ll turn them on.

Trunking symbols said :

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

Wind Turbines need smooth air to operate efficiently, however in the act of turning the turbine the wind becomes not so smooth so you need a certain distance between them depending on size.

vg said :

Trunking symbols said :

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

The windmills are an American rapper?

Love it!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:12 pm 27 Apr 09

I think gathering energy from wind is a top idea. Provided the generators last long enough to make the whole thing cost effective, I think wind power would have to feature prominently in our energy future.

Only if you open and close the front door 20 times after clapping three times. 🙂

Back before I started sharing flats n houses with clothes dryer addicts (I’m paying an equal share for the power bill so I may as well use the dryer too), I used to be obsessive compulsive enough to colour co-ordinate clothes line pegs with clothes and ensure I used the same style and colour peg where (as in most cases) the same article of clothing required multiple pegs.

Does that count? 🙂

If you put them too close together you stop the wind, then you don’t get electricity and the hang glider pilots also get upset.

Woody Mann-Caruso7:45 pm 27 Apr 09

These windmills are ludacris.

Do you have kids? Please tell me you don’t have any kids.

Trunking symbols said :

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

The windmills are an American rapper?

Trunking symbols said :

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

They put them far apart otherwise they steal each other’s wind

oops, I quoted the wrong comment… that pegs/clothesline thing… actually meant to be in response to Trunking symbols comment.

I obviously don’t pay as much attention to things as Trunking symbols does.

trevar said :

My understanding is that the specific locations are tested and selected for the average velocity of the wind that passes that point, rather than for the overall aesthetic impact…

By any chance, do you make sure that the pegs on your hills hoist are equal distance apart when you are putting out the washing? … just a hunch 😉

Gungahlin Al6:25 pm 27 Apr 09

I think they are beautiful – works of art if you like.
Only problem is the eye is drawn to them like magnets when one should be driving…

trevar said :

My understanding is that the specific locations are tested and selected for the average velocity of the wind that passes that point, rather than for the overall aesthetic impact…

🙂 +1

My understanding is that the specific locations are tested and selected for the average velocity of the wind that passes that point, rather than for the overall aesthetic impact…

Trunking symbols5:12 pm 27 Apr 09

These windmills are ludacris. I’ve seen them on the way back from Sydney and they seem to be a long way away from each other. Are they going to erect more to fill in the spaces?

They will be a lot more cost effective then feed-in tariff PV on Canberra houses.

Theyre going to power the de-sal plant when its done. Hence they arent active yet.

Seems they are expected to be operational in October. 8 turbines are yet to be installed.

Info from here: http://www.rpv.com.au/

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