[ RadSafe ] World's Biggest Wind Park -Capacity Factor vs. Nuclear

[James Salsman]

This has got to be my favorite factoid about wind power:

The entire world's nameplate electrical demand projected
for 2010 could be served by wind power without removing
more energy from the atmosphere as radiative forcing by
carbon dioxide alone adds to it today.

Sincerely,
James Salsman

Dukelow, James S Jr wrote:

> I heard a talk two or three years ago by a researcher for a Canadian Navy research organization dealing with precisely Michael's question with respect to the amount of energy that could be removed from tidal flows around Vancouver Island before causing significant changes to those flows and everything that depended on them.  The question with respect to wind is also relevant since wind and ocean currents are responsible for moving the tropical excess of solar heating to the high latitudes where it can be more efficently radiated back into space.
> 
> Best regards.
> 
> Jim Dukelow
> Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
> Richland, WA
> jim.dukelow#pnl.gov
> 
> These comments are mine and have not been reviewed and/or approved by my management or by the U.S. Department of Energy.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl on behalf of Borisky, Michael (Civ, ARL/ADLO)
> Sent: Fri 2/24/2006 5:06 AM
> To: Maury Siskel; James Salsman
> Cc: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] World's Biggest Wind Park -Capacity Factor vs. Nuclear
>  
> Radsafers,
> 
> Has anyone ever been concerned about or studied the possibility that
> interfering with natural wind motion might have a subtle if not serious
> impact on the ecology in the local area surrounding the windmills?
> Similarly, I've always been curious about how contaminated soil is
> passed through high temperature furnaces to burn or degrade contaminants
> apparently without any regard for soil insects and micro-organisms in
> the soil, which I was taught in ecology courses in the 70's are an
> important parts of the ecological system.  And I've always been curious
> about how interfering with ocean waves to generate energy would affect
> the ecosystem of the shore line.  And one more, I've always been curious
> about how a large use of solar cells might affect the natural
> absorption/reflection of sunlight and thus potentially affect the
> ecology.  I realize these effects might be very subtle in some cases,
> but the ecology course I have had characterized ecological systems as
> complex, interdependent, very fragile, and susceptible to even subtle
> effects.
> 
> Mike Borisky
> Army Research Lab
>     
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
> Behalf Of Maury Siskel
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 4:30 AM
> To: James Salsman
> Cc: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] World's Biggest Wind Park -Capacity Factor vs.
> Nuclear
> 
> Uh oh, James, your natural selection just fell into the turbine where 
> your hub circular velocity exceeded your tip speed. You in a heap a' 
> fused do do now! 480 ls indeed.....  Wonder what has gone astray with 
> the unfortunate birds that seem unable to learn to avoid large glass 
> surfaces on high rise buildings -- perhaps they need new compasses. 
> Doubtless you are developing an improvement that will point to all 
> directions instead of merely north and south.
> 
> You should go back and read the Farber LOBA story -- you'll love it; I 
> recall it fondly every time the wind farms sail past-- one of the best 
> humor pieces available in spite of its age.
> 
> Maury&Dog
> ====================
> James Salsman wrote:
> 
> 
>>The tip velocity may be higher, but the overall risk of collision
>>is much lower now.  Those of us who understand natural selection are 
>>convinced that birds will learn to avoid the turbines; it's not a 
>>particularly difficult behavior.  Starlings migrate, too.
>>
>>Wind as well as hydro and solar are all fusion power available
>>today, with the reactor reasonably sited eight light-minutes away.
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>James Salsman
>>
>>
>>Stewart Farber wrote:
>>
>>
>>>RE: Lies, damned lies, and statistics
>>>
>>>Hello all,
>>
> -----------  snipped  -----------
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