OT Wind turbines Cheering news forTurNiP

One interesting observation from the reports on the recent power cut was just how much area the Hornsey windfarm covers. OK, it's around a GW so quite a useful amount of generation. But what can we get if we cover the North Sea and the Irish Sea with them?

One interesting observation from the reports on the recent power cut was  just how much area the Hornsey windfarm covers. OK, it's around a GW so  quite a useful amount of generation. But what can we get if we cover the  North Sea and the Irish Sea with them? 

Massive electricity costs?

Massive over capacity in medium wind, a lot of breakages (MTBF for large numbers) in high winds and bugger all when the wind drops.

Plus a lot of up front investment and expensive ongoing maintenance.

Plus they won't provide base load.

Cheers

Dave R

I'm prepared to believe that offshore wind might get down towards nuclear, even allowing for load factor, on the decades timescale. I'd still go for fracking, myself, even with a carbon tax. I don't personally hold much hope for swinging back to nuclear much before the end of the century, although I would like to be proved wrong. All depends on China really.

higher electricity bills and more powercuts and the same emissions as now

Depndd how expensivce they choose to make nuclear BUT headline costs are not the issue. UYou dont pay headline costs on your bills, you pay total costs - grid upgrades to handle peak fluctuating loads, OCGT sets to act as emergency backup on windless says, battery storage for the same reasons...and top add grid stability.. Holistic cost of wind is about twice that of Hinkley

I'd

Oh they will have to swing back to nuclear - if civilisation is to contiunue,. which it may not.

A lot of marine collisions? Brian

a change in the local wind behaviour and a lot of dead birds as well. Brian

A lot of deaths amongst maintenance crews.

Well have fusion by then, I think I heard someone say that we'll have it within 30 years :o)