The only man that can say that and get people to pay attention is the POTUS. I think he’s got other fish to fry. May not accomplish anything to say it other than to rattle the Bernie types.
Wind is forever.
The salesman promised,
Routine maintenance shouldn't be the issue. Wind turbines have moving parts that will require regular maintenance and periodic replacement. The same is true of any other power plant, factory or piece of mechanical or electronic equipment. Stuff wears out. But if you want to keep the thing operating, you can. This is why B-52's are still flying and antique cars are still on the road.
At some point, major components fail, repair is too expensive, and it makes sense to retire the old unit and build new if the technology is still relevant. But on a wind turbine, everything, including the blades, would seem to be easily replaceable as a matter of routine maintenance except the tower itself. Current designs have very tall, skinny towers, but I'd be surprised if these are designed to be scrapped in 20 years. If so, surely there are sturdier designs that could be used.
Since the primary output of a wind turbine is government subsidy money, it makes sense that wind turbines have a limited lifespan.
After years of spinning off maintenance subsidies, it is time to go back to the government for another Big Score, the construction subsidy to build the new one.
why isn’t the story of the slaughter of birds being told? Yea,wonder why.
Solar panels only last 20 to 25 years as well. We put an array up with a 80 year pay back. Leadership would ask me what the payback was and were confused when I’d say “none”. They had to have the number though. I never recalculated the payback after a lightning hit took out 25% of the output and we had to pay a contractor to fix it.
New meaning to renewable energy.
Just how many birds does a windmill kill in a 20-year span?
Windmills in the Netherlands have lasted hundreds of years pumping water. The blades are almost as large as electrical generating windmills. The 20 year limit is engineered based on construction methods. Build them fast and relatively cheap and do that every 20 years.
Who believes government statistics on anything these days?
Congratulations Wisconsin! Most green power companies raid the decommissioning fund and leave once that's gone, leaving all the very tall and very big wind turbines standing abandoned and beyond repair.
Since the wind doesn't alway blow, Mills must always have a backup source to provide electricity in still times.
Yet, those costs are not allocated to 'wind power' when gov't makes these calculations....
BUT....you can be sure that YOU are billed for these costs by the utility!!!!!
***the useful life of a wind turbine is only 20 years.***
Our local coal fired power plant is now in it’s 40th year of running. It goes through a rebuild every few years but it is still running.
During my last trip to the Rochester, NY area, the southern tier is home to the foothills of the Poconos and most hilltops have windmills on them - about 20% or so are still, and not slued to face the wind, while others turn.......
Consider also that windmills are subject to the fickle winds and only operate producing electricity over a narrow range of wind speeds. If the wind speed is too low it won’t turn the massive blades and if too high the blades must be shut down or the windmill will destroy itself. While coal and nuclear plants do not run 100% of the time over their lifespan and must periodically be shut down for maintenance, their average running time is far higher that wind farms. I have often driven by vast wind farms that stretch literally from horizon to horizon and have seen every windmill idle.
And they’re ugly as sin. Devastating environmental scenery.
Moving parts
The new towers will be improved Cuisinarts.
It slices and dices more birds then ever.
but they look so nice!!!