'Gold rush' on to harness, deliver wind power (Maine)

[jpak]

http://waldo.villagesoup.com/Government/story.cfm?StoryID=138821

AUGUSTA (Dec 17): Politicians, scientists and policymakers seek to put Maine at the forefront of an energy revolution powered by world-class wind power blowing against the state’s entire coast.

The Ocean Energy Task Force, convened by Gov. John Baldacci, held its first meeting last week to begin the work of determining how the Atlantic Ocean might power homes, businesses and transportation in Maine and beyond.

Stacked with experts in a variety of areas, the task force is the latest in a string of initiatives that aim to ease the energy burden on Maine families and position the state to cash in on a budding global industry.

The recommendations of this task force — which hopes to reach consensus on some issues before the end of the legislative session in June — will supplement the work of other past and future initiatives.

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[Taverner]

1. NOW THIS CAN WORK

NE Wind Farms

And it can replace Lobster Fishing, since the places where Lobster are farmed is the same place you can catch wind

[Laelth]

2. "Gold Rush" is right.

The wind power industry is rushing to get the gold in the Maine treasury.

Note toward the end of the article that they're already aware that if they put up a lot of wind power, they will have trouble connecting to the New England grid. The other New England states don't want to have to deal with the power surges and complete losses of power that follow from wind's erratic nature. In addition, the wind in Maine blows the least during periods of highest demand (i.e. in the Summer).

As usual, wind power BLOWS.

-Laelth

[jpak]

3. There are over 1000 MW of onshore wind power projects completed or in development in Maine

The Maine "treasury" (lol) is not subsidizing any of these projects.

Central Maine Power and Maine Public Service are investing $1.9 billion of their *own* money to upgrade transmission lines in the state to accommodate these wind farms.

Maine currently has ~1050 MW of hydroelectric and wood biomass generating capacity to back up these wind farms - and a 1000 MW pumped storage facility is in development in Wiscasset (Maine) - and hundreds of MW of tidal power projects in the works as well.

Any and all of Maine's renewable energy systems can be integrated to meet electricity demand at any time of the year.

...and more horseshit..."In addition, the wind in Maine blows the least during periods of highest demand (i.e. in the Summer)."

http://www.capewind.org/news787.htm

Strong Sea Breeze at Cape Wind Site During Times of Highest Electric Demand

BOSTON, MA, July 2, 2007 – Cape Wind’s Scientific Data Tower has recorded strong winds on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound during each of the past ten record electric demand days in New England. These results are available in a new report published by Cape Wind today entitled “Comparison of Cape Wind Scientific Data Tower Wind Speed Data with ISO New England List of Top Ten Electric Demand Days”.

The report finds that Cape Wind would have produced an average of 321 megawatts when electric demand was at its peak during each of the past ten record-setting electric demand days as recorded by the Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE), the region’s electric grid manager. Nine of these record demand days have occurred on very hot afternoons of the summers of 2006 and 2005 and one occurred last week on June 27, 2007. Cape Wind’s production of 321 megawatts during these times of record electric demand represents 76% of Cape Wind’s maximum potential of 420 megawatts and is 76% greater than Cape Wind’s average expected output of 182 megawatts.

Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said, “By producing an average of 321 megawatts during these times of peak electricity demand, Cape Wind would have a meaningful impact on enhancing electric reliability, improving air quality, providing greater energy independence and lowering energy costs.”

Cape Wind’s Vice President of Engineering Len Fagan explained why Cape Wind’s production would be higher during these hot summer afternoons that set electricity demand records, “These tend to be the hottest summer days when the air over the land heats up faster than the air over the ocean, this creates a difference in air density and denser air over the ocean expands toward the land, this is called the sea breeze effect and you get it most during the afternoon when electric demand is highest.

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don't quit yer day job!!

:hi:

Oh yeah - Hydro Quebec is also expanding hydro-lines to ISO New England - this should allow ISO-NE to effectively manage large scale power output from those bad ol' wind and PV farms in the region...

Oh yeah yeah- ISO-NE approved a 5 MW flywheel storage system to operate in the region too.

:evilgrin:

[NNadir]

4. Really? No kidding? All WORLD'S LARGESTS? This must explain this news item:

But as Maine Public Utilities Chair Sharon Reishus unveiled the winning bid for Central Maine Power Company's large electricity users, it was clear that the competitive process would not be enough to keep rates from rising sharply. Reishus explains, "And here we go with 100 percent of bidder B, unfortunately an increase of a little over 32 percent over the current standard offer price."

Hikes of 23 percent are also in store for CMP's medium industrial electricity users. Bangor Hydro Electric's business customers will also see steep hikes: 21 percent for medium business customers, and just under 20 percent for large business users. Reishus attributes the hefty increases to the rising cost of fossil fuels, especially natural gas: "Unfortunately, wholesale electric prices are rising because of the increase in the fuel costs - that power that the generation that provides electricity - so in this case, the majority of the power is coming from natural gas-fired power plants, and the price of natural gas has risen sharply."

http://www.stayingwarm.me/radio/mainenews/080729electricity.htm

Dateline, August 2008.

In spite of claims to the contrary, Maine is a fossil fuel hellhole, with wind powered band-aids on the bruises, in the grand "renewables will save us" fossil fuel endorsement by the anti-nuke cults.

Maine's renewable energy wonder story is what it has always been: Pray it rains and fills the reservoirs behind the fucking dams.

The answer to a drought in Maine is to sit around and hope that Sable Island gas fields don't go dry.

In fact, although we're about to hear lots and lots and lots and lots of mathematics of the type that says 357,580 > 586,156, Maine's so called "renewable energy" industry is a trivial joke.

In 2006, Maine's average continuous power from "other renewables" meaning those not dependent on hydroelectric was 40MWe, not that all of the "other renewables combined" were as reliable as a 40 MWe coal plant.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/sept05me.xls

I note, with stark contempt, that Maine burns twice as much dangerous fossil fuel to generate electricity as it did in 1990.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/sept05me.xls

[kristopher]

5. Argumentum ad hominem, Argumentum ad ignorantiam, Ignoratio elenchi

And of course: Argumentum ad nauseam

[jpak]

8. "Maine is a fossil fuel hellhole" LOLOLOLOL!!!!!111

:rofl:

Maine generates *MORE* electricity from wood and hydro than natural gas...

671 thousand MWh to 656 thousand MWh...and renewbables account for 48% of the state's electricity production.

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=ME

It is Nuclear-New-Jersey-Which-Is-A-Fraud that is a "fossil fuel hell" - 2980 thousand MWh in September 08 - vs. 2930 thousand MWh for nuclear...

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=NJ

But wait - there's more!

Nuclear-New-Jersey-Which-Is-A-Fraud *imports* 23% of its electricity from hellish fossil fuel plants...

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/new_jersey.html

and soon will import more coal-fired electricity from West Virginia...

http://www.aep.com/newsroom/newsreleases/?id=1259

:rofl:

[Laelth]

6. Oops. You're right.

It's the federal treasury that the wind power industry wants to loot, not the Maine treasury. Well, that certainly makes it a better idea, then.

I also forgot that the wind power industry wants all those wonderful federal tax credits, federal subsidies, and federal pollution credits that they can then sell to big polluters, all in exchange for what? Intermittent power that wreaks havoc on an otherwise stable power grid and doesn't even reduce CO2 emissions?

O.K. Well, I feel better about the project now, especially since I actually do pay federal taxes, but not Maine taxes. :sarcasm:

jpak, you're priceless, and wind power STILL BLOWS. :hi:

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[kristopher]

7. FY2002 to FY2007.

For electricity-related R&D, we estimate
• DOE received $11.5 billion (2007 dollars) in funding from FY2002to FY2007.
• Funding grew by 35 percent from FY2002 to FY2007.
• Funding spread across several fuels: about $6.2 billion was provided to
nuclear, $3.1 billion to fossil fuels, and $1.4 billion to renewables.

For electricity-related tax expenditures, we estimate
• Tax expenditures totaled $18.2 billion (2007 dollars) from FY2002 to FY2007.
• Grew by 88 percent from FY2002 to FY2007.
• Tax expenditures largely go to fossil fuels: about $13.7 billion was provided to
fossil fuels and $2.8 billion to renewables.

• We did not include the credit for production from advanced nuclear power
facilities because there is no current revenue loss from the credit as advanced
nuclear facilities have yet to be constructed.
Federal loan and loan guarantees, preferred borrowing, and other activities
may also subsidize electricity. (All of these "uncounted" forms of subsidies apply to fossil and nuclear but NOT renewables. - K)


GAO-08-102
Federal Electricity Subsidies

Wind specifically received $62,700,000 dollars over this 5 year period and maintained between a 25-48% year on year rate of growth.

Wow, don't you look like a dumbass now?

[jpak]

9. Have a blessed day Laelth!

:hi:

[Laelth]

10. Thanks.

I think.

:shrug:

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth