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For those in the wind power business, or those considering jumping in, last week brought some big news. A new study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that the U.S. could theoretically generate 37 million gigawatt-hours of wind power per year, triple the amount previously thought.
The last study of wind power potential, completed in 1993, came up with an energy potential of about 10.8 million GWh. According to NREL, the reason for the dramatic jump is better wind technology (taller and more powerful turbines) and better data used in the assessment. In case you're wondering, environmentally-protected areas were not included as potential sites.
The new number is over 12 times the amount of energy we consume each year. Americans consume 3 million GWh of electricity each year and in 2008 only 52,000 GWh came from wind.
The study offers great new maps of wind energy potential across the country, highlighting areas with high wind speeds, access to transmission lines, cheap land and other major factors for would-be wind farm developers. The maps, created by Truewind, have a resolution of 650 feet, less than the spacing between turbines, so developers could use them not just to located the best area for an entire farm, but for each machine.
via Wired
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written by Gordon, February 23, 2010
I don't believe that you have not paid for grid power since you installed your turbine. For a start a turbine doesn't spin during wind less days.
Your post looks like Green SPAM to me.
Your post looks like Green SPAM to me.
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written by Matt Peffly, February 23, 2010
I find it interesting that the report did not include off shore, notice the great lakes and ocean are white. I know it is slow going there, but one day all the fed groups with their fingers in the way will get it together.
Yes I agree the Barry comment just wants you to go to his site (the second one) and buy something. But yes there are a lot of places in the US were you would greatly reduce you bill. On days when you have extra, the rate you sell it to the Power company is much lower than the rate you pay on days it isn't very windy.
Yes I agree the Barry comment just wants you to go to his site (the second one) and buy something. But yes there are a lot of places in the US were you would greatly reduce you bill. On days when you have extra, the rate you sell it to the Power company is much lower than the rate you pay on days it isn't very windy.
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written by Tem, February 23, 2010
If those wind turbines could power homes some of the time and charge up future all electric vehicles, then there is a lot to offer there but I think that we use less electrical energy than petroleum energy. So this would be a dent in our electricity useage but it's not entirely dependable so additional investments in energy storage would be needed.
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written by Timetrvlr, February 23, 2010
...by Gordon
I don't believe that you have not paid for grid power since you installed your turbine. For a start a turbine doesn't spin during wind less days.
I believe it, lots of people are connected to the grid, produce more power than they need on windy days, sell it on the Grid, and buy it back on windless days. They use the grid as a storage device. Makes good sense too.
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written by Barry, February 23, 2010
@Gordon
You are wrong. You don't need perfect wind every day to produce 100% of your energy needs, and this article shows that. Based on this article you only need 1 out of every three days to produce enough energy, though in a residential situation this can be even less.
What you are missing is that these wind turbines are grid feed meaning that you have the energy produced put back onto the energy grid...not store it on site. Most energy companies will pay you a set amount for each kwH that you put back onto the grid which in most cases is more than what you will pay for each kwH of energy.
This is a credit debit system. As long as you use less electricity than you put back onto the grid you will be ahead and will not pay for your electricity, you will actually get a credit from the utility company.
If you read on in my article you will see where i had the wind turbine wired to the grid for this very purpose.
Yes you can produce 100% of your energy requirements.
You are wrong. You don't need perfect wind every day to produce 100% of your energy needs, and this article shows that. Based on this article you only need 1 out of every three days to produce enough energy, though in a residential situation this can be even less.
What you are missing is that these wind turbines are grid feed meaning that you have the energy produced put back onto the energy grid...not store it on site. Most energy companies will pay you a set amount for each kwH that you put back onto the grid which in most cases is more than what you will pay for each kwH of energy.
This is a credit debit system. As long as you use less electricity than you put back onto the grid you will be ahead and will not pay for your electricity, you will actually get a credit from the utility company.
If you read on in my article you will see where i had the wind turbine wired to the grid for this very purpose.
Yes you can produce 100% of your energy requirements.
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written by Gordon, February 24, 2010
I understand all of what you say, however I still don't believe you. Your site looks like it was made from one of those "buy a storefront in a packet and start making millions today" web builder products. It has zero credibility. Your use of the "!" exclamation point a la eBay speak further erodes your credibility.
I believe you posted here solely in an attempt to get people to buy whatever syndicated product you are offering.
I believe you posted here solely in an attempt to get people to buy whatever syndicated product you are offering.
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written by Alexander, February 24, 2010
Your website is a click trap. No information, pure advertisement. Shame on you.
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written by Barry, February 24, 2010
@Gordon
Yes there are products to buy on the site however the site is there to provide information on wind power for home and residential use. The site provides information on green energy news just like ecogeek, which also runs ads.
The site is not a cookie cutter site, you are mistaken. I'd like to see your effort to help people find information on renewable energy? I suppose you are going to hack on EcoGeek for running ads on their site?
If these sites like mine and ecoGeek didn't run ads there wouldn't be as much information on the internet for people to find out about wind power and renewable energy.
@Alexander
Shame on you for putting down a site that is trying to provide information on renewable energy. As stated above...nearly all information sites are advertising supported otherwise they wouldn't survive. Would you rather there be no information for people to read up on renewable energy?
Yes there are products to buy on the site however the site is there to provide information on wind power for home and residential use. The site provides information on green energy news just like ecogeek, which also runs ads.
The site is not a cookie cutter site, you are mistaken. I'd like to see your effort to help people find information on renewable energy? I suppose you are going to hack on EcoGeek for running ads on their site?
If these sites like mine and ecoGeek didn't run ads there wouldn't be as much information on the internet for people to find out about wind power and renewable energy.
@Alexander
Shame on you for putting down a site that is trying to provide information on renewable energy. As stated above...nearly all information sites are advertising supported otherwise they wouldn't survive. Would you rather there be no information for people to read up on renewable energy?
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written by Gordon, February 25, 2010
If I want to get reliable and technically accurate information I would not consult your site, nor Ecogeek.
Your site simply has no credibility.
Your site simply has no credibility.
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written by jeff, February 25, 2010
I've always wondered how much kinetic energy we'll have to take out of the atmosphere before we cause some kind of a problem.
I can imagine the derisive "that will never happen" comments coming but keep in mind most people didn't believe we could pump enough waste into the atmosphere to cause a problem either and here we are.
I can imagine the derisive "that will never happen" comments coming but keep in mind most people didn't believe we could pump enough waste into the atmosphere to cause a problem either and here we are.
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written by Elemental LED staff, February 26, 2010
It looks like our wind-generating capacity is 700 times what it was in 2008, which I guess means we would need 700 times as many turbines as we have to meet the potential. Is this physically viable? I don't know how many turbines are currently installed, but is there enough land available in the U.S. to approach this potential? Is it aesthetically viable, or would one be unable to look anywhere without seeing a turbine?!
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written by SolidApollo.com, March 10, 2011
I think we are still missing the big picture, and have been pampered by cheap nuclear power. There are many European countries with wind power.
Maybe we should wait until the electricity becomes very expensive....
Remember we just reached the peak oil...
Maybe we should wait until the electricity becomes very expensive....
Remember we just reached the peak oil...
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What would be better is if the government provided incentive for everybody to install a wind turbine on their own property which feeds back onto the grid, this way every house in the US would be able to produce enough energy for their own use and put the remainder onto the grid!
People catch up! i have been running my own wind turbine since 2007 and have not paid for electricity since 2007! See here how i did it http://www.residential-wind-po...ince-2007/
It doesn't take much effort to produce your own energy and as this article shows there is the capability for the US to produce a lot more energy than we need!