Chernobyl

[trapped_in_tx]

It’s the owners.

Turbine owners are making bank.

Think of the cost overhead of inking deals with likely hundreds of land owners for a single wind farm in the middle of Iowa farm ground.

After a couple farms went in, several farmers decided to put together an LLC and put up a few turbines themselves nearby.

I don't know the exact numbers but when you scale a farm to a couple hundred turbines and there are 2-3 such farms within a 15 mile radius of a central point, we are taking about a lot of money. And that's just one area along I-80 in Western Iowa.

 

[SquinkY5786]

Turbine owners are making bank.

Think of the cost overhead of inking deals with likely hundreds of land owners for a single wind farm in the middle of Iowa farm ground.

After a couple farms went in, several farmers decided to put together an LLC and put up a few turbines themselves nearby.

I don't know the exact numbers but when you scale a farm to a couple hundred turbines and there are 2-3 such farms within a 15 mile radius of a central point, we are taking about a lot of money. And that's just one area along I-80 in Western Iowa.

Hell with subsidies their generation cost is in the negatives

 

[BluegrassPoke]

Turbine owners are making bank.

Think of the cost overhead of inking deals with likely hundreds of land owners for a single wind farm in the middle of Iowa farm ground.

After a couple farms went in, several farmers decided to put together an LLC and put up a few turbines themselves nearby.

I don't know the exact numbers but when you scale a farm to a couple hundred turbines and there are 2-3 such farms within a 15 mile radius of a central point, we are taking about a lot of money. And that's just one area along I-80 in Western Iowa.

When I was at Arky St a German company put a propeller production company for windmills in Jonesboro. I went to Germany to finalize an agreement and they would only agree to a three year deal. After 2 years they closed all US production efforts due to the engineers not being able to store wind energy like we do for electrical energy. They said wind works in Europe but the US size works against their model.

 

[trapped_in_tx]

When I was at Arky St a German company put a propeller production company for windmills in Jonesboro. I went to Germany to finalize an agreement and they would only agree to a three year deal. After 2 years they closed all US production efforts due to the engineers not being able to store wind energy like we do for electrical energy. They said wind works in Europe but the US size works against their model.

I don't doubt this. The size of the farm and area served along with the ability of the company managing the production to market the energy when it can be produced is probably not as easy in parts of the US.

Those farms in Iowa have been operating for more than 10 years now and some have been expanded. I would be surprised if they were operating on thin margins, but I suppose it's possible.

 

[SquinkY5786]

When I was at Arky St a German company put a propeller production company for windmills in Jonesboro. I went to Germany to finalize an agreement and they would only agree to a three year deal. After 2 years they closed all US production efforts due to the engineers not being able to store wind energy like we do for electrical energy. They said wind works in Europe but the US size works against their model.

We can’t store energy in utility scale electricity anyway. Unless it’s a water reservoir with hydro units and pumping motors. Besides those wind farms generate when the wind blows and get paid when the wind blows. And even with prices in the negatives they are still profitable.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

We can’t store energy in utility scale electricity anyway. Unless it’s a water reservoir with hydro units and pumping motors. Besides those wind farms generate when the wind blows and get paid when the wind blows. And even with prices in the negatives they are still profitable.

Is that due to subsidies? No subsidies, no profit?

 

[SquinkY5786]

Is that due to subsidies? No subsidies, no profit?

Yes a lot at this point is due to subsidies. And even without I am sure they could make money but it would slow down people building new farms. The problem with wind is they keep building them in the same area. Which of coarse Oklahoma where the wind is sweeping down the plain. It’s too saturated and causes problem on the transmission system. Like SPP which covers a lot of the Midwest. They can have 30,000 MW spike in wind in less than 24 hours.

 

[CowboyPhil]

Is there anyone working on an affordable storage solution for large amounts of electricity or is it just not a thing that would ever be feasible?

 

[Been Jammin]

Is there anyone working on an affordable storage solution for large amounts of electricity or is it just not a thing that would ever be feasible?

I think it is safe to assume that multiple companies are working on it and that it will eventually become feasible.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

I think it is safe to assume that multiple companies are working on it and that it will eventually become feasible.

Whoever figures it out is going to make billions.

 

[Been Jammin]

Whoever figures it out is going to make billions.

In that case, you and I should solve the problem. Let's figure it out this weekend.

 

[Ostatedchi]

I think you are trying to solve the wrong problem here. Solve small scale, local, efficient generation and you solve all your transmission and large scale storage needs. Combine that with low voltage solutions and you have the right recipe.

 

[Been Jammin]

I think you are trying to solve the wrong problem here. Solve small scale, local, efficient generation and you solve all your transmission and large scale storage needs. Combine that with low voltage solutions and you have the right recipe.

@BluegrassPoke
This sounds easier. Let's do that instead.

 

[Chillwell]

from the Wall Street Journal, regarding wind power.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/buildi...he-hard-part-was-plugging-them-in-11561176010