Would Wind Turbines even be considered under the Landscaping budget? When attending the presentations I thought that the turbines would be including in the renovation portion and NOT mentioned in the landscaping $5 Mill budget?
What I told chan 5 is that I did not envision large scale wind in LW as a major power source. In my mind, that is a separate issue from what we want to do at the beach. There the turbine value is primarily educational. It will also help position the city for future grants and economic development by showing an interest in alternative sources of electricity. Additionally, because the turbines will be instrumented, we will have actual data on wind generation capacity, at the coast. As we all know, it is frequently windier at the beach than further inland. Can't speak for the winds your friend mentioned, but I would not be surprised if they are drawn for inland areas, and do not attempt quantify coastal wind. The instrumentation will allow us to have actual data, which will be a good thing. We'll also be a first in the area. By the way, these turbines start turning at 7 mph, which is a fairly low threshold. Let's give them a chance, recognizing that wind is certainly not going to be the be all and end all of the story.
Had Mr. McVoy cared to review the coastal wind speeds as referenced in the initial "comments" http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/images/windmaps/fl_80m.jpg he would have found that the average wind speed at the Lake Worth Beach is between 6 and 6.5 mph, too low to even start the turbine, let alone permit it to run at its maximum potential.
It appears increasingly evident that this particular commissioner is either grandstanding for the environmental movement, or he is simply wanting to spend dollars on projects which have no reasonable possibility of success.
BIG mistake!!! Average efficiency of a large wind turbine is approx. 5% - 10%.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ftexploring.com/energy/wind-enrgy.html
http://www.solacity.com/SmallWindTruth.htm
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/images/windmaps/fl_80m.jpg
If the city is going to blow that type of $$$$$ than it should go with solar panels or an ocean current generator.
Not to worry. Lake Worth makes gigantic mistakes that cost us millions.
ReplyDeleteWould Wind Turbines even be considered under the Landscaping budget? When attending the presentations I thought that the turbines would be including in the renovation portion and NOT mentioned in the landscaping $5 Mill budget?
ReplyDeleteWho will be in charge of cleaning up all of the dead birds?
ReplyDeleteWhat about when a hurricane comes?
ReplyDeleteWhat I told chan 5 is that I did not envision large scale wind in LW as a major power source. In my mind, that is a separate issue from what we want to do at the beach. There the turbine value is primarily educational. It will also help position the city for future grants and economic development by showing an interest in alternative sources of electricity.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, because the turbines will be instrumented, we will have actual data on wind generation capacity, at the coast. As we all know, it is frequently windier at the beach than further inland. Can't speak for the winds your friend mentioned, but I would not be surprised if they are drawn for inland areas, and do not attempt quantify coastal wind. The instrumentation will allow us to have actual data, which will be a good thing. We'll also be a first in the area. By the way, these turbines start turning at 7 mph, which is a fairly low threshold. Let's give them a chance, recognizing that wind is certainly not going to be the be all and end all of the story.
Christopher
Had Mr. McVoy cared to review the coastal wind speeds as referenced in the initial "comments" http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/images/windmaps/fl_80m.jpg
ReplyDeletehe would have found that the average wind speed at the Lake Worth Beach is between 6 and 6.5 mph, too low to even start the turbine, let alone permit it to run at its maximum potential.
It appears increasingly evident that this particular commissioner is either grandstanding for the environmental movement, or he is simply wanting to spend dollars on projects which have no reasonable possibility of success.