by Timlynn Babitsky
Complaints around a wind project often focus on the “ugliness” of a tall tower with blades on top, and how it will spoil someone’s view. From the massive four-bladed windmills we see in The Netherlands, to the many bladed water-pumping windmills we still see across rural America, we have come to think of a wind turbine as being the stereotypical Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT). If turbine design is a resistance issue for your project, there ARE other turbine designs out there to consider. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Coming soon … taking a good look at a highly contentious case study. In the meantime….
Here’s a very funny video from the Jon Stewart Show about the Cape Wind project. It will give you some context for the analysis later. Its focus is on humor, but therein lies much truth. Click here to view.
by Timlynn Babitsky
I’ve been on a hunt for songs and music with the beauty of wind as the theme. There are certainly a number of songs about the terrible power of wind. You know, sinking ships, blowing away dreams and that kind of thing. I posted my query to one of the best folk music websites thinking there MUST be some great ”good wind” folk songs….and three songs were immediately posted in reply: (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
A fully functioning, electricity-producing wind turbine standing only 8 inches tall? The PicoTurbine teaches wind energy concepts to kids from grade 5 to adult. It’s been used by major universities like MIT and Caltech for summer youth programs, comes with teacher’s guide and more. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
“Noise” is definitely in the ear of the listener. What constitutes “noise” has pretty much shifted with every generation’s music. Ask any parent — what may be soothing rhythms to one can be headache producing racket to another. So, when it comes to the Noise Issue and wind turbines, there is no objective way to measure how upsetting a sound may be to one person and not another. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
If some of your project resistors claim a tall wind turbine is unattractive, or would spoil their view of Nature, the hills, the beach or the sea. Or if your particular small wind project offends neighbors who claim they don’t want to see “that thing” or have it strobe-shade their tomatoes – you might want check into the VAWT advantage. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
The political caucuses brought Iowa to the attention of the election-focused media. But did you know that this traditional Middle America landscape has become the poster child for green agendas? “Iowa now ranks third in the nation in wind energy production,” says Governor Chet Culver. “When combined with our leadership in ethanol and biodiesel production, Iowa is the nation’s undisputed renewable energy leader…” (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Rural America is definitely reaping the benefits of wind power. Lowering energy bills through net metering of power generated by a single turbine or leasing your land for a wind farm of turbines are just two of the most often touted benefits….but there is a whole lot more going on here. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
With the President’s State of the Union address behind us, we got to thinking – what is the State of the Wind Power Union now at the front of 2008? What’s the potential for wind energy production in the US? How much have we tapped to date? What’s the real potential for economic benefit? Can a wind energy patch really help get us off our oil addiction? (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
The Department of Energy has selected Montana as one of five states to participate in the inaugural year of the Wind for Schools Program. While the Program has received a three-year commitment from DOE to fund Host School curriculum development and the establishment of a Wind Applications Center (WAC) at MSU-Bozeman the program is in danger. (more…)
