First U.S. Town Powered Completely By Wind

[Dover]

First U.S. Town Powered Completely By Wind
By Andrea Thompson, Senior Writer

15 July 2008 01:09 pm ET


The four turbines that supply electricity to the small town of 1,300 residents make it the first community in the United States to operate solely on wind power.

"That's something to be very proud of, especially in a rural area like this — that we're doing our part for the environment," said Jim Crawford, a natural resource engineer at the University of Missouri Extension in Columbia.

A map published by the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that northwest Missouri has the state's highest concentrations of wind resources and contains a number of locations that are potentially suitable for utility-scale wind development. The four turbines that power Rock Port are part of a larger set of 75 turbines across three counties that are used to harvest the power of wind.

"We're farming the wind, which is something that we have up here," Crawford said. "The payback on a per-acre basis is generally quite good when compared to a lot of other crops, and it's as simple as getting a cup of coffee and watching the blades spin."..cont'd

http://www.livescience.com/environment/080715-wind-powered-town.html

[kgrandia]

1. If we can do it for 1,500

Nice find!

I would suggest that if we can do this for 1,500 people, there's no reason we can't do it for 15 million people. Just a matter of will.

[Nederland]

2. I wonder

What happens when the wind isn't blowing...

[Dead_Parrot]

3. The coal burns

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=148950&mesg_id=149063

[jmondine]

9. It's possible...

that any surplus energy generated during non-peak times could be stored any number of ways, similar to how the transformer in one's car recharges the battery. Of course, a battery supplies DC electricity. I wonder if there's a storage device that could supply AC. Been a while since I studied this stuff in college.

[NickB79]

11. Most likely excess electricity is sold onto the grid

And conventionally generated electricity, ie gas and coal, is purchased when the wind dies down.

So, the title of the article is complete BS.

[kristopher]

4. "Displacing" and "transitioning" are so very, very difficult

For the brain dead nyukyular zombies to understand...

[DCKit]

5. Or the investment to build a "smart grid" to distribute power...

efficiently and equitably. Look at what Enron did to CA - Because they could.

It's a vast understatement to say we could do better when the grid we've got isn't adequate, and hasn't been, since the 1960s.

Additionally, the only solution I ever hear from the luddites for storage is batteries, which aren't efficient or appropriate (and probably will never be) in most situations. However, flywheels are coming along and are being installed, compressed air and water pumping are available and in use NOW and solar electric, also tested in the real world, can shave peak use locally - negating the need to build or upgrade existing infrastructure.

Solar thermal can be used for both peak or baseline generation with molten salt heat storage.

Little wonder there are so many apologists for traditional, filthy and dangerous electric generation as the alternatives begin to seriously threaten their grip on energy dollars across the globe. They're backed into a corner and have no other option than to say and do whatever it takes to hold onto their monopolies.

[kristopher]

6. It is a Democrat vs Republican issue

For the most part, it is a Democrat vs Republican issue. There are really only 3 reasons to change from our current technological focus on thermal generation (in no particular order, each factor is weighted differently by different people):
1) Energy security (price in $$ and lives)
2) Traditional "pollution" and environmental impact of fossil fuel extraction and use
3) Global warming (alteration of the balance in the essential elements of the biosphere)

No one or two of these three interest groups can muster the political force to bring about change. What we are now seeing, however, is a 'perfect storm' where all three interest groups are moving in the same direction at the same time.

I believe the recent call for action by Gore is being echoed by Obama in his speeches when he states the US must provide the global leadership to address climate change. I also believe that if the Dems take control of the legislature and executive, then action to institute plans to achieve Gore's goal will be taken. That will include a build out with smart grid technology. All IMO.

[JohnWxy]

7. THis town is showing the U.S. the way to go. Want to help? email your Senators and tell them to

get the renewable energy bill, which has been indefinitely tabled, moving. The Republicans won't sign up to the closing of tax loop-holes for their dear corporate controllers and of course NOTHING ABOUT THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE FUCKING CORPORATE MEDIA. This bill contains provisions to keep the Production Tax Credit (PTC) in place for wind farms. If it isn't signed into law the PTC WILL LAPSE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

Last year installed wind power capacity grew 45%. If we kept that pace up we would be producing 20% of our electrical power from wind in 8 years. THe reason that growth was achieved is that the PTC was put in place for more than one year. It had been approved only for 1 year at a time until the energy bill of 2005 was passed. IF the PTC is allowed to lapse it will very adversely impact the growth of wind power. THis is a case of the people, the nation against the Republicans (I know, what else is new. But renewable energy is so important we cannot allow the Fascist party to stand in the way of progress any more).

You can go to www.congress.org and easiily email your representatives and senators (email Harry Ried too) and tell them to get this Renewable Energy Bill moving in the Senate. Tell the Dems to get a news conference going and tell them to ask the people to help them by emailing the Republicans and asking them to please get out of the way of progress, even if it should cost them less money from the corporations who own their twisted, grotesque, shrunken souls (if they have souls at all, it's kinda doubtful.).

[ElectricGrid]

8. Pubs and dems have their hands bloody in this mess

don't act like dems have the high ground here. It's time to get shit done not battle politically.

Sorry this was to be a reply to Kristopher above.

[kristopher]

10. That's true for the past, not the present.

A lot has changed since Shrub entered the picture. And to give credit where credit is due, it is the work of Rethugs like Inhofe that have had the most impact on taking action.
The Dems are guilty of the usual - spinelessness.

And if you don't think it is a political battle, you are extremely naive.