Thursday, January 1, 2009

British Windmills Are Not Turning in a Cold Wave

The UK is experiencing an exceptionally cold wave. Power demand is high. Richard North of EU Referendum has taken a look at the effects of the cold wave on wind in the UK. This is not an academic exercise, British Government Plans call for the construction of a 33 GW wind generation system during the next 10 years. But if winds fail at periods of peak electrical demand, then the entire electrical generation system could fail, and if the failure occurred during a cold wave, there could be a health disaster.

North pointed to a letter to the editor of the Telegraph (London) by Peter Mosley of Croachy, Inverness in Scotland who wrote:
I got into my car at 9am on Tuesday and the display said that the temperature outside was -13C. On my journey I went past a windfarm and observed that the turbines were not turning. They had been the same for the previous few cold days.
Does this mean that the 132,000 homes this installation claims to supply are without power, or do they manage to get electricity somehow from elsewhere?
The current winds peed map for the United Kingdom shows that as of 1:16 PM GMT, wind speeds were under 5 MPH in almost all Scotland and over half of England. Offshore wind speeds for the British Isles also appear to be low.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Paul's letter Epistle to the Galatians, 6:7


This cardinal principle in life’s great process is central to the conservative political philosophy. This mortal and unforgivable sin of moral hazard is decried relentlessly in the halls of congress and on talk radio, by conservative economists, politicians and pundants.

The party or parties that make flawed decisions or fail to comprehend the full scope of all the consequences both intended and unintended of their agenda must pay in full measure the unavoidable an certain reckoning when in full course of time and events the full and complete results and consequences come due.


But these ill consequences and unfolding of harsh reality fall upon all our heads unfair and unjust as this uncaring world may be. Those of enlightenment and clear thinking that have the means and opportunity may want to consider in foresight of prudence an independent course of action.

This spirit of independence that served our forefathers sure and true during the dawn of our nation and the roiling turmoil of our push to loosen and break free from the bondage of the foreign tyrant. Install a wood stove.

Axil

Charles Barton said...

And what would I do with a wood stove during a Texas summer?

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice. - Robert Frost

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