Thousands Of Wind Turbine Blades Wind Up in Landfills
Just thinking I can remember them being there on the welsh hills when I was a boy (so late 80s-early 90s), my Nan called them “cartwheeling grandmothers” at the time.
Have those been replaced multiple times, or would the blades still be the original ones 25~ years later?
Whatever the case, their carbon footprint does grow continually, through maintenance, manufacture and replacement.
A lot of people don't think about that.
*I'm* not "a lot of people", btw.
20-25 years of maintenance and repairs.
Which is nice, but leaves me to suspect that, as with so many things, the fundamental problem here is cost.
Would the dismantling, retrieval, transport, and refit result in a carbon footprint?
ROTH - Wind Turbine page
Well there you have one solution
ROTH - Wind Turbine page
Well there you have one solution
Here's hoping.
It’s not even close. Wind is unquestionably the better option. Most studied estimate that nuclear can compete with wind and outcompete solar, but fossil fuels cannot.
It’s not even close. Wind is unquestionably the better option. Most studied estimate that nuclear can compete with wind and outcompete solar, but fossil fuels cannot.
I know
It’s not even close. Wind is unquestionably the better option. Most studied estimate that nuclear can compete with wind and outcompete solar, but fossil fuels cannot.
Not for baseload power supply,
And solo doesn't do all that well under moonlight.
Nuclear!
Hoowa!
It’s not even close. Wind is unquestionably the better option. Most studied estimate that nuclear can compete with wind and outcompete solar, but fossil fuels cannot.
I know
That you are wrong?
It is good to be self-aware.
Comparing apples with oranges produces an invalid argument.
https://www.whatsorb.com/energy/vortex- ... out-blades
This seems to be the best solution to the major environmental impacts of traditional wind turbines, bladeless wind generators. They don't kill the birds, for one thing, don't generate the same alleged noise pollution [never been close to any turbines, but I hear they have a maddening sound when placed close to one's living quarters], and even solar panel production's environmental impact, compounded with their usable lifespan, currently gives them a definite carbon footprint which definitely ought weighs the benefits of their individual lifetime use [that's modern production methods for you].
Don't get me wrong, theoretically everything IS energy, so it could someday basically be free, I am 100% in favor of a green energy economy and upturning the energy system for the sake of environmental benefits, but 'robbing Peter to pay Paul' isn't the path to a carbon neutral economy. Much like when business and individuals buy carbon offset credits, i.e. claim to put money towards planting forests so they don't feel guilty flying a mostly empty private jet and use non-recycled paper products, etc.
As for Nuclear energy, uranium is the major impact issue. Enriched thorium being used for fission breaks down a LOT more quickly, it's my understanding that thorium energy rods' half-life render them non-radioactive after only a few years as opposed to uranium which is 'hot' for tens of or hundreds of thousands of years. Personal hydrogen cell generators for auto, home, or business use [as I understand them, I could be wrong] run on hydrogen generated from water, and their byproduct is also water. The technology for these is currently very expensive, which is likely why hydrogen cars are far less common than electrical cars. Many major auto manufacturers make hydrogen autos, but they're difficult to market due to a lack of hydrogen filling stations. Don't even get me started on the environmental impact of hydroelectric dams.... ocean bound wave generators also seem to be a great place to look for low environmental impact energy generation.
Many politicians and industry insiders cite the obvious issue as to why we half-ass green energy methods, conversion is financially "not worth it" to big businesses and government entities. With the scant taxes that energy companies like Exxon-Mobil pay in certain nations like the USA, we could conceivable raise their corporate tax rates to make them help pay for the new green energy methods which make sense, and have small, or no carbon footprint[s]. We seem to have the technology, we just have to cut through the greed and lobbying efforts by those who make the decisions for us.
_________________
-- Hank
o-(|8[#]
“Politics is the art of controlling your environment.”
― Dr. Hunter S. Thompson