Archives

Generating 10,000MW (equivalent to 10 nuclear power plants) in the German Baltic by 2020 (http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,567622,00.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Offshore_Wind_Turbine.jpgAnselm Waldermann - Der Spiegel - July 24, 2008

In a world resistant to nuclear power, yet hungry for energy, Germany may be able to make a big catch offshore -- Ed.

The German government envisions thousands of wind turbines in the waters off the country's northern coast. Construction on the first project begins in August. And many more are in the planning stages. Has Germany's offshore energy revolution finally arrived?

The official blessing came from the very top. "Wind energy is a very important prospect for the future," Germany's President Horst Köhler said. Green energy, he added, is "in tune with nature."

The industry is in need of Köhler's encouraging words. For the last 10 years the German government and companies have been working on plans to build enormous offshore wind farms. And, yet, not a single blade currently turns off the coast of Germany. The reasons? Technical difficulties, a lack of money and problems with the power cables… http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,567622,00.html

They must not be very considered about the birds along the North sea. ;)

What birds? It is so cold up north that all their wings freeze and they fall to the ocean and are over by danish ferries. Except for the seagulls which have icicles for feathers.:rolleyes:

Lets just keep buying $120 oil from iran, because the alternatives are so much worse for the wildlife. Besides it is certainly apparent this year that Al Gore was wrong, the problem is not global warming, its global cooling.:rolleyes:

They must not be very considered about the birds along the North sea. ;)

Point of interest about birds and turbines, apparently they're not that bad. http://www.plentymag.com/ask/2008/08/wind_turbines_birds.php

Germany produces some 8% of its energy needs from renewables today - mostly solar and wind.

It's a shame that we can't do the same here, but Germany is blessed with some much sunshine, Germany has such a huge windy coastline compared to us, Germany also has vast open flatland spaces which dwarf our Midwest so Germany has it so much easier when it comes to renewables{sarcasm off}.

I though german production was much higher...around 20/40% renewable. If I remember correctly, they have more theoretical installed capacity than any other state, or did 1 to 2 years ago. However, their turbines don't receive as much wind as some in others, so they produce less % of max to the point they are around 2nd/3rd in actual production.
I wouldn't be surprised if they are planning on using their lead to start producing more renewable energy than they need so they can sell it to other EU countries so they can meet their quotas. Truely a leader in renewable production that we should all follow. No wonder their leader regularly is stated as most power woman in the world.

VOOCH- for about 1/2 second I was "WTH" (what the heck) !! It took about one line about sunshine and Germany to get the joke. We have much better wind resources-year round- since we have the very hot land which sucks colder denser air off our oceans, gulfs .lakes etc.

Have you driven thru TX,OK etc. Lotta wind in all of W TX- AND NOT MANY PEOPLE. Those that are their really don't have many ways to make $$(other than oil,farming etc).Building and maintaining wind farms and the infrastructure would be good $20/hr jobs($40,000/yr+). Building the 2 million turbines we need(all our electrical needs - if we use small 1MW turbines) will be good jobs also. The maintenance will mean good jobs until the end of time.

I think we need just 20,000 sq miles of land- a rectangle 100 miles X 200 miles at 100 Turbines per sq mile. Cost is about $2 trillion-2-3 Iraq wars or 3 years worth of foreign oil. We could replace most of our foreign oil if we had this electricity-electric cars etc . Need to put just 50 turbines sq mile- 200x200 miles-TX and OK could swallow 200x200 miles. 25/sq mile ?-double it 400 x200.
We are a big, windy nation- lotta sun which explains the wind also.
Charlie