The Briefing Room
General Category => Science, Technology and Knowledge => Energy => Topic started by: Smokin Joe on November 16, 2021, 03:37:38 pm
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Factoid of the Week
There are 283 wind turbines with a capacity of 642 megawatts in the Bakken's major oil-producing counties. Assuming a 30 percent capacity factor, the turbines will produce 4.6 million kilowatt hours per day. One barrel of oil is equivalent to 1,700 kwh, so the daily energy from Bakken wind farms is equivalent to 2,700 barrels of oil, an amount which is routinely produced from a single, multi-well oil pad.
Source: USGS (https://eerscmap.usgs.gov/uswtdb/viewer/#7.29/48.58/-103.308)
You can put an 8 well production pad on 5 acres....
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Source: USGS (https://eerscmap.usgs.gov/uswtdb/viewer/#7.29/48.58/-103.308)
How much square footage do those 283 wind turbines take up, as compared to the square footage a single multi-well oil pad takes up? How about comparative bird-kills, too?
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How much square footage do those 283 wind turbines take up, as compared to the square footage a single multi-well oil pad takes up? How about comparative bird-kills, too?
Well, I have been trying to chase that down. I get spacings, of 7 (or more) blade diameters for full efficiency but in that 2100 +/- ft spacing between columns, other activities can still occur (mainly agricultural, here, but not excluding oil drilling or other land uses).
I would believe the facility, not counting power lines, would require a blade diameter (300 ft.) or the blade diameter plus ground clearance height in any direction at a minimum as a safety consideration. That would require roughly two acres per wind mill site, not counting access roads and other considerations/easements.
Quick math: 283*2=566 acres. But some of that may still be available for agricultural use while the wind turbine is in operation.
The industry is in its infancy here, from a regulatory stance, https://psc.nd.gov/docs/consinfo/siting/clean%20copy%20blank%20draft%20Model%20zoning%20ordinances.pdf (https://psc.nd.gov/docs/consinfo/siting/clean%20copy%20blank%20draft%20Model%20zoning%20ordinances.pdf) for instance, but sound and distance from occupied dwellings is also a consideration for safety and audible noise.
IMHO, the "noise" that may also be causing stealth health effects is that so low or high in frequency as to not be detected by the human ear, and it would be interesting to study the effects of such infrasound/ultrasound noise and vibration levels in areas where there are existing wind farms and the effects on the health (physical and mental, if any) and demeanor of those at different distances and exposed to different levels in order to set standards likely to preserve the health and well being of those in proximity to the generation towers. RFI/EMF standards should be considered as well, and the possibility of physical and electromagnetic interference with cellular and satellite signals as well.
Other studies could include the effects of infrasound/ultrasound on the behaviour and yield of livestock and wild animals, and as another course of investigation, on crop yields/quality.
Presently, nearly a third of the electricity generated in ND is generated using wind power, the bulk of the remainder using coal (we have one of the world's largest lignite reserves), and Natural Gas electrical generation comes in at only about 8%, mostly being utilized as a heating fuel.
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RickyLee
@RickyLe80284150
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10h
A two-megawatt windmill is made up of 260 tons of steel that required 300 tons or iron ore and 170 tons of coking coal, all mined, transported and produced by hydrocarbons
A windmill could spin until it falls apart and never generate as much energy as was invested in building it
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEmn4FYVgAIn_fm?format=png&name=small)
9:28 PM · Nov 19, 2021
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(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThI0PN31pII/Vu9X7xbCsmI/AAAAAAAASRE/KmSZJoDubO4R-lNef8feU4lvFZEIpRXtw/s1600/windfarm%2Bliberal%2Bhypocrisy.jpg)
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RickyLee
@RickyLe80284150
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10h
A two-megawatt windmill is made up of 260 tons of steel that required 300 tons or iron ore and 170 tons of coking coal, all mined, transported and produced by hydrocarbons
A windmill could spin until it falls apart and never generate as much energy as was invested in building it
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEmn4FYVgAIn_fm?format=png&name=small)
9:28 PM · Nov 19, 2021
Oh, I'm not advocating for windmills, and I do believe that the effects of both infrasound and any ultrasound generated may be adverse for the health and behaviour of humans, livestock, and animals nearby (which is why I think the studies should be done. I also think there could be nodal points where those sounds are much greater or less due to waveform combinations, and the oscillations of harmonics slightly out of phase could be a problem too--or not. We won't know if no one looks at it.
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I think all forms of energy have their place and should be explored and developed and let the market decide, not elitist know nothings, and the taxpayer should not be paying for the R&D...
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I think all forms of energy have their place and should be explored and developed and let the market decide, not elitist know nothings, and the taxpayer should not be paying for the R&D...
I don't mind the taxpayer picking up a little of dual use fundamental research, but I'm against subsidizing industries. Let the market decide.
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I don't mind the taxpayer picking up a little of dual use fundamental research, but I'm against subsidizing industries. Let the market decide.
The fact that Musk built a Trillion Dollar company off the backs of US taxpayers, just adds to the correctness of that latter part of your post.