Scotland approves wind farm

[Hary]

An 85-megawatt wind farm in the Scottish highlands has been approved despite the objections of hikers who say spectacular views of the moors will be ruined. Scottish Energy Minister announced that planning approval had been granted to the Beinneun wind farm, near Fort Augustus in the Highlands.
Wind farm will put $48 million into the Highland economy during the two-year construction period, including $1.6 million for local communities, while providing 90 construction jobs with three permanent full-time positions.

[The Oil Baron]

Personally I don't see the complaint. I think that wind turbines are stylish, and look good when tastefully installed. They are not ugly or intrusive, and when positioned in the mountains they really seem like the perfect mix between modern technology and the tranquility of nature.

[Alan]

I agree it's a matter of taste, some people like them, some don't, but the wind energy industry is not doing half enough to convince people of the contribution wind turbines make to reducing the carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

I guess the quoted power of 85 MW is its maximum power rating, so the average might be around 30-40 MW allowing for the wind variations. Nevertheless at 35 MW it produces 300 GWh of energy per year, which otherwise might produce 200,000 tons of CO2 from a carbon-fuel power plant, the same as about 60,000 average cars, or approximately one Boeing 747.

[KitemanSA]

Except, that since the wind mills are so unreliable, the power company will have to keep about the same power rating of fossil fuel generating capacity on line burning fuel, producing nothing. Thus the carbon reduction will be lower than claimed. Depending on how the wind blows in that area, it may even be negligible.

Now, an 85MW Liquid Fluoride Thorium Recycler (LFTR) would be cheaper, would be safer, would produce about 1/8th the weight of radioactive waste per unit energy produced, and would eliminate about 500,000 tons of CO2.

[KitemanSA]

Personally I don't see the complaint. I think that wind turbines are stylish, and look good when tastefully installed. They are not ugly or intrusive, ...

They are god-awful. They are both ugly AND intrusive. They are noisy, destructive, and dangerous. JMHO. Kind of remind me of oil wells with those nodding pumps. Yukk!

[Alan]

Well, some people don't like wind turbines. A steam-powered generator being run off-load only uses energy to overcome friction of various types, which is low. It does not have to be run continuously provided there is good wind forecasting. How many LFTRs are in service?

[KitemanSA]

How many LFTRs are in service?

Not nearly enough. But with the ~$13B given in direct subsidies to "renewable" (a.k.a., unreliable) sources, there could have been MANY.

[onlymho]

are there any LFTRs in production - none that I know of - still a pipe dream

[KitemanSA]

Are there cost effective wind turbines in production? None that I know of. Still a pipe dream. At least the LFTR dream has a chance of working to provide sustainable clean cheap energy.

[Alan]

The question was how many LFTRs are there?