More on windmill farm

[likwid]

Originally Posted by ScottC

Back in 94-95 I worked for TPI inc In Portsmouth RI building these windmill blades, we sold them to Kenetech windpower before they went out of business. From what I was told thier generators where not efficient enough. Today, from what I have read they are 5 times as efficient! So I think it's a great thing.

The latest West Systems newsletter had a story about making windmill blades in it.

Impressive stuff.

[PaulS]

I thought something was recently put into a bill basically shutting the thing down?

[ScottC]

Originally Posted by likwid

The latest West Systems newsletter had a story about making windmill blades in it.

Impressive stuff.

Cool I will have to check that out. we used polyesterstyrene for the body and hoop wrapped carbon fiber with west system for the hub. We also SCRIMP bagged the whole thing towards the end. We were actuallyt he first to do SCRIMP it is dry vacume bagging under pressure. It draws in the resin after you bag it. Pretty nice, it was very clean.

[Diggin Jiggin]

I just wish that the people that will have to put up with looking and listening to it would benefit from it.

They say it will generate 3/4 of the power the cape needs, but then they tell you the power is going 'into the grid'. It will be a very small portion of what is in the grid, so while realistically there is more power to meet our needs the cape won't directly benefit from it. There are no guarantees the electric rates down there will even go down. Wonder what 140 turbines sound like with a 15+ mph sw wind blowing the sound onshore all summer.

Its too bad this has to be a for profit thing.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Diggin Jiggin

Wonder what 140 turbines sound like with a 15+ mph sw wind blowing the sound onshore all summer.

It dosen't sound like anything?
Because you can't hear them.

Scott: I thought Goetz thought that one up? And half the boats I race on were built down at TPI (couple sleds and a couple JBoats)

[ScottC]

Originally Posted by likwid

It dosen't sound like anything?
Because you can't hear them.

Scott: I thought Goetz thought that one up? And half the boats I race on were built down at TPI (couple sleds and a couple JBoats)

Well when we started in back in 94, we were made to sign an agreement and were told we were the first to do it, but who really knows. I worked mostly at the Portsmouth plant, all the boats are made in bristol (which I built more that a few). The portsmouth plant was dedicated to blades. They now build a cute little sailer called a Alerion, decently priced and put together ok, I did the electronics installes on a few as a sub contractor last year to help out a friend, it was fun climbing in a bilge again

they do make noise, but it is the blades, not the generators, it is a low hum, it reminds me of that austrailian instrument, the Diggerydoo (sp?) just slower. And only in very high winds

[likwid]

Originally Posted by ScottC

Well when we started in back in 94, we were made to sign an agreement and were told we were the first to do it, but who really knows. I worked mostly at the Portsmouth plant, all the boats are made in bristol (which I built more that a few). The portsmouth plant was dedicated to blades. They now build a cute little sailer called a Alerion, decently priced and put together ok, I did the electronics installes on a few as a sub contractor last year to help out a friend, it was fun climbing in a bilge again

The alerion is a total sleeper too.
Old school above water layout with a high performance bottom.

Bristol did a good job fixing their own work too. (When x-Titan XI was t-boned at Antigua). You'd never know they stuffed a wide body sheet winch all the way past the pedastle.

I'm glad I only work on sleds these days. No crawling in bilges. All the carbon panels just pop out and everything is routed cleanly.
God bless empty boats.

Been helping my father put B&G Network on his Cape Dory 36... thankfully using the old wires as messengers but some spots have been at the very least... "interesting".

But back to the topic, yes, it takes alot of wind for those blades to start humming.
Probably a vast majority of the days, unless you looked up at them, you'd never know they were there.

[ScottC]

Originally Posted by likwid

The alerion is a total sleeper too.
Old school above water layout with a high performance bottom.

Bristol did a good job fixing their own work too. (When x-Titan XI was t-boned at Antigua). You'd never know they stuffed a wide body sheet winch all the way past the pedastle.

I'm glad I only work on sleds these days. No crawling in bilges. All the carbon panels just pop out and everything is routed cleanly.
God bless empty boats.

Been helping my father put B&G Network on his Cape Dory 36... thankfully using the old wires as messengers but some spots have been at the very least... "interesting".

But back to the topic, yes, it takes alot of wind for those blades to start humming.
Probably a vast majority of the days, unless you looked up at them, you'd never know they were there.

B&B huh, probably the highest quality electronics on the market. They sold out to Simrad a few years back. VERY high priced though, the masthead unit is three time the cost of a raymarine

[beamie]

I'm in favor of them, no argument. Lots of people think they are ugly....I think they are allot more pleasent to look at than a cooling tower or big smoke stacks. 5 miles offshore they will look relatively small. Initial studies say the birds aren't a problem. Hopefully you'll be able to fish near them but with today security stuff you'll probably be restricted by 300 feet or so.

As far as lowering anyones bill....especially on the cape, forget it. Into the grid and sold for as much as the grid is willing to pay for that day.

Does anyone know how the 2 turbines in hull operated money wise? I'm sure it goes into the grid and the town gets a check monthly. Are they owned by the town or leased or private? I didn't read too much in the paper about them.