The 2 megawatt windmills from Vestas have an 80 meter (262 ft.) diameter swept area, and towers 60 to 100 meters (327 ft.) high. The 5 megawatt machines under development would need about 45 meter blades according to my calcs. These huge machines are meant more for offshore use.
I am happy to see this news release from Vestas...
"Vestas Wind Systems A/S has via its American subsidiary, Vestas - American Wind Technology, Inc., received an order (from Florida Power & Light) for supply of approximately 175 units of the V47-660 kW wind turbines with an option for more than 650 additional turbines...
....Based on the extension of the Production Tax Credit in the USA, currently with expiration at the end of 2003 as well as general positive expectations to the future, Vestas has decided to open final negotiations regarding establishment of a new manufacturing plant for assembly of nacelles, production of blades as well as manufacturing of towers for turbines in Portland in the state of Oregon, USA. The final negotiations are subject to public authority approvals etc."
Each unit of this size would power about 1,000 homes. I don't know where they plan on putting them, but TXU (Texas) has put many in the arid areas of West Texas and Panhandle to the delight of ranchers who sold their oil long ago, and never expected to get royalties again. The footprint of each one isn't that big comparable to what an oil pump and storage tanks take. They are very terrorist resistant, as all of the units would have to be taken out, which would be very unlikely. A lot of farmers could benefit from this, and it would create good paying rural jobs for the maintenance of the units.
Del |
