Kilted at a Wind Farm

[bear]

Graham,
You've certainly come a long way in your kilt wearing confidence! Well done!
Does a wind farm grow only beans?

Hamish,
I think wind turbines are beautiful. Especially when compared to an oil pump. I love the stately grace of the turning blades.

All,
I think that those who hold those public protests should give up their cars and convert their houses to energy efficient houses before protesting.
Maybe they'd prefer dams or oil pumps. There's beauty for you!
The problem is not the way these things look. It's just that people want their energy without having to look at where it comes from.
Call me a tree hugger but there are studies that show some frightening facts. If all industrialised countries supported non-pollution techniques on a wartime scale, we might, (MIGHT!), be able to keep the planet healthy enough for our children to live their full lives.
Okay, rant over.

[Hamish]

Terry,

I cannot agree that those things are beautiful, but I agree with you on all your other counts. It's clear that wind farms are environmentally friendly, but we should not be desecrating our gorgeous, natural hill tops and coastal areas with them. Let's plant them out to sea, like we did the oil rigs, where they're not so obvious to the majority.

I am sorry - this is getting "Off Topic" now!

[bear]

Terry,

I cannot agree that those things are beautiful, but I agree with you on all your other counts. It's clear that wind farms are environmentally friendly, but we should not be desecrating our gorgeous, natural hill tops and coastal areas with them. Let's plant them out to sea, like we did the oil rigs, where they're not so obvious to the majority.

I am sorry - this is getting "Off Topic" now!

Hamish,
That's a good idea. I too, love natural beauty and wish to see it disturbed as little as possible. Putting the turbines out to sea is the best of both worlds!

[Blu (Ontario)]

[quote="Graham"].... this farm is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, there are 37 working turbines each stands 90m (about 270') to the top of the blade..../quote]

Wonderful pictures Graham, the size of those machines is made deceptively small by the camera lens. Most important... you had fun! Where on the island are they located?

blu

[Graham]

Blu, the windmills are located on the far north west tip of the island, on Woolnorth, a property that was once the largest privately owned in the State.

My wife worked on the property when she was 17 as a Jilleroo (female version of Jackeroo, rounding up cattle on horseback.

We saw a lot of windmills when last in Cornwall, England, while some say they are unsightly, I think they are a thing of beauty.

Here is another view:

[beverlonian]

It's not too long ago that most of the country's landscape was dotted with windmills - these are just modern day variations. Not as pretty, I agree, but certainly doing less harm to the environment than fossil-fuel or nuclear power stations.

[Graham]

Graham,
You've certainly come a long way in your kilt wearing confidence! Well done!
Does a wind farm grow only beans?

Thanks Bear, since my first custom kilt came from you, I am certainly mind ful of your contribution to my new kilted life!

Beans.....very funny!!

Hamish, I do think the windmills are a thing of beauty, but obviously i wouldn't want one in my back garden.
The wind farm I have shown you is in a very isolated area on 5,500 acres.

More info: http://www.woolnorthtours.com.au/location.html

[Aaron]

Let's see, no chance of an oil spill with these things, no need to dispose of radioactive waste that won't be safe for another billion years, and correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think anyone has ever gone to war over wind.... I don't think we're ever going to run out of wind, plus there's no need to plant more wind when this wind is harvested.

As far as I'm concerned, you can plant one in my back yard.

[Rhino]

You lot are one step ahead, I was talking about this to my mates a couple of weeks ago, buying some land to build an energy efficient house with it's own fuel source, (wind or solar) and it's own sewage system, I've got a few ideas about that, and enough left for an organic veggie plot, a pig, a few chickens and a house cow.
Just one of my dreams, and does anyone know anything about the emissions of a diesel engine run on veggie oil. Toxic or otherwise.
Cheers Rhino

[irmavep]

You lot are one step ahead, I was talking about this to my mates a couple of weeks ago, buying some land to build an energy efficient house with it's own fuel source, (wind or solar) and it's own sewage system, I've got a few ideas about that, and enough left for an organic veggie plot, a pig, a few chickens and a house cow.
Just one of my dreams, and does anyone know anything about the emissions of a diesel engine run on veggie oil. Toxic or otherwise.
Cheers Rhino

Anytime you burn something, waste is formed. From what I understand about veg oil burning is that it is much cleaner than petrol, diesel, etc. More like propane or natural gas. The only problem is the catch 22 in making veg oil. It's not as nice to the environment as you might think. To make your own diesel out of used cooking oil Ain't pretty either but here is one way of doing it. http://www.stewardwood.org/resources/DIYbiodiesel.htm

My soon to be father-in-laws brother is currently trying to patent veg. oil furnaces and ovens. I'll keep you posted on his progress.