Mitsubishi (click here) 250 kW wind turbines of the Kama‘oa Wind Farm in Ka Lae (a.k.a. South Point), Big Island of Hawaii. The wind farm came online in 1987, was decomissioned in 2006. Photo by Rebecca Stanek
...Two wind farm (click title to entry - thank you) projects in Kenedy County aren't far enough along to demonstrate how their giant fan blades would fare in a hurricane such as Ike.
But if they were operating, those traveling nearby on U.S. Highway 77 would have nothing to fear from them, said a spokeswoman with one of the companies spearheading the projects. Mitsubishi Power Systems, the turbine manufacturer, has designed the turbines to withstand hurricane conditions, said Beth O'Brien, of Australia-based Babcock and Brown, the developer of one of the wind farms.
O'Brien said Mitsubishi considered winds up to 172 mph in its turbine design. The turbines rotate the nacelle, or generator, to its best and safest position based on wind speed and direction.
That design also prevents excessive loads being applied to the blades and tower. If there is a strong wind, the nacelle rotates to face downwind, alleviating the load, O'Brien said....
From the New York Times today. It isn't just me that makes this 'HOSTILE' connection about Republicans. The 'attitude' is historical by now and their link with a corrupt and criminal media empire is legendary.
…Republicans (click here) have now pounced on the bankruptcy as proof that the loan program is a bust, that the president’s signature green jobs program is a fraud, and that this country’s solar energy business is in terminal decline.
None of that is true. Solyndra made a bad bet, investing heavily in a new type of solar array just as the price of silicon, the main ingredient in competitors’ solar cells, was dropping. Its demise should not spell the end of federal investment in the alternative fuels and energy sources that are critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, easing this country’s dependence on fossil fuels and keeping it competitive in the race for clean-energy jobs,
…The United States, which three years ago led the world in investments in clean energy, has now fallen behind China and Germany, which provide far more generous subsidies. The failure of a single company — and anyone who knows anything about transformative technologies knows there will be failures — is no reason to stop our efforts to catch up….
…The administration claims to have exercised due diligence and seems to have been forthcoming in responding to Congress. The company has been decidedly less so;…
…It is also important to note where some of the loudest criticism is coming from: House Republicans who want to undermine the president, belittle global warming and discredit clean fuels. Their agenda was on full display Thursday at a hearing led by Darrell Issa called “How Obama’s Green Energy Agenda Is Killing Jobs.”
The proceedings mainly consisted of Representative Issa and others asserting that money spent on environmentally friendly fuels and jobs would be much better spent on “domestic carbon-based resources” — that is, dirtier fuels like oil, gas and coal. What was not mentioned was that at least 10 of the 23 Republicans on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee — including Mr. Issa — have lobbied the Department of Energy to approve green projects in their own districts.
The truth of the matter is that when judged by its diverse portfolio, the loan program appears, at least so far, to have performed well….
