This study is total bullshit. Wind power has huge potential to provide cheap, clean energy. Portugal has just gone 100% renewables, by the way.
The best way to harvest windpower is offshore. The winds are not obstructed by terrain there, and the sight and sound is far from human habitation. We have years of offshore oil technology to exploit now, as well as redundant oil platforms, that could be used.
Denmark did most to advance offshore wind technology, using iterative improvements.
Solar panels are becoming much cheaper, too.
Check out the documentary "Who killed the electric car?" and you will see that Big Oil is likely the motivator behind this bull.
Nuclear power has massively superior potential, energy/power density is insanely good, reliability is incredible. I know it's all moot as few of us here could influence serious power production and most of us can setup a wind turbine ourselves trivially, but it's still something to weigh.
Nothing can compete with nuclear. We also need solar on every house, and the utility companies need to be beaten into submission. They are taxpayer subsidized, so utilities should not be able to interfere with home solar.
You are right, I agree, but I hate solar power to be honest. Solar requires batteries, panels are fragile, sun doesn't always shine, snow and ice make the panels worthless.
Also there is a problem with how and what the panels are manufactured with. Nobody likes to talk about that much. They are nice and clean on the roof of your house, but they are not nice and clean taking into account the whole manufacturing cycle.
This is why "green" energy is mostly a scam. Similar problems with the batteries and their toxic materials.
view the rest of the comments →
RiverWind ago
This study is total bullshit. Wind power has huge potential to provide cheap, clean energy. Portugal has just gone 100% renewables, by the way.
The best way to harvest windpower is offshore. The winds are not obstructed by terrain there, and the sight and sound is far from human habitation. We have years of offshore oil technology to exploit now, as well as redundant oil platforms, that could be used.
Denmark did most to advance offshore wind technology, using iterative improvements.
Solar panels are becoming much cheaper, too.
Check out the documentary "Who killed the electric car?" and you will see that Big Oil is likely the motivator behind this bull.
WhiteSurvivalist ago
Nuclear power has massively superior potential, energy/power density is insanely good, reliability is incredible. I know it's all moot as few of us here could influence serious power production and most of us can setup a wind turbine ourselves trivially, but it's still something to weigh.
pby1000 ago
Nothing can compete with nuclear. We also need solar on every house, and the utility companies need to be beaten into submission. They are taxpayer subsidized, so utilities should not be able to interfere with home solar.
RiverWind ago
There is a type of thorium reactor which is meant to have many benefits. Our Sun, Sol, is also a naturally occuring, nuclear reactor!
https://www.hooktube.com/watch?v=uK367T7h6ZY
WhiteSurvivalist ago
You are right, I agree, but I hate solar power to be honest. Solar requires batteries, panels are fragile, sun doesn't always shine, snow and ice make the panels worthless.
qwop ago
Also there is a problem with how and what the panels are manufactured with. Nobody likes to talk about that much. They are nice and clean on the roof of your house, but they are not nice and clean taking into account the whole manufacturing cycle.
This is why "green" energy is mostly a scam. Similar problems with the batteries and their toxic materials.