http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8127177.stm

- IMO, this would be too complicated, and the expense would be staggering.

But looking to the future - do we have any other choice? No dependence on external fuel sources? That may very well be worth every penny.

In the last year about 500 of those wind turbons popped up around my area. They are thinking about linning them up in Lake Michigan as well. Not sure how well they are working but I know if you want to pay more for your electricity you can select your power comes from the wind mills. So at the moment that part is sketchy.

I kinda wonder about what capturing that much wind globally would do to our climate (nevermind all the birds that get chopped to shit). I don't think we yet understand if wind is a by-product of weather or a necessary component?

That's a concern I have with most of these alternate energy plans. Everything from dampening the tides to absorbing geothermal heat could have consequences we haven't even dreamed of.

Exactly, the only "safe" method we really understand is to do exactly what plants have been doing for billions of years - capture the sun's energy.

Even then, absorbing the sun's energy to play XBox may not have the same net effect as absorbing it to fuel natural processes that have beneficial outputs.

As far as chopping birds up, Horicon Wild Life Preserve lost that battle with the windmills. They run right through the area where millions of migratory birds come to each year. Free dinner underneath each windmill!!

From what I have read, the wind farms require about 2000 turbines to equal 1 nuclear power plant when they are working. And they do not work all day long in most places. Doesn't really seem to beneficial. They are a fine supplement, but really thats all.

'That's a concern I have with most of these alternate energy plans. Everything from dampening the tides to absorbing geothermal heat could have consequences we haven't even dreamed of.'

- And yet we know the terrible consequences of fossil fuels, but continue to hazard the dangers.

There is a company that is modifying the high tension power supports to include turbines that are built into them so as the lines extend across the nation they are making power. I believe that for homes small turbines combined with solar would be a good way to reduce the amount of power you are pulling off the gird, but i feel all that will do is raise the price for those that do not use alternative energy. I read somewhere about verticle turbines the idea sounds neat, and would have a smaller foot print than the current giant chop-o-matic ones we use now.

Those windmills are butt ugly too... must have seen hundreds of them when driving through Colorado/Kansas.

And yet we know the terrible consequences of fossil fuels, but continue to hazard the dangers.

Oh, really?

Greenhouse gases are almost certainly not a positive consequence of fossil fuels. We're certainly making attempts to back off of them partially (hybrid cars, alternate energy sources), but the fact remains that us continuing to use them (for better or for worse) is negatively impacting our environment.

Damn that global axis tilt to throughly confuse the trash science Al gore spewed.

( not saying it's not a concern mind you, but trash in is trash out and does nothing to further the cause.)

Al Gore not understanding it doesn't make it trash.

It does when he's given an award that gives his opinion credence when he is nothing but a bag of hot air.

Cheapens the award in my eyes ;(

It does when he's given an award that gives his opinion credence when he is nothing but a bag of hot air.

Cheapens the award in my eyes ;(

I'm sure the Nobel Foundation is devastated at your lack of endorsement.

The truth is that even if some of his facts were off, its not hard to argue that he's done more to promote the cause of climate change and environmental issues than anyone else on the planet. From being the first Congressman to hold hearings on climate change, global warming, and toxic waste through being his Washington Post editorial as a Senator (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101200827_pf.html) and his Global Marshall Plan conference, and his almost singularly extremely vocal lobbying for the US passage of the Kyoto Protocol as Vice President on through all of his post-White House works. Two years after his film came out, most of the only remaining criticisms to be substantiated are more criticism of exaggeration than correction, things are happening yet perhaps not at the same rate.

Maybe he invented global warming while he was scheming up the Internet.

'Oh, really?'

- Yes, really.

I'm sure the Nobel Foundation is devastated at your lack of endorsement.

The truth is that even if some of his facts were off, its not hard to argue that he's done more to promote the cause of climate change and environmental issues than anyone else on the planet. From being the first Congressman to hold hearings on climate change, global warming, and toxic waste through being his Washington Post editorial as a Senator (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101200827_pf.html) and his Global Marshall Plan conference, and his almost singularly extremely vocal lobbying for the US passage of the Kyoto Protocol as Vice President on through all of his post-White House works. Two years after his film came out, most of the only remaining criticisms to be substantiated are more criticism of exaggeration than correction, things are happening yet perhaps not at the same rate.

fuck off you pretentious git....

That prize was created for those who do the work, not a political award.

When the trash that was piled up to get out this very important message begins to be uncovered it's going to do more damage to the cause than your daft mind can begin to comprehend.

Yes me and the Nobel Foundation are the daft ones. Clearly you know much more about these things than they do.

It's your ilk that ruined a formerly important award. ;(

It does when he's given an award that gives his opinion credence when he is nothing but a bag of hot air.

Cheapens the award in my eyes ;(


Would you rather he had been given it for finding "ManBearPig"?

That prize was created for those who do the work, not a political award.


Maybe you should talk to the scientists who worked diligently on the data. pretty sure most of them really appreciate MR. Gore's efforts to bring thier work to the forefront of public conciousness .

fuck off you pretentious git....

That prize was created for those who do the work, not a political award.

When the trash that was piled up to get out this very important message begins to be uncovered it's going to do more damage to the cause than your daft mind can begin to comprehend.

What was the trash?

I drove by a windmill farm on the Big Island of Hawaii yesterday (North side of the island) and all the mills were at a dead stop.... this is supposed to be the windiest part of the whole area :(

I drove by a windmill farm on the Big Island of Hawaii yesterday (North side of the island) and all the mills were at a dead stop.... this is supposed to be the windiest part of the whole area :(

They were most likely turned off and locked. If it is anything like the hundreds out here, they arnt even on the power grid. Just sitting there doing fuck all.

Why are they not on the grid?

Why are they not on the grid?

Because it costs a lot of money to run big power lines. They are talking about it right now, going to require like 3 new huge lines.

Many many people in Hawaii have those solar panels on there homes though... I was asking a few people who live there about them and they just augment their electricity with them.

That seemed contradictory to the people who actually sell back electricity...

I did see some homes who were "Off the grid" so to speak and that is their only electricity.... it intrigues me. I may look into it if the Government will reimburse me for it....

Many many people in Hawaii have those solar panels on there homes though... I was asking a few people who live there about them and they just augment their electricity with them.

That seemed contradictory to the people who actually sell back electricity...

I did see some homes who were "Off the grid" so to speak and that is their only electricity.... it intrigues me. I may look into it if the Government will reimburse me for it....

Our friend has huge solar panels with battery storage. There is no damn way they could use only solar, especially if you have a computer or watch much tv. They have to use a generator for using a lot of electricity, like watching a movie or something.

Our friend has huge solar panels with battery storage. There is no damn way they could use only solar, especially if you have a computer or watch much tv. They have to use a generator for using a lot of electricity, like watching a movie or something.

Just last summer 20 homes were constructed on the National Mall for under $300k each that were entirely solar powered and they had to have a DVD running, a computer, and a television running the entire duration as well as washing clothes and dishes once a day and power their electric smart cars to drive around the mall ... and as far as I could tell none of them ran out of power. Running entirely on solar isn't possible since you could get periods of very cloudy days, but also attached to a grid you can run energy neutral or energy positive homes with a solar array.

Because it costs a lot of money to run big power lines. They are talking about it right now, going to require like 3 new huge lines.So...maybe I'm slow here, what's the point of them then?

So...maybe I'm slow here, what's the point of them then?

Sure is a good question isn't it.