Photos from the Georogia Mountain Wind Project

[treebeard34]

I didn't say it was a bad thing I just said it looked like Poo

[Rev. Elizabeth]

I too have mixed feelings about what they look like; I have seen the wind farms in NY and in Austria (!) and actually, they don't look that bad.  I can't say they look any worse than those high voltage transmission line systems that march up and down the countryside.

[Norton]

a majority of the money is from government subsidies

Skippy, do you have a source for that info?

According to this article from the Milton Independent, the project will cost 28 million dollars and government subsidies will total 8 million.  That's not a "majority"

http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/30/psb-halts-blasting-at-georgia-mtn-neighbors-allege-flyrock-crossed-property-line/

I'm not going to argue that the subsidy isn't too large.  I think it is.  But all of our energy sources get subsidies from the government, including the oil industry which certainly doesn't need them.  And the nuclear power industry literally could not exist without being continually propped up by our tax dollars.  These are ongoing subsidies for industries that should by now be able to stand on their own.  That's different from a short-term strategy to kick-start an industry in order to create economies of scale and bring costs down for future projects.

In any event, I was just responding to this:

these parts (paid for with our tax dollars) were from China

[Harold]

I didn't say it was a bad thing I just said it looked like Poo

Sorry, Mark, I found myself with a couple of cents burning a hole in my pocket there. 

[gasman353]

Edited due to guest posting

[lena6]

And how do those things help us in Fairfax?

[MikeF9]

They don't. All the power goes to Burlington Electric(?). It will power 4,200 homes. Basically, one wind turbine will power 1,000 homes. That's quite something when you think about it.

Here's a question- What about the dam here in Fairfax. Is that producing power? and who get's that power? Does it stay in Fairfax? Or just gets added to the grid?

One way Fairfax may benefit from the towers is that you may have people come to take pictures of the towers and "as long as we're here, let's stop at a local place-bakery, store-to get a bite to eat." You never know.

[gasman353]

Edited due to guest posting

[ohhman]

Well, like I have said, it could be huge developments of high rise housing up there, could be factories, could be lots of things. Fact is, the owners decided to do this, they have paid for the land, paid their taxes, & so therefore, they should have the right to do what they feel they should~ it's not like they just went & did it as we all remember it's been a very long & costly process for them.  As for installing things in our view, guess we should be happy to still have some views left & if people are that upset about it, maybe they should have tried to purchase land themselves.  I moved here 30 years ago to our "dead end" street that maybe had 10 houses on it with lots of empty hay fields & woods; well now there must be well over 30 new houses, some still being built, expansions of homes, school & fields & I am sure many more will come.  Price we have to pay to hopefully not depend on other countries for our needs. 

[gasman353]

Edited due to guest posting

[Loctavious]

Unfortunately, the answer is NOT 'let's find more oil to satiate the countrys dependance on it."  OIL will run out - whether here or somewhere else.  Those who embrace this and prepare adequately, will be stabile where others will feel the pain of higher and higher prices. 

[msm]

Lots of Excellent Discussion  --  No Easy Answer

Solar and Tidal Forces are never-ending sources of energy -- but the investments are lacking.. Vermont seeking Solar solutions,  but here in the Sunshine State.  A State with massive geographic areas suitable to building hectares of solar panels --lack Solar Solutions    It's flat, sandy, no freezing conditions, with major metro areas nearby ..   Layout the panels and generate some wattage --- but -- No  .. doesn't happen -- How about Texas --   --- nope -- Why can't these projects catch on ??

Mike M .  BFA Class of '77

[lena6]

I don't want to buy the land.  It doesn't mean I have to like what they are doing with it.

[FletcherGram]

Thank you Rev Elizabeth and Harold.

[gasman353]

Edited due to guest posting