Just across the border from Indiana in Ohio
there is a stretch of road that houses wind turbines.
Approximately 200 of these modern day
windmills dot the landscape,
with another 500 planned
for installation.
You do not realize the enormity of the structures
until you get close enough to them.
EXCERPTED FROM the
AKRON BEACON JOURNAL
and OHIO.COM
AKRON BEACON JOURNAL
and OHIO.COM
I took the following information
"Each
turbine has about 8,000 parts, but arrive in pre-assembled units by truck and
rail. The tower alone weighs 285 tons and arrives in five pieces. About 300
workers are involved in the construction. The towers rise 328 feet from the
bases to the hubs where three blades, each 148 feet long, attach. With blades
upright, the turbines’ height reaches 476 feet. 411-ton turbines reach to the
skies to catch the best winds high above the soybean and cornfields that
dominate the flatlands of western Ohio .
Each one costs about $2 million and can supply enough energy to power 500
typical Ohio
homes. The turbines begin generating electricity when the winds hit 8 or 9
miles per hour. Electricity production increases up to 28 miles per hour, but
higher winds do not produce more power. $1.1 million a year is paid in leases
to property owners, with about $8,000 to landowners where the turbines are
sited, and smaller amounts to neighbors. Some neighbors have raised concerns
about the health threat, noise, the loss of aesthetics, declining property
values, a loss of quality of life, flicker or shadows passing over buildings,
the impact on birds and bats and other issues. The noise from the turbines will
be a swooshing sound of about 50 decibels. In comparison, background noise is
generally 30 to 50 decibels. Working in an office is 60 to 70 decibels and
riding in a car is 80 to 90 decibels. Therefore wind farms generally have had
strong community support and little opposition here."
HERE ARE A COUPLE VIDEOS I SHOT
OF TWO OF THE WIND TURBINES
WE GOT CLOSE TO.
10 comments:
West Texas has a lot of these contraptions but I never knew exactly what they were. Thanks for the information.
They are amazing contraptions and have come a long way in the last two decades.
These things are amazing, and you are right, it is hard to even imagine the size of these dudes. We have passed trucks carrying the arms, and they are HUGE.They are really great where the wind blows constantly.
Thanks for a good read.
((HUGS))
I guess time will only prove just how profitable they are but with all the wind we have I'd think it's great some are making good use of it. It's free and once the turbines pay for themselves should save a lot of money.
I'm all for lower utility rates.
I know a lot of people really hate having them messing up the landscape, but I really don't think I'd mind them.
I have seen them before - we don't have them here in GA that I know of anyway. They do a lot of work. sandie
I love seeing the turbines - I call them windmills - sounds more romantic somehow. We have lots of them here in Alberta, especially in the south of the province where it always seems to be windy.
we have them here too. why not use wind energy?
They are all over our area....it was quite a sight when we moved here I have never seen so many!
These windmills look so big up close. I've never seen them around here. It is very windy here today, kind of strange weather. It would be nice to see these as the wind hits them.
Have a nice week, Taryterre.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
Post a Comment