Wind Turbines

[Topaz]

Some people are thinking that perhaps the wind turbines may can depression. This topic is getting out of hand in Ontario and theres a small area in Chatham-kent, that the neighbours are suing the other for the wind turbines on their property. I see no good coming out of this except for the lawyers. As far as the depression, anything that bothers a person will give them depression, just think of all those people out of work! In my view, what the wind companies should have done is to paid propery taxes to all that near a certain distance from a wind turbine and then maybe people would complain and the thought of propery values going down maybe wouldn't bother some people as much, everyone wants a piece of the pie.. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/study-suggests-wind-turbines-associated-wind-turbine-syndrome-190554667.html

[MiddleClassCentrist]

What I find funny is that they don't seem to care about the cell towers in their area.

I stopped using cell phones because I'd get a headache if I talked on them for more than 15 minutes. Anecdotal, yes.

But I'd fear EMF's which are listed as possibly carcinogenic way more than turbines... but this turbine issue seems to get the majority of press time... maybe because of the idiots who protest along the NIMBY lines while trying to seem reasonable make it funny.

[TimG]

But I'd fear EMF's which are listed as possibly carcinogenic way more than turbines... but this turbine issue seems to get the majority of press time... maybe because of the idiots who protest along the NIMBY lines while trying to seem reasonable make it funny.

The difference is wind turbines make audible noises that can be plausibly linked to the negative effects claimed. With EMF there is no plausible biological explanation for the negative effects claimed.

[TimG]

In my view, what the wind companies should have done is to paid propery taxes to all that near a certain distance from a wind turbine and then maybe people would complain and the thought of propery values going down

In my view the governments are to blame for subsidizing these things. Governments should eliminate the subsidies and you can be certain that the turbine problem would disappear because no one would build them.

Frankly, the idea that my neighbor is using a wind turbine to steal money from taxpayers would annoy me more than the actual noise.

Edited November 10, 2012 by TimG

[scribblet]

Wind Turbines are causing health problems for some, the set backs need to extended. Agree about subsidies and stealing money, that is just one of the reasons energy is so high.

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/50968

http://www.windontario.ca/what-wind/

[Big Guy]

I live in Norfolk County in Southern Ontario. We currently have less than 100 of these towers here but there are more on the way. The topic is very controversial in our area with numerous passionate deputations to our local municipal council. Some property owners are suing the FARMERS who are taking about $25,000 a year for allowing these towers to be constructed on their land. They are claiming property value loss. This is pitting neighbor against neighbor and had led to some ugly confrontations.

Personally, I put the claimed illnesses due to proximity to wind turbines in the same category as those caused by proximity to magnetism, cell towers, electrical power lines, speed radar traps and a whole host of other psychosomatic illnesses. The problem is you cannot protect people from things that they believe - really believe - are making them sick. That mere belief makes them sick. We only have enough resources to deal with proven realities. Those who create their own "realities" have to adjust to the common norm.

There is yet another “definitive” study taking place as to the possible negative provable effects of these wind turbines but it looks like the results will be the same as the last 55 research papers have indicated.

I would write more on this topic but I am getting ill from the high frequency range tinkling, banging, smashing and crunching coming from the wind chime on the house next door!

[MiddleClassCentrist]

The difference is wind turbines make audible noises that can be plausibly linked to the negative effects claimed. With EMF there is no plausible biological explanation for the negative effects claimed.

What do you mean by "biological" explanation? There have been people diagnosed and tested positive to sensitivity to EMF.

[TimG]

What do you mean by "biological" explanation? There have been people diagnosed and tested positive to sensitivity to EMF.

Nonsense. Proper tests done when these people don't know that EMF is around shows no evidence of a response. Any reaction is probably psychological triggered by the knowledge that EMF is around.

What I mean by a lack of a biological explanation is there is no evidence that the extremely low levels of non-ionizing energy coming from EMF sources can affect organic matter in any way. Without a biological mechanism there is no rational reason to believe the reported effects are anything other than co-incidence or psychological.

Edited November 10, 2012 by TimG

[PIK]

Plus the fact of the artificial econmy it's producing. When will the left get it?

[Peter F]

Whats artificial about it? Somebody wants a wind turbine and contracts somebody else to build one which they do. Then the builder hires a transport company to transport it to the buyer. Transport company does. Buyer hires installer who installs the thing. Thing works just like builder said it would.

lots of money changes hands and moves around the economy.

Where's the falsness?

[wyly]

Plus the fact of the artificial econmy it's producing. When will the left get it?

anyone that you don't agree with or anything that maybe new is leftist in your blinkered bubble world...maybe it's best you move into one of those traditional amish or mennonite communities...

[TimG]

lots of money changes hands and moves around the economy.

Then why don't we eliminate unemployment by hiring the unemployed to dig holes and then fill them back in? It would be more cost effective than pissing away billions on technology we already know is inadequate.

[Peter F]

Or we could hire them to make bubblegum!

[Topaz]

The thing with Chatham-kent is that they have high unemployment, jobs offered are high tech or low part time jobs, so when the turbines started to coat the landscape there and people found out what the farmer's were getting yearly, then the unrest started. Their MP there won't get involved, rather have the MP in middlesex county do the dirty work on it. Their MPP is a PC and they want to stop all production of turbines. I was told that when the 20 year contract is up and if the wind company does want to continue then its up to the farmer to take them down and that is very expensive.

[WIP]

Windmills or no windmills, the point needs to be made and underlined that just replacing carbon fuel sources with renewables will not solve our environmental problems if nothing is done about the way our economic system functions -- specifically, the need for constant increases in energy supply to provide increased economic growth.

Windmills may have a low....but by no means a zero carbon footprint! Because the production of windmills....especially the mining and refining of rare earth metals, such as neodymium, which is essential for these new, high efficiency windmills, is a significant source of carbon emissions.....not to mention that rare earth elements become even 'rarer' as demand increases and supplies become exhausted....just like every other metal and mineral.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-05/china-rare-earths-leave-toxic-trail-to-toyota-prius-vestas-wind-turbines.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=rare-earths-elemental-needs-of-the-clean-energy-economy

[login]

Looks like the only solution is to play the smurft theme via speaker next to every windmill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU2Jkc1cHrE&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Should shut them Tories up with all the complaints.. cause they're blue right...

Blue is good, isn't it?

Edited November 17, 2012 by login

[punked]

Windmills or no windmills, the point needs to be made and underlined that just replacing carbon fuel sources with renewables will not solve our environmental problems if nothing is done about the way our economic system functions -- specifically, the need for constant increases in energy supply to provide increased economic growth.

Windmills may have a low....but by no means a zero carbon footprint! Because the production of windmills....especially the mining and refining of rare earth metals, such as neodymium, which is essential for these new, high efficiency windmills, is a significant source of carbon emissions.....not to mention that rare earth elements become even 'rarer' as demand increases and supplies become exhausted....just like every other metal and mineral.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-05/china-rare-earths-leave-toxic-trail-to-toyota-prius-vestas-wind-turbines.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=rare-earths-elemental-needs-of-the-clean-energy-economy

Which is why they are looking to start mining astrodes where the rare earth medals come from I am the first place. We have to think long ng term in 5 generations these carbon based fuels will be gone anyway. We need to do the transition at some point I am time. Why not now?

[TimG]

We need to do the transition at some point I am time. Why not now?

I am not convinced that wind will ever be viable as a power source. When fossil fuels run low we will have to turn to nuclear.

[dre]

I am not convinced that wind will ever be viable as a power source. When fossil fuels run low we will have to turn to nuclear.

Good luck with that. Nobody with coal or gas is going to build many nuclear plants in the forseeable future unless theres major improvements in the technology.

As for wind energy, the price is still going down while the price of everything else is going up. We will just have to wait and see.

[TimG]

Nobody with coal or gas is going to build many nuclear plants...

That was my point. When/if the coal and gas run out people will have no choice but to use nuclear and they will.

As for wind energy, the price is still going down while the price of everything else is going up.

Cost of wind energy goes up with the cost of fossil fuels because of the need for backup plants. Wind will never be economic until there are viable grid scale batteries.

[dre]

That was my point. When/if the coal and gas run out people will have no choice but to use nuclear and they will.

Cost of wind energy goes up with the cost of fossil fuels because of the need for backup plants. Wind will never be economic until there are viable grid scale batteries.

Right so to believe that wind will never be viable you have to believe that humans will never develop effective large scale storage. Thats possible, but in my estimate quite unlikely. Not to mention Canada has a lot of existing hydro resources that can be used for storage.

In any case time will tell.

[Sleipnir]

Wind Turbines are causing health problems for some, the set backs need to extended.

Wind Turbine Syndrome: a classic 'communicated' disease.

http://theconversation.edu.au/wind-turbine-syndrome-a-classic-communicated-disease-8318

Wind turbines power mass hysteria:

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4028112.html

Wind Turbine Syndrome: mass hysteria in the 21st century

http://www.climatespectator.com.au/commentary/wind-turbine-syndrome-mass-hysteria-21st-century

Environmental Impact of Wind Turbines: myth and reality

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=wind%20turbine%20cause%20cancer&source=web&cd=14&ved=0CD4QFjADOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cres.gr%2Fkape%2Fpublications%2Fpapers%2Fdimosieyseis%2FCRESTRANSWINDENVIRONMENT.doc&ei=b0qoULj7B8WcyQH-m4CwDw&usg=AFQjCNG_L5xkmS-vYirtyD9HEmeb5NWJBA

[Keepitsimple]

For those who haven't already, it's enlightening to stand near one to see how huge these monstrosities really are. A full-sized wind turbine is about 260 feet tall - but the blades are another 130 feet which means the entire structure from base to blade tip is over 300 feet - that's a 30 story building - or the length of a football field.

[DFCaper]

Environmental Impact of Wind Turbines: myth and reality

http://www.google.ca...tyD9HEmeb5NWJBA

I live in a subdivision that is 3-4 miles from a wind turbine. And when the wind is blowing right, I hear a swish - swish noise from outside of my house, despite having trees!!! It is likely a boom from when the blade passes the tower. I think it is university of Windsor is doing a study on the frequencies that are below the audible range that it creates. They are wondering if they are what is causing people the nausea. Maybe causing a low frequency vibration of some of there organs. Maybe an issue that only bothers a percentage of the population. Similar to sea sickness...

Here's an interview by CBC with a researcher:

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local+Shows/Ontario/The+Bridge/ID/2260705164/

I don't have any negative effects, but just because science hasn't fully understand the issue, doesn't make it settled.

[PIK]

Whats artificial about it? Somebody wants a wind turbine and contracts somebody else to build one which they do. Then the builder hires a transport company to transport it to the buyer. Transport company does. Buyer hires installer who installs the thing. Thing works just like builder said it would.

lots of money changes hands and moves around the economy.

Where's the falsness?

Take out the goverment money and it dies, artificial economy.