by Timlynn Babitsky
Think “wind power” — and electricity, generators, light bulbs, and air conditioners all pop into mind. But the city of Seminole has a pilot project in the works that will use wind power to desalinate groundwater to make drinkable water. How will they do that you ask? (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Ah, a few more entries in the Wind Songs hunt. Same song title – The Will of the Wind- two different takes; two different artists - both are on YouTube. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
If your project is a large community wind project, a small to medium wind farm, or even a single turbine you want to connect back into the power grid, you may run into the Power Grid Debate. The national power transmission system is old, vulnerable, and inadequate. But will your project have any impact on the transmission grid where you aim to be connected? (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Wind turbines, radio towers and tall buildings have the potential to affect radar. They are signal reflectors. If sited in the wrong location, wind turbines can impact the ability of radar to perform its mission. But to what extent is radar interference a large enough problem to halt wind farm development and how exactly do turbines interfere with radar? (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
In 2005, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its proposed regulations for connecting wind projects to the grid. The technical requirements it proposed recognized the proliferation of wind farms, and their special nature and potential impact on grid reliability. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Of all the reasons for resisting a wind project, the most emotional has to do with the potential for wind turbines to kill birds. The most notorious case in point, and the one that has probably done more damage to wind power development than any other, is the history of bird kills in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in California. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
In January 2006, Congress mandated a study of the effects of proposed wind turbines on military operations. Many folks at the time viewed this as a political ploy by powerful senators to stall development of the Cape Wind project on Nantucket Sound. So what’s the deal? Is radar interference real ….or something else? (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Resistance can come from many directions. The will of inconsistent wind as it affects power grid reliability is a tough argument against wind power. No one wants their power to falter in the middle of a crucial operation, a major data download, or one’s favorite television show. Wind is not a constant nor a guaranteed source of electric power, fossil fuel sources are. Yes, power grid reliability is a challenge, but is it a wind stopper? (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Wind power is our “really big agenda.” On a day-to-day level we push our little Earth-saving agendas. We put our recycle bins by the curb each week and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Yet every once in a while in our time-poor busy lives, we wonder – Does it really matter whether I wash that one sticky peanut butter jar and put it out to recycle or just toss into the trash as is?…. (more…)
by Timlynn Babitsky
Montana is the fifth windiest state in the country, yet even in 2002 there was state-wide resistance for exploring the economic potential of wind. Developing Cascade County’s nine megawatt wind park was a huge challenge! Through the strategies and tactics of a smart, visionary local leader, and her first-of-its-kind marketing effort, both outside wind developers and local constituents found a Win-Win Sweet Spot. This is an excellent case to see what works and why. (more…)