Mich Energy Forum 2-6-2014

[gar]

140207-2017 EST

"A Pragmatic Approach to Climate Change" was the topic of last night's Michigan Energy Forum. You can view this at http://www.annarborusa.org/events/event-videos/michigan-energy-videos by clicking on the box next to the title.

Dr Pollack has a good presentation with well designed visuals. He knows how to create a slide with simplicity to get his point across. Too many of the presenters at these forums don't provide good slides.

I had trouble playing this video, but my connection is slow.

Stanley Pruss also had a good presentation and indicated how well wind power is working for Michigan.

Not discussed last evening was the manufacturing industry in Michigan for making parts for wind turbines. One company near Lansing has a milling machine about 100 ft long for machining the molds for turbine blades. This same company has a three station CNC machine to machine the housing for the turbine gear box. Across the street from the machine shop a foundry is being built to cast the gear box housing. This little local group can have a substantial influence on the cost of wind power.

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[ActionDave]

Gar,
You have had a thing or two to say about solar. What is your opinion of wind energy?

 

[mgookin]

Do you know what material they make their blades from?

 

[K8MHZ]

Do you know what material they make their blades from?

The Energetx company in Holland, MI uses fiberglass. Their sister company is Tiara Yachts.

 

[gar]

140208-2124 EST

ActionDave:

The statement by Stanley Pruss at the forum was that to meet the Michigan renewal standard the utilities had a cost substantially below original estimates and that these systems can produce at about $ 0.05 / kWh. That is not much above present coal plants and below new coal plants.

The problem of available energy vs time of day, and thus the need for energy storage, can be partially moderated by diversity of location of wind generators. This is more costly per kWh, but solves other problems. One Phd student I talked with last year is doing his study in this area. Also making towers taller improves production.

The local automated industries I mentioned lower transportation costs, and reduce manufacturing costs. Thus, lower cost per kWh. Indirectly I have heard that DTE is thinking positively about their wind generation.

I would not be allowed to put a windmill in my backyard. Could I get a good part of my needs from a windmill? Possibly. Would it be cost justified? Probably not.

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