And still no report actually showing any benefits!

Wind power is the best possible demonstration of the selfish, deluded nature of most non-professionals who try to engage in the energy debate. The technolgy is already pretty robust. The designers of these things have pulled off a number of neat engineering tricks to keep them from destroying themselves in a heavy wind. Maintenance is practically nil compared to most electrical generators. They consume no resources for maintenance except some grease & turbine oil. The lubes are almost all synthetics and it's very mild service, so the re-lube intervals are much longer than a conventional turbine. They are quiet. Still, you spoiled little babies find stuff to whine about. "They spoil the view." "Birds fly into them." OK, here's the deal, whiners: We find some sustainable, carbon-neutral forms of energy on a huge scale, or we go back to living in mud huts, eating roots and berries, and dying of a bacterial infection somewhere around 35. Does that sound better? The birdies and the view are safe, but you won't be around to see them.
Fundies believe in the Big Sky Daddy; Greenies believe in the Free Lunch. They are both wrong.

The only success you can cite is a long re-lube interval? Where's the evidence of wind reducing the use of other fuels?

Well, I don't know about you guys but I live in Australia and if you go for a drive from Ballarat to Moldern you will see signs that have 'no wind farmering' painted on them. The farmers don't want the landscape to be wreaked but the don't understand that if we don't do something about global warming, there will be no more land to wreak. It will be completely dry soon but some people don't get the urgency.

I am against wind farms and although people say they are benefical to the environment ,they are only usefull in one way .In others they destory beautiful landscapes where wind seems to be promissing such as valleys and mountains .Seconly they are noisey and repell native life away .And if there were to be such wild life passing though they would be lucky to surrive, therefore dangerous to low flying birds.In addition wind farms do cost money ; can break and become dangerous.

in a response to lamount B etc.

there are other ways of generating elctricity the one i believe has the least effect on its surroundings is geothermal .I am a big fan of geothermal power

This whole site is kinda fake eglitarianism/utopianism. Sort of like an episode of Star Trek N.G... Heavly influenced by today's current events. We all dream that the future will be utopia, but the reality seems to be a degeneration of society. So how about writting more stuff reflecting the dark future of polution, poverty, global warming, famine, and war that seems to be comming about. Stories about the economic colapse of western economies and the shift in global economic and strategic power. Sort of a "Fall of the Roman Empire" twist. A focus on the decline of the middle class in America. And the rise of violent crimes. It might make for better reading.

I've read that they've just approved a nuclear fusion research facility in France to be built by 2013 i believe...

Maybe this will be the answer to our energy problems.

Wow, another 20 or 30 great years and the turbines might have produced as much energy as they took to build and install.
And as for the "if we don't do something we're all doomed" brigade, try looking at the history of global temperature trends - there is nothing new here

Well, I don't know about you guys but I live in Australia and if you go for a drive from Ballarat to Moldern you will see signs that have 'no wind farmering' painted on them. The farmers don't want the landscape to be wreaked but the don't understand that if we don't do something about global warming, there will be no more land to wreak. It will be completely dry soon but some people don't get the urgency.

Windmills are great to someone who thinks inside the box. They are emission free in comparison to fossil fuels. But, what effect do they pose on both humans and animals. People who think outside the box think about the following. Windmills become foreign barriers for both birds, on land, and marine animals, offshore. They produce noise at frequencies that cause headaches and make people feel off balanced. The question is, what is worse - dying of cancer or respiratory disease caused by the burning of fossil fuels, or killing a few birds every once in a while. The answer to this is unknown because the research is not there. Not enough is known about windmills to make a decision. An not enough research has gone into placing windmills in the ideal location as to not affect animals. Hence, who is right, the one who thinks inside the box, or the person who thinks outside the box?

The forecast is reasonable. Wind Energy (Especially Offshore) will advance in leaps and bounds in countries where wind energy is already having significant impact.

Dr.A.Jagadeesh
Wind energy Expert
Nellore (AP), India
E-mail: anumakonda.jagadeesh@gmail.com

Dr Jagadeesh
On the coldest days of winter,this year and last,the contribution of wind generated electricity in the uk was almost zero.
So windpower is ok as long as we have fossil and nuclear constantly running ready to cut in.It begs the question ,what was the point?
The solution for the worlds energy needs is probably thorium.
Sorry,you will have to become `expert`in something that has actual value and feed youself from other sources than the public tit.

We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with valuable info to work on. You have done an impressive job and our whole community will be thankful to you.

Oil Shale AND SHALE GAS will still have a larger share of the market for at least for 25 years..