Renewable Energy

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Comment by Richard Reis on May 24, 2009 at 10:00am

Conservation and efficiency are prerequisites for using alternative energy, because alternative energy is diffuse and more expensive than conventional energy (ignoring external costs such as pollution and global warming). Still pocketbook issues are important business considerations. My engineering practice, Conservation Engineering is devoted to helping businesses benchmark their current efficiency and achieve higher efficiencies and lower utility costs through better practices and cost-effective investments.

Regarding Gord Harling's comment, despite renewable energy's advantages, wind and solar are intermittent. It is possible that the rotors were not turning one third of the time because the wind speed was low those times. Since alternative energy still contributes a small percentage of the electricity in the national grid, other sources can easily make up the difference when the wind is low or the sun is not shining.

Comment by Gord Harling on June 30, 2008 at 1:41pm

Much as I like the idea of wind energy every time I go by a wind farm about a third of the rotors aren't turning - I assume it is the maintenance issues of mounting something on a 150 foot pole. Does anyone know anything about the up-time of these things or the approaches which are being taken vis-a-vis serviceability?