Community Chat

[Lucky Charm]

I've seen them in quantity in the CA desert.  They don't look too bad.  I've only seen a few in a grouping (like 1 to 3) in other areas.  They aren't bad looking, but they do make noise.  So the more you have, the noisier it is.  And you have to have wind for them to work.

I've never seen an oil well up close and never a pipeline besides in a refinery.  But I do see little derricks pumping away in people's yards in Huntington Beach and I just can never get over that.  Odd looking.  And I wouldn't want to look at that out my kitchen window!

[ALRATIBA]

I don't think it would bother me.  

[Free2be]

They have a certain gracefulness,  I don't mind seeing them at a distance or at least not directly outside my window.  As others have posted, there is a lot of ugly out there that is far worse.

[Tinkrbl44]

I saw these for the first time about 15 years ago in the desert, on a drive out to Palm Springs, CA.  They seemed beautiful, and almost other worldly.  Clean and quiet.  In groups, they are called wind farms, and now there are even tours  .... see below.   They're also installed in lakes .... and wherever the winds are.  I've heard that they have created many green jobs for Americans ....  and there's certainly nothing wrong with that! 

[PamfromCT]

A number of years ago, we saw many wind farms in rural areas of Germany.  Quite a few have been installed in the ocean around Block Island, which should help reduce their electrical rates there, known to be ridiculously high.  We just returned from Cape Cod, and could see some in the distance there.  Our town and an adjoining town, are together installing a solar energy farm.  This is part of our future, and I am glad to see some attention being paid to producing clean energy.  I hope we can start paying attention to transportation issues, as well.  Many countries have paid much more attention to this, and this all creates many jobs for Americans.

[BirkiLady]

Received this information with my electric bill in yesterday's email. Interesting that I had mentioned Lincoln was among the least expensive cities for electric rates. We are owned by the City and big on football. Lincoln Electric System used the Big Ten in this comparison: 

     STATE & TEAM LOCATION                          Ave. Mo. Res. Statement 

  1.  Nebraska - Lincoln                                                    $  96.42

  2.  Illinois - Urbana                                                           104.02

  3.  Iowa - Iowa City                                                           107.19

  4.  Penn State - University Park, PA                                 113.44

  5.  Indiana - Bloomington, IN                                            118.76

  6.  Purdue - West LaFayette, IN                                       118.76

  7.  Ohio State - Columbus, OH                                         125.78

  8.  Northwestern - Evanston, IL                                         130.75

  9.  Maryland - College Park, MD                                        143.79

10. Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN                                         144.57

11. Wisconsin - Madison, WI                                                153.21

12. Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI                                                160.92

13. Rutgers - New Brunswick, NJ                                         161.77

14. Michigan State - East Lansing, MI                                  174.78

* For the third year in a row, Lincoln boasts the lowest average bill of all Big Ten college towns.

[CalminHeart]

I'd love to see windmills out my window.  They are a wonderful alternative energy source.  We have several "farms" of windmills in my state and I love them.  

[Sweet_Serenity]

@Tinkrbl44 

Adirondacks love seeing them...in that area very much needed. 

Thank you for sharing the pictures. Simply magically! 

[bonnielu]

We take a ride back and forth from WV to dance.  They have a section that they are all over the place.  I like looking at them. However in my backyard, I really probably would not want one to look at.  Very very big. 

[Sooner]

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@Alison Wonderland wrote:

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@Sooner wrote:

When I see them I think they are really ruining a lot of naturally beautiful views.  And I wonder what will happen when they begin to fail and become obsolete.  It's gonna cost a bazillion $$$$$ to get rid of them then.  How come nobody talks about that?  Or are they just going to be there rusting and falling apart.  

Also wonder if they will affect weather patterns where there are lots of them.  Not saying this to make a statement about the issue of their use, but wondering what will happen with they get old and THEN people have to look at them.  

I'm old and people have to look at me!  LOL!!!

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There are lots of wind turbines in many areas of many countries and I have not heard of any of those things becoming an issue. If one breaks, you repair it or replace it, just like you would with any other appliance or part of the electrical grid. I've seen them around since the 1970s, so I don't know why you're thinking they're going to become obsolete and rust As long as we need electricity and have wind, they're going to be a useful part of an efficient energy plan.

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@Alison Wonderland  I really don't see them as a long term answer to energy.  I see them as a stop gap measure.  And everything like that becomes oblolete.  Machines and mechanical things get updated all the time. And they are GIGANTIC. 

I forgot to add that natural gas is a heating and cooking fuel most used for heating where we live.  Also more and more vehicles like many of the UPS fleet use natural gas.