i like tbone pickens, but i do not agree with him on this. why he is pushing windmills i do not know.

Dear DEW, sorry for the assumption of nationality. I love Canada, not their gov. As far as “I’m pretty sure research was done before pouring out 4 billion dollars on windmills.“ They call that propaganda. I wonder what a new nuclear plant cost. I’m sure 4 billion would go a long way towards using proven Technology that would last many decades. Wind power is not it.

Dear Lee308, it’s not MY government, I’M PROUD TO SAY I’M AN AMERICAN!! As far as them lying about it, I’m pretty sure research was done before pouring out 4 billion dollars on windmills. As I stated, they are not a primary source of electricity, just to supplement the 3, soon be 5, nuclear reactors that are located 38 miles from me. Everyone knows you can not solely depend on windmills as a constant source of energy, and no one is recommending that we do. The subject Boone Pickens is talking about, is taking foreign oil off the energy grid, allowing us to allocate it to transportation. Hopefully thereby lowering fuel cost, and dependency on foreign oil. He’s a multibillionaire, sure it could be that he wants to blow a lot of money, but I tend to think he’s done his research.

Dear DEW26M, your government is lying to you. According to my personal 5kw generator experience, I can barely run a refrigerator and one small 5000btu room A/C at once.

I have to start Refrig first,then turn on fan only on a/c, wait for it to get to speed, then start the compressor. If I start the a/c first, compressor on refrig will not start due to low voltage.

  So, 5kw x 500= 2,500,000watts or 2.5mega watts. Add in a hot water heater, oven, lights, TV and the wattage goes way over that. Sorry, don’t buy it. Once again, nice idea if your only using one light bulb per house.

As some of you know, I currently reside in Canada. I have had the pleasure to watch these huge windmills installed, day by day, 75 of them. They are quite an awesome sight to see stretched out like tall trees as far as the eyes can see. They are not intended to be used as a PRIMARY power supply, but as a SUPPLEMENTAL power supply to take strain off of the grid. As far as them turning 24/7, these are located along the Georgian Bay where there is an almost constant breeze, but still at times they do not move.

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“They’re certainly hard to miss, standing up to 80 metres high. Their power potential is equally attention-grabbing: A 1.5-megawatt turbine can power the equivalent of about 500 homes, the government estimates. “

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http://www.lfpress.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=113874&x=articles&s=societe

Check out this link if you want to see the specs on these massive windmills!

Disclaimer: Comment below was made by Carl on my computer.  The Wife

TheWifesaid:“have a constant average wind speed more than enough to keep those wind mills going 24/7”...

Sorry, don’t believe it. I’m a pilot and up to 5000 ft,I have seen it dead calm or one to two knots at night. Thats why flying at night is always more comfortable. Modern Nuclear power plants are safer than the gas furnace in your house. One small gas leak and your dead.

These areas he’s talking about for wind mill farms at a certain height above ground have a constant average wind speed more than enough to keep those wind mills going 24/7. I’m all for increased drilling and refining, solar power and all the rest with the exception of nuclear power plants unless on limited a scale. Just one bad mistake in one of these and an area the size of about half of the state would be uninhabitable for hundreds of years, as happened in Russia. T Boone is a smart man and he could make more money leaving things the way they are due to his holdings in oil but he’s thinking ahead. I like this program he’s pushing a lot.

Dear Mr T.Boone Pickens, what happens when the wind is calm? Lights go out or rely on coal/hydro/nuclear to make up the difference, which means you have to have the same amount of power plants to provide power as w/o any windmills. Not to mention, those plants can’t supply power immediately, which means brown outs. Which means more failed A/C, Refrigerator, Freezer motors. But the idea was well meaning. Drill here, drill now and build 100 nuclear plants!

Yes, Carl you are safe on this one