The blades are moving from the factory to the port in Denmark. The turbine will be installed off of the coast in Scotland. It will be a record-setting 7M Watt turbine - Three blades will be moved. Blade transportation is estimated at 25% of the total cost of the installed wind turbines (That is an average - I don't know about this specific turbine).

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While the image demonstrates an impressive feat of engineering, logistics, and, especially, driving skill (in addition to causing me to wonder how the h*ll they install the dang thing!), I can't help but be dismayed by the complete waste of material, manpower, and financial resources (read: taxpayer's money) on expensive and unreliable power generation. Oh, and it kills birds and gives people headaches, too.

But, nice picture.

 

Oh, and it kills birds and gives people headaches, too.

But, nice picture.

That is why these are getting mounted 3 miles out in the sea - no headaches and nobody cares about seagulls.

The rest of your arguments are growing less and less true (depending on the size of each turbine, number of turbines in each wind farm and the question of direct drive vs gearbox - all proportioned to the installed price. Prices are definitely dropping as Chinese producers and overcapacity have played more on pricing than government subsidies.

 

Impressive. Thought it was a scene from Pacific Rim.

 

Impressive. Thought it was a scene from Pacific Rim.

Can you believe that it will be premiering in Greece mid-September? The DVD will be out by then!

 

That is why these are getting mounted 3 miles out in the sea - no headaches and nobody cares about seagulls.

The rest of your arguments are growing less and less true (depending on the size of each turbine, number of turbines in each wind farm and the question of direct drive vs gearbox - all proportioned to the installed price. Prices are definitely dropping as Chinese producers and overcapacity have played more on pricing than government subsidies.

Last I checked, off-shore wind, the most expensive kind, costs 3 to 4 times more per kwh than coal (and that's only when the wind happens to be blowing!). A public that is forced to purchase a necessary commodity at such unnecessarily high prices has the simple and unavoidable effect of impoverishing them.

If you have new facts, I'd like to see them.

 

When did birds give up migration.

 

I am more interested in the manufacturing and techology of wind energy. Not the politics. There are places on this earth where wind energy is meant to be used, where the wind blows at economic speeds with economic regularity.

The location maps of economic wind is well documented in the US. Unfortunately, even those maps suffered some political re-alignment.

Birds do migrate but generally stay less than 3 miles from the coats - that is PR from the wind industry and subject to debate.

Note that thousands of wind turbines have been built in sub-optimal wind zones. It is the politicians, wind turbine manufacturers associations and people with various shades of green in their personality that make this unfortunate situation happen. Joey is correct, at some point, building a wind turbine where it doesn't belong is less green than burning baby harp seals for electricity.

 

...building a wind turbine where it doesn't belong is less green than burning baby harp seals for electricity.

Perhaps you'd rather burn red herrings?

 

Prices are definitely dropping as Chinese producers and overcapacity have played more on pricing than government subsidies.

BTW, the proceeds of those turbine/solar cell sales to the West are converted into 1 or 2 new Chinese coal-fired power plants every week. They are laughing (at us!) all the way to the bank.

 

And dying, don't forget the dying. At some point their will be an accounting.

Please keep the politics out of it.

 

It looks like they put down plywood sheets in the corner to drive over. And I presume there's a steering driver in the rear, but what about an engine?

 

It looks like they put down plywood sheets in the corner to drive over. And I presume there's a steering driver in the rear, but what about an engine?

I was thinking about that. I assume there is an engine. There are certain issues with compressing the vane if the two vehicles are not perfectly aligned.

These unusual shapes suffer lots of different forces between the time they are pulled out of the mold, transported, installed and suject to wind on the turbine.

 

I 've heard the tractor simply pulls the whole rig and the blade acts as a structural piece to link to the back wheels.

 

Nope, that rear section is self powered with a small internal combustion engine and hydraulic powered wheels, and usually has it own driver on a pendant (who often walks) who can steer it in any direction. They use them for big moves, it's pretty cool technology.

It's not a high speed operation.

 

They are made of fibreglass I believe, and are not heavy.

 

Found a video of spinner installation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud921f-uc1I

 

They are made of fibreglass I believe, and are not heavy.

They are made of Fiberglas with a steel root ring and bulsa wood core. Various reports state the weight of EACH blade between 30 and 36 mTons. "Not heavy" is relative. The total lift weight will be more than 120 mTons when assembled to the hub ring. That is like 3.3 fully loaded cement trucks in the US.

 

Found a video of spinner installation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud921f-uc1I

Great video Geo, I thought the the Crain just had a ball or hook on the end of the hanging cable until the camera zoomed in. There were two guys in a basket. The scale of this equipment is hard to put into perspective because size just doesn't compare to anything else most of use are used to seeing.

Cheers.

 

I'm wondering how they set up the crane in the first place...