Peter T Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 This hasn't been working for the last few weeks. Anyone know why??? Did it save any money or was it a waste of money??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 I thought it was a "gimmick" Peter, installed to encourage the use of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 If the time it takes to recover it?s own cost is in the order of 10 years (in a windy location) then I doubt this ones going to make anything in the next 20 years. Â Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 It was working on a regular basis until a couple of weeks back. Perhaps Gary can ask the question the next time he sees SB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 Not sure about this but I think they may not rotate at all if the wind is below a certain level. At best they?re only about 15% efficient so beyond a point they?d just be wearing out for little or no return. Thinking about returns, a couple of grand for twenty years might bring a better return if invested elsewhere but then again that?s not really what this is about. Â Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 Not sure about this but I think they may not rotate at all if the wind is below a certain level. At best they?re only about 15% efficient so beyond a point they?d just be wearing out for little or no return. Thinking about returns, a couple of grand for twenty years might bring a better return if invested elsewhere but then again that?s not really what this is about. Bill  Point taken Bill, but I see it everyday and it has been windy since it has stopped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 According to it's suppliers their 'patented proven flexible blade system' should be able to generate power in both light or strong winds. Â Maybe it has just frozen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted December 26, 2009 Report Share Posted December 26, 2009 Probably just switched it off so it didn't spin out of control in those 315mph winds they forecast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 I believe the cost (to us taxpayers) was ?90,000 + and in first year of ops produced ?400 value of electricity and in the second year was going to cost ?900 in maintenance - NWDA were supposed to be having a screen in reception showing annual/daily output, available for public viwewing during office hours, but have called in a couple of times and been told "it is not operating at the present time". I see there are now similar wind turbines near Bank Quay and Runcorn stations and Tesco in town were having one (is it there yet ?). These smaller wind turbines cannot be compared with those seen in the Pennines and offshore which now cost over ?1million each - Peel Holdings want to put 26 on Frodsham Marshes and claim they will produce sufficient electricity for 30,000 homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Going to be expensive electricity. Wonder how many years before they start making a profit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Well at that rate it?s going to take well over twenty years just to recover its cost and that seems quite a bit different from Mr Broomhead?s claim of just two years. Factor in the ongoing maintenance costs and life expectancy of the device and I reckon that this will turn out to be a financial liability for the town. Â Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeway56 Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 B&Q stopped selling domestic wind turbines because they were useless...a typical turbine generated 20 pence worth of electricity in 6 months. Here in Newton Tesco have installed a turbine on their car park and that too is equally useless, I suspect it's to advance their *green* credentials. Nuclear is the only viable alternative to fossil fuels if energy is to be created in any volume once the oil runs out. The French generate the bulk of their energy by this means, the UK can too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 By the time they finish discussing this, and get building, we will be burning logs/paper just to keep warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Manchester City had one planned for Eastlands - idea abandoned when H&S experts worried that the blades might hurl lumps of ice in the air, incommoding the passers-by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted December 27, 2009 Report Share Posted December 27, 2009 Let's not be negative over wind turbines - if Peel Holdings could have 26 full size turbines in a lowland situation like Frodsham Marshes and producing sufficient electricity for 30,000 homes then that has to be viable. Think about your average annual lecky bill x 30,000 and an investment of ?26million for the turbines and half as much again for distributon and maintenance? a return of over 30% per annum on my abacus It's the waste of space mini turbines like NWDA which should not be allowed by the planning authorities without sifficient prior reseach - a wind guage mast for at least 12 months to assess site potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeway56 Posted December 28, 2009 Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 When the Green Meanies quote how much power can be generated per home they use the calculation of 3 low wattage light bulbs per home. They ignore the real heavy use of appliances we all use in our homes such as dish washers and washing machines. The figures they produce are spurious and useless, 30,000 means around err....6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 As a dish washer I don't cost anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 28, 2009 Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 The average washing machine / dishwasher uses 1 kwh per cycle. So based on an average of electricity price tarrifs that equates to around 14p per wash. That's not bad at all in my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2009 Can I quote you and make a claim on the housekeeping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Sorry Safeway - current calculations of average household lecky consumption based on 6,000 kwh per home which is a tad more than your suggested 3 light bulbs. These larger turbines (over 100 metres high) are efficient and cannot be compared to the tiddlers of 15 to 20 metres high as at NWDA site and the household attachments such as David Cameron has - although research into these continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 I have carried out a full investigation and the recording device you ask about Pedro is in rfeception and apparently very large! I am compiling a little story on the windturbine which will appear on the news pages tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egbert Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Wind turbines may not be much good, but you lot are going round and round achieving nothing too. What a way to spend Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Gary - I know it's large and it's in reception along with all those wall to wall receptionists and lots of other screens but if it is regularly out of action or hasn't enough lecky to keep it going it's just like the turbine outside the building - about as much use as a chocolate fireguard and a waste of public money. My info on original cost, first year's output and second year maintenace came from my Freedom of Information enquiry some months ago - maybe you have up to date results ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Guess you are the sad case Egbert - the 6th Day of Christmas and only WWW forum left to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted December 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Wind turbines may not be much good, but you lot are going round and round achieving nothing too. What a way to spend Christmas! Â It takes one to know one!!! Peter. (Poster) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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