Ed Zotti
12-14-2009, 08:18 PM
In a message dated 12/10/2009 7:02:58 P.M. Central Standard Time, cubbie1960@gmail.com writes:
Dear Cecil, I drove to Indianapolis Monday, Dec. 7 to attend the baseball winter meetings. As I drove south on I-65 through the beautiful cornfields of central Indiana, somewhere near Rensselear, on the east side of the interstate, I encountered a huge "wind farm", with dozens and dozens and dozens of huge wind turbines, stretched out as far as the eye could see. ( Sort of made me think of a 50's Si-Fi movie ). They were all in motion at a moderate pace, as there was approximately a 10 mile an hour wind. No big deal. But, after two days of watching 30 general managers mingle and try to make deals on cocktail napkins, while avoiding the national and local press in the hotel bar, it was time to drive back to good old Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday. As you may recall, Wednesday, Dec. 9th, was the snow storm/blizzard across middle America, with winds howling from Wyoming to the Eastern Seaboard. ( Tom Skilling, Tribune 12/10: "...Wednesday 8am and 9am barometric pressure --- 28.91" --- was the lowest since October 1990 with 28.81" with 57 mph winds in Coal City, IL, and 51 mph in Kankakee...." ) So, while driving back home north on I-65 around noon Wednesday, and the wind gusting at over 50mph, I was looking forward to observing the wind turbines spinning around madly like my electric meter in the summer with all the A/C running. But, always expect the unexpected, eh Cecil? When I drove passed the "farm" this time, guess what! THE WIND TURBINES WERE ALL TURNED OFF, DEAD STILL, SLEEPING AT THE SWITCH, HIBERNATING, LOCKED DOWN AND STOPPED COLD. All I could think of was that this had to be the biggest lost opportunity to generate electricity of all time due to some goof-ball accidentally throwing the wrong switch at wind-mill-command. Or, could it be that these big turbines can't handle it "when the wind comes whipping off the plains..."? If so, what a waste. I know you can help me unravel this paradox in the windmills of my mind. Thanks, MM.
Mike Murphy
Dear Cecil, I drove to Indianapolis Monday, Dec. 7 to attend the baseball winter meetings. As I drove south on I-65 through the beautiful cornfields of central Indiana, somewhere near Rensselear, on the east side of the interstate, I encountered a huge "wind farm", with dozens and dozens and dozens of huge wind turbines, stretched out as far as the eye could see. ( Sort of made me think of a 50's Si-Fi movie ). They were all in motion at a moderate pace, as there was approximately a 10 mile an hour wind. No big deal. But, after two days of watching 30 general managers mingle and try to make deals on cocktail napkins, while avoiding the national and local press in the hotel bar, it was time to drive back to good old Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday. As you may recall, Wednesday, Dec. 9th, was the snow storm/blizzard across middle America, with winds howling from Wyoming to the Eastern Seaboard. ( Tom Skilling, Tribune 12/10: "...Wednesday 8am and 9am barometric pressure --- 28.91" --- was the lowest since October 1990 with 28.81" with 57 mph winds in Coal City, IL, and 51 mph in Kankakee...." ) So, while driving back home north on I-65 around noon Wednesday, and the wind gusting at over 50mph, I was looking forward to observing the wind turbines spinning around madly like my electric meter in the summer with all the A/C running. But, always expect the unexpected, eh Cecil? When I drove passed the "farm" this time, guess what! THE WIND TURBINES WERE ALL TURNED OFF, DEAD STILL, SLEEPING AT THE SWITCH, HIBERNATING, LOCKED DOWN AND STOPPED COLD. All I could think of was that this had to be the biggest lost opportunity to generate electricity of all time due to some goof-ball accidentally throwing the wrong switch at wind-mill-command. Or, could it be that these big turbines can't handle it "when the wind comes whipping off the plains..."? If so, what a waste. I know you can help me unravel this paradox in the windmills of my mind. Thanks, MM.
Mike Murphy