15 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

A new wind farm is slated to break ground, close to Amarillo to power Pantex, a plant
that assembles, disassembles nuclear weapons.
The plant currently draws 7 megawatts a day for a yearly bill of $4 million.

That's a lot of coal. And a lot of emissions that will be eliminated.

They're projecting a savings of almost $3 million annually.
http://www.triplepun...gest-wind-farm/

So soon, they will be breaking ground for new windfarms to be installed.

Some background info before it happens.
http://lubbockonline...ds#.UZQVVaK1GSo

The farm will have 5, 2.3 megawatt turbines. The contract was awarded to Siemens.
http://nnsa.energy.g...mens-government

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 15 May 2013 - 03:21 PM, said:

The farm will have 5, 2.3 megawatt turbines. The contract was awarded to Siemens.
http://nnsa.energy.g...mens-government

Must be quite windy there.

Quote

The wind farm, which is actually located on about 1,500 acres of federal property just east of the Pantex Plant, will be composed of five 2.3 megawatt turbines and will generate about 45 million kWh of electricity annually.

This is a capacity factor of about 45% which is unusually high for wind turbines

[still learning]

Besoeker, on 16 May 2013 - 03:24 AM, said:

Must be quite windy there.....

    13.5 mph (21.7 kph) annual average according to this NOAA site http://www.ncdc.noaa...cd/avgwind.html

[Besoeker]

still learning, on 16 May 2013 - 06:55 AM, said:

13.5 mph (21.7 kph) annual average according to this NOAA site http://www.ncdc.noaa...cd/avgwind.html

Appreciated, thank you.

[E3 wise]

The native Comanche Indians word for the area around Amarillo literally translates to the "the land where the wind blows from four directions at once"  honestly growing up in the area taught me they were right.  On average everyday sees high winds.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

E3 wise, on 19 May 2013 - 04:58 PM, said:

The native Comanche Indians word for the area around Amarillo literally translates to the "the land where the wind blows from four directions at once"  honestly growing up in the area taught me they were right.  On average everyday sees high winds.

I know that's right.
How Chicago got the title of "windy city" escapes me; we're almost always windier.
Sometimes, it's so bad, they have to shut down the turbines.

But it will save Pentax from burning all that coal and that's the main kudos of the installation.

[E3 wise]

As a member of the Beyond Coal Project we are so happy to see Pantex making this change and it also bodes well for further wind and solar adoption not only in Texas but at other energy intensive government users. Time to leave coal behind for clean safe Alternative energy production that help save fresh water our most threatened natural resource here on Earth.

[Phil]

Chicago got the hook "windy city" from all the blow hard politicians not from the lake effect winds.  I grew up near there and can verify!

Though I can say, walking up Michigan Avenue in mid Feb. can chill your onions off!   The reason I left the Midwest for California was a winter of -80 wind chill.

[Besoeker]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 19 May 2013 - 05:11 PM, said:

But it will save Pentax from burning all that coal and that's the main kudos of the installation.

Indeed.
Every little helps.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Phil, on 20 May 2013 - 08:26 AM, said:

Chicago got the hook "windy city" from all the blow hard politicians not from the lake effect winds.  I grew up near there and can verify!

Though I can say, walking up Michigan Avenue in mid Feb. can chill your onions off!   The reason I left the Midwest for California was a winter of -80 wind chill.

This from Wiki on the origins of the nickname Windy City. I was born and raised there btw.
http://en.wikipedia....me_"Windy_City"

[Phil]

I used to go up there a lot, took the commuter train from Hammond before I could drive.  When we could drive we'd each pick up a couple of quarts of beer, and drink one on the way up.  Once there we went to Tad's steak house and had the other quart with a good steak at about 2:00 Am or so.  $2.99 for steak, baked potato, salad, and garlic bread if I recall.  To a bunch of 16 year old punks that was living high!

I loved the museums, particularly science and industry.  I thought the coal mine was great as well as the U505.  Did you ever see the two lions at the Field museum the movie "Ghost and the Darkness" was based on?  I always thought they were creepy.  Loved the Egyptian section as well.

Still stand by my position, politicians were the braggarts, old man Daley being the biggest, (in more ways than one)!

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Phil, on 20 May 2013 - 10:16 PM, said:

I used to go up there a lot, took the commuter train from Hammond before I could drive.  When we could drive we'd each pick up a couple of quarts of beer, and drink one on the way up.  Once there we went to Tad's steak house and had the other quart with a good steak at about 2:00 Am or so.  $2.99 for steak, baked potato, salad, and garlic bread if I recall.  To a bunch of 16 year old punks that was living high!

I loved the museums, particularly science and industry.  I thought the coal mine was great as well as the U505.  Did you ever see the two lions at the Field museum the movie "Ghost and the Darkness" was based on?  I always thought they were creepy.  Loved the Egyptian section as well.

Still stand by my position, politicians were the braggarts, old man Daley being the biggest, (in more ways than one)!

Final note and then back to topic. Old man Daley was a corrupt, greedy &%^$ but by most accounts, his son
is doing a good job.
For instance-
http://inhabitat.com...n-roof-program/

http://www.energycod...chicago-il-2006

[Phil]

Speaking of being back on subject, just for grins I checked out my locations wind potential on the NREL sight.   Just as I thought, dead calm throughout the entire area.  Too bad, I really wanted to put one up.

[E3 wise]

Yea I know here in South Florida residential wind is a no go, I feel your pain.  Growing up in Texas wind mills were everywhere, funny thing is almost all the wind being harvested is utility scale production, residential wind just has not caught on.  Maybe we should all chip in some cash and let Shortpoet test one for the forum, I mean she is in the perfect spot for a wind/ solar hybrid system.

What do you think Shortpoet, want some wind and solar, I just wonder how hard the permitting would be for residential wind in Amarillo.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

E3 wise, on 21 May 2013 - 02:01 PM, said:

Yea I know here in South Florida residential wind is a no go, I feel your pain.  Growing up in Texas wind mills were everywhere, funny thing is almost all the wind being harvested is utility scale production, residential wind just has not caught on.  Maybe we should all chip in some cash and let Shortpoet test one for the forum, I mean she is in the perfect spot for a wind/ solar hybrid system.

What do you think Shortpoet, want some wind and solar, I just wonder how hard the permitting would be for residential wind in Amarillo.

Sure.
With all the beans I've added to my diet for fiber, on windless days, it would still be spinning.

There are a few companies here that install both solar and wind turbines.
(I had to go with a client to the VA today and I was once again green with envy. They have rows and rows
of covered parking there covered in panels.) Wish..........

(And totally off topic, we had a really hard rain today for about 2 hours. Lovely.)

A list of installers in the area, and what they have available-again not spam, just saying)

http://energy.source...ndturbine.shtml
(And I found out while searching, that we have a manufacturing plant here.)
Not spam just an fyi-
http://amarilloedc.c...-amarillo-texas

Btw- I can chip in $33.00, will that work?

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Windfarm construction start to finish video.