Gov: Demise of Big Stone II hurts wind development. (Where have I heard that before…?)
From the Mitchell Daily Republic, via the Rapid City Journal, it sounds like I’m not the only one waving the “shame on you” sign at the environmental nuts:
South Dakota’s wind industry may be “sidetracked” by the recent termination of plans to build a coal-fired power plant in the northeastern part of the state, according to a spokesman for the governor.
When Gov. Mike Rounds spoke to The Daily Republic two years ago about the proposed Big Stone II power plant near Milbank, he said the state was “really counting on that to get our wind power over to larger population centers.” Transmission lines that were proposed to be built with the plant would have contained extra capacity for wind-energy transmission.
Following news of the project’s failure, Rounds’ press secretary, Joe Kafka, issued a written statement last week to The Daily Republic.
“The governor feels it’s a setback to development of the wind-energy sector in the state, because enhanced transmission capacity was tied to the project,” Kafka wrote. “Without the ability to move larger amounts of wind energy to markets in large cities to the east, plans for future wind-energy projects may be sidetracked.”
Big Stone II’s fate was sealed recently when Otter Tail Power, of Fergus Falls, Minn., pulled out of the $1.6 billion project partnership. Otter Tail cited concerns about pending “cap and trade” legislation, which would require air polluters such as power plants to obtain permits and buy pollution allowances. The rest of the project partners pulled out when no replacement for Otter Tail could be recruited to invest.
and….
South Dakota is now left without a way to transmit large amounts of its potential wind power to places that need it. The state is ranked No. 4 nationally in potential wind-energy capacity, but only No. 20 in actual capacity from existing wind turbines.
It’s what I’ve been saying all along.
Obama and the rest of the looney left who are demanding wind only to the detriment of modernizing existing traditional sources of power have only cut off their noses to spite their face.
And we can thank them for setting back South Dakota’s wind energy export production 10 years.
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Comments
The real problem is this mindset, stated by PP: “South Dakota is now left without a way to transmit large amounts of its potential wind power to places that need it.”
Stopping B.S.II only hurts wind power if you’re wedded to the 20th century and the fossil fuel and nuke boys. South Dakota needs some new leaders who think South Dakota is good for something other than as a resource colony or a dumping ground for other states. For one, why do you want to export all that wind generated power? Why not supplant the coal and nuclear power you’re importing?
Don, I am curious as to how many hours a day your library has lights and what your grocery store does with all it’s spoiled meats and produce when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine? Must be a hog farmer nearby who could use all that rather than wasting it at the dump.
Donald
1. Wind energy is not efficient at this time. It needs a subsidy to make it pay. When wind turbines get old, they need much more maintenance. A person who teaches this stuff told me when they are new one tech can maintain about 10 or 12 turbines. When a turbine gets to be about 5 years old, one tech can maintain about 6 or 7 turbines.
2. The wind does not always blow, even with former Governor Janklow in the state. My understanding is you still have to have the capacity of 80% in case the wind fails us. This is a large expense for something only occasionally needed, not to mention the start up costs.
3. So Mr. Leader, tell us your plan.
Please, stop with the softballs. First, the most subsidized energy sources are coal, oil and nuclear power. I’d give up subsidies for wind. Would you make coal and nuclear sources pay their externalized costs and end their subsidies? Second, coal and nuclear plants are regularly shut down and for far longer than the wind wouldn’t blow.
I’ve been working on perpetual motion for some time, but as of yet I only have it working on a very small scale. I don’t usually show my devices to people for fear they will think I am a free-ride-liberal.
What supplies the power when all these nuke and coal plants are shut down? It is stupid for me to ask you that question Donald as you have absolutely no idea as to what you are saying. I will say it out loud, so I have to live by it. You’re statements are so (ill)littered with untruths and you refuse to research and rebut with facts but post with green china links that I will no longer respond to Donald Pay posts.
Do I live under a rock that I didn’t hear the gov, our rep or the senators speak about this with fire or partly like ellsworth before it closed?
well done pp!
I don’t drink koolaid, but you guys are stumbling drunk on the b.s. put out by the right wing echo machine. Below is a link to the current shutdown at the Nebraska nuke. It would be nice if any of you knew squat about energy. No wonder the Republican Party has driven this country into the ground. There are 10 or so nuke plants right this very minute in or near total shutdown, and several more on reduced power. Please start educating yourselves.
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssUtilitiesElectric/idUSN286926220090928
Sorry, not the link I wanted. This link gives an overview.
http://www.nukeworker.com/shop/outage_schedules/images/Sample_NukeWorker_Outage_Schedule.pdf
I hope you’re kidding! I get incensed having to do remedial energy class for the dumb-s..t Republicans. This party is in control of a state with some of the best wind resources in the world, and they are so bought off by the 20th century industries and so mesmerized by the Republican echo-chamber that they are pissing away their opportunity to lead.
donald, I get incensed having to do remedial economics, government, business and math class for the dumb-s..t enviro-nuts.
Donald I refuse to label and name call but this is a true test for me. How will you pay for the upgrades to the grid? How will you pay for the new transmission lines? Correct me if Im wrong hear gentlemen but we are in favor of using SD natural resouce to make money, the issue is how does a state (or any state right now) come up with the investment in transmission lines to make what we all agree to be a big industry for this state. Donald Duck thinks these transmission lines are comming from the land of oz evidently. He sites web sites that we agree with to a certain degree but HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THE UPGRADES?
I think a happy medium between wind, coal and nuke is best.
Duggersd is spot on. Wind power currently is still in its infancy. Wind turbines are notoriously high maintenance and I heard a failure rate of around 30% (i.e. breakdowns, mechanical failures, etc.) Drive down the highway, when you see some turbines spinning and others sitting still, they’re busted and costing someone money. More problematic is the fact that you need to immediately export the wind energy and cannot house it like other forms. Where are the aliens when you need them? Now that the Catholic Church has somewhat acknowedged the existence of other life, maybe they’ll start coming and help us with their energy solutions. Chances are, any aliens that do come will probably be asked to join OPEC so we won’t be any better off….
To rebut an upcoming Donald Duck statement. I know that the turbines are set on predetermined wind patterns so that some may catch wind and others don’t. However, it is doubtful that one turbine set 200 yards from another wouldn’t move even a little when its neighbor is buzzing along.
Duh-My stomach hurts from laughing right now. He has a nick name now when he makes such over the top statements and does belong in Orlando at Disney.
Don’t you all know that we can pay for these upgrades to the grid just by dipping into Obama’s stash???!!
This just in from Walter Cronkit!!!
They have found an unending source of wind. They are planning two large winds farms. One will be stationed in and around Washington DC, because it sucks!! The other locations will be the left coast (both the west and east) because they blow!!
It should also be noted that the “messiah” thinks he might be able to stop the earths rotation, thus we’ll have free solar energy 24 hours a day, but the “Flat Earth Society” is crying foul, so the EPA will investigate and regulate the rotation issue
The “koolaide” drinkers are also investing stimulus money investigating the possibility of hydro electricity being generated while they drink their “koolaide”!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS2PQwPqsCs
SDMike
Where oh where did the donald duck go and his wackyness. I wizzzed my pants now from the above so its off to grab a depends diaper. The Duck left as his shoes were full of the s— he was shoveling. I do miss his comedy routine though. Thx for the laugh boyz
Why on earth would there ever be a 100% wind grid? I don’t have time to be your personal research department or your teacher on these matters. I used to do that for a living, but no longer. I don’t have the time for that now. Don’t you take any personal responsibility to research facts on issues? Apparently not.
Let me suggest there are libraries in South Dakota—pretty good ones. You might start there. Until you learn something about the issue, you’ll be left to make inane comments like those below, which prove just how much you know about the subject:
“More problematic is the fact that you need to immediately export the wind energy and cannot house it like other forms.”
“Donald Duck thinks these transmission lines are comming from the land of oz evidently.”
“He has a nick name now when he makes such over the top statements and does belong in Orlando at Disney.”
“QUACK.”
“Don’t you all know that we can pay for these upgrades to the grid just by dipping into Obama’s stash???!!”
“The “koolaide” drinkers are also investing stimulus money investigating the possibility of hydro electricity being generated while they drink their “koolaide”!!”
“I wizzzed my pants now from the above so its off to grab a depends diaper.”
Mr. Duck Ala Orange: In the same amount of time that it took you to summarize our reactions to your lack of conciseness on the issue, you could have explained how SD was supposed to make this transition from fundamental power sources to wind power without the proper technology and transmission base.
“Those who speak in generalities and conjecture rarely embrace reality.” – Some Dude
- actually, I think I just made that up.
One organization that has looked at transmission is the American Wind Energy Association. Some of what they are looking for is included in federal energy legislation. You are welcome to read this and other material on wind and transmission and transitioning from 20th century industries to the technologies of the future.
http://www.awea.org/policy/regulatory_policy/transmission.html#AccessFilings%23AccessFilings
As near I can tell, Mr. Pay is the AWEA does not have a plan to do any transmission lines themselves. Here is a novel idea: A wind company puts up their turbines, gets right-of-way access to land and puts up its transmission lines. Then they charge their customers for the electricity and make a profit. The lines would be part of the infrastructure.
As I understand it, the BSII project would involve putting up new lines and would have allowed wind organizations access to those lines. Now, the wind organizations should put their own lines up.
Oh, and BTW, yes, I would be in favor of dropping any subsidies coal, fossil fuel and nuclear plants have. However, be careful of what you call a subsidy.
Transmission in Wisconsin, for example, does not work that way. In Wisconsin the lines are owned by ATC, a separate company, and there is a state renewable energy goal that is to be met by utilities. ATC is required to build adequate transmission to meet that goal.
If a Canadian company can use emminent domain laws to take land in South Dakota to build their pipeline and our landowners are held hostage to a foriegn country in the process one would assume South Dakota can use emminent domain to build wind towers right through the heart of Minnesota to send our power to Eastern cities. What say you PUC?
We laugh because we agree with the concept of renewable energy. 1) It’s what we do to pay for the grid and transmission lines you keep avoiding. None of the above can happen until we have transmission lines and BS2 would have aloud this and paid for it. 2) We still need a transision type resource to bridge us from the past (coal) to the future (wind and and yet to be determined other renewables). You cant just site all the fluff in these articles without addressing the meat, which is infastructure and how to pay for it that doesnt bankrupt the state or tax me to death. This was a perfect bridge and the environmentals wacked it. Those plants would also have had upgrades to them to make them more efficient and clean. I started to mock you because you kept failing to address the largest hurdle to harvesting wind energy in this state, the tansmission lines. So again I ask the question, how would you do it? I have family members and friends that have invested and want to invest more but these barriers prevent that. The return on investment isnt there thus nobody is building out the lines.
NN, inepp, cahedelburger, and all the other windbag liberals on here will have some lame excuse why we don’t have wind power in SD and it won’t be Obama’s fault.