Even Maine’s progressive areas are fighting over green energy projects
The large scale solar arrays popping up in Maine like mushrooms become more hideous looking the more knowledge one has over their fecklessness and multiple costs. The town boards falling prey to the solar snake oil industry owe it to the people to become educated in these matters. As it stands now, almost none of these elected decision makers have any business deciding energy issues, issues they are simply not equipped to challenge. Doing "something" simply for the perceived need of doing something should never be an acceptable rationale.
Even Maine’s progressive areas are fighting over green energy projects
by David Marino Jr.
April 1, 2022
A solar panel development in Eliot has been halted after residents mobilized against it.
The project in the York County town near the New Hampshire border had already been approved by the town’s planning board. But concerned residents who live near the proposed solar project site brought it to the town’s board of appeals, who overturned that approval earlier this month.
The policy shift reflects the power of grassroots activism in municipal policy, as well as the potential for opposition from affected residents on green energy projects as Maine seeks to shift toward renewable energy.
Eliot’s planning board determined in March 2021 that the solar array could be put on Odiorne Lane, a rural zone, under town law due it being a public utility facility. It proceeded to approve the project in January.
But in its ruling, the appeals board said that the planning board violated the town code by designating the project by Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based company NH Solar Garden a public utility facility without “substantive verification.”
The appeals board ultimately voted 3-1 to overturn the planning board’s decision.
Patrick Bedard, a lawyer representing residents opposing the project, argued to the board of appeals that the panels were a private enterprise, not a public utility, and therefore did not qualify for the rural zone. He contrasted it with other entities, like Central Maine Power, that were created specifically to serve the public.
NH Solar Garden can still appeal the decision to the Maine Superior Court. Company founder Andrew Kellar did not answer a question about whether it would do so, but emailed a statement citing NH Solar Garden’s past achievements in New England and its hope to support Maine’s goal to move entirely to renewable energy by 2050.
On June 14, Eliot residents will vote in a referendum on establishing a town code amendment for zoning utility-scale solar projects, the result of debate over the proposal. There are currently no land use regulations specific to them, according to town documents.
Eliot residents Jay Meyer, Krickett Merrill, Pat Merrill, Melissa Layman and Craig Layman, each of whom live near where the proposed solar array was initially approved for, organized against the project.
Layman said she has environmental concerns, including the ecological significance of the property the solar panels would be on and the impact of utility lines “abutting” her nearby property.
“I didn’t want to see construction vehicles for months ripping up the road,” Layman said.
Layman said she supports solar power, but just wants it in “appropriate locations” away from residential areas.
She feels that solar arrays can be a nuisance when placed too close to homes due to “low-level hum” from the inverter that converts solar power into electricity.
Continue reading at:
https://bangordailynews.com/2022/04/01/news/york/even-maines-progre...
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Comment by Willem Post on April 4, 2022 at 10:21pm
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IRELAND FUEL AND CO2 REDUCTIONS DUE TO WIND ENERGY LESS THAN CLAIMED
https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/fuel-and-co2-reduction...
Wind proponents often claim one kWh of clean wind generation displaces one kWh of dirty fossil fuel generation, which is true.
However, the inefficiencies introduced into the electrical system by variable, intermittent wind, results in wind being less effective at reducing CO2 than claimed. The more wind percent on the grid, the more the inefficiencies.
Ireland’s Power System
Eirgrid, the operator of the grid, publishes ¼-hour data regarding CO2 emissions, wind electricity production, fuel consumption and total electricity generation. Drs. Udo and Wheatley made several analyses, based on the operating data of the Irish grid in 2012 and earlier, that show the effectiveness of CO2 emission reduction is decreasing with increasing annual wind electricity percentages on the grid.
The Wheatley Study of the Irish Grid
Wind energy CO2 reduction effectiveness = (CO2 intensity, metric ton/MWh, with wind)/(CO2 intensity, with no wind) = (0.279, with 17% wind)/(0.530, with no wind) = 0.526, based on ¼-hour, operating data of each generator connected to the Irish grid, as collected by SEMO. More wind percent on the grid leads to a lesser CO2 reduction effectiveness
Wind proponents claim: If 17% wind, the CO2 reduction is 17%, i.e., 83% is left over.
Real-time grid operating data shows: If 17% wind, the CO2 reduction is 0.526 x 17% = 8.94%, i.e., 91.06% is left over.
Ireland Had an Island Grid
Ireland had an island grid, with a minor connection with the UK grid, until October 2012. As a result, it provides an ideal case for demonstrating the more wind percent on the grid would lead to a lesser CO2 reduction effectiveness
EU Brussels Bureaucrats Came to the Rescue to Achieve a Happy Ending
The poor CO2 reduction effectiveness of wind came to the attention of EU bureaucrats in Brussels.
Brussels provided Ireland with subsidies to build large-capacity connections to the much larger UK and French grids, which have much lower percentages of wind on their grids.
Any variations of Irish wind output are dealt with by the hundreds of generators on the UK and French grids.
The Irish wind output variations disappear in the noise of the UK and French grid operating data.
As a result, the Irish CCGT* plants are operated much more efficiently, because they are no longer burdened with having to deal with the variable, intermittent wind outputs.
* CCGT means combined-cycle, gas-turbine
- What applied to the Irish grid would apply to the New England grid as well; it also has minor connections to nearby grids.
- Europe is stuck with mostly CCGT plant counteracting wind variations, as it does not have nearly enough hydro plant capacity with storage.
http://www.theenergycollective.com/willem-post/2389832/german-renew...
If Minimal Wind in Ireland and UK
If winds in Ireland are minimal, that likely is also true for the UK, which lies east of Ireland. The UK cannot expect any wind energy from Ireland, and visa-versa.
As a result, Irish and UK CCGT plants will need to ramp up their outputs, or be turned on, to fill in for the lack of wind, as needed to meet demand.
That means, these CCGT plants will have to be staffed, fueled, and kept in good working order, to be ready to provide electricity to the grid, as ordered by the grid operator. Some of these plants will need to be in hot, synchronous standby mode.
None of that service would be for free, but it would not be charged to the owners of the wind systems, who were not required to provide STEADY POWER OUTPUT, such as by means of battery storage systems.
The French grid could provide some electricity to Ireland and the UK, but not enough to make much of a difference, because the capacities of the grid connections are limited.
ANALYSIS
Natural Gas and CO2 Reductions Less Than Claimed
If 0% Wind
This alternative assumes no wind turbines in Ireland. The CCGT plants merely adjust their outputs to follow the highly predictable daily demand curve.
Annual average CCGT plant efficiency is assumed at 50%
Production is assumed at 100 kWh, for analysis purposes. See note
Required gas = 100 kWh x 3413 Btu/kWh/0.5, efficiency = 682,600 Btu
Emitted CO2 = 682600 x 117/1000000, per EPA = 79.864 lb.
If 17% wind
This alternative assumes 17% wind generation on the Irish grid. The CCGT plants have to perform two functions: 1) adjust their outputs to follow daily demand, and 2) counteract the unpredictable up and down variations of wind output, 24/7/365. The greater the wind generation on any grid, the greater the quantities of electricity associated with the up and down variation of wind outputs.
The net result is much less-efficient operation of the CCGT plants, and more wear and tear.
Wind proponents claim:
Required gas = (100 kWh – 17 kWh, wind) x 3413/0.50 = 566,558 Btu
Emitted CO2 = 566558 x 117/1000000 = 66.287 lb
Claimed CO2 reduction = 79.864 - 66.287 = 13.577 lb
If 17% wind
Real-time grid operating data shows:
Actual CO2 reduction = 13.577 lb x 0.526, effectiveness (see Wheatley URL) = 7.142 lb
Remaining CO2 = 79.864 lb – 7.142 lb = 72.722 lb CO2.
Required gas to produce remaining CO2 = 72.722/(117/1000000) = 621,560 Btu
CCGT plant efficiency = (100 – 17) x 3413/621560 = 0.4558, if producing 83 kWh with 621,560 Btu of gas,
CCGT plant efficiency reduction = 100 x (1 – 0.4558/0.50) = 8.85%, due to counteracting wind variations
This means the CCGT plants have to operate less efficiently to deal with the variable, intermittent wind output.
That leads to more annual gas consumption than claimed by wind proponents
That leads to less CO2 reduction than claimed by wind proponents.
The above bold numbers are summarized in the below table.
Ideal World
Gas, Btu
CO2, lb
Turbine Eff., %
No Wind generation
682,600
79.864
0.5000
17% Wind generation
566,558
66.287
0.5000
Claimed Reduction
116,042
13.577
Real World
17% Wind generation
621,560
72.722
0.4558
Actual Reduction
61,040
7.142
CCGT plant efficiency reduction
8.85
Lack of CO2 Reduction in 2013
The above example was for 100 kWh.
However, in 2013, natural gas was 2098 ktoe*/4382 ktoe = 48% of the energy to generating plants; see SEIA report.
*1 ktoe (kilo ton oil equivalent) = 39,653 million Btu
The gas energy included 2098 x (1 - 1/1.0855) = 171 ktoe for counteracting wind.
The CO2 emission of 171 ktoe x 39,653 million Btu/ktoe x 117/million Btu = 791.4 million lb.
At least 791.4 million lb of CO2 emission reduction did not take place, because of less efficient operation of the CCGT plants
Lack of Gas Cost Reduction in 2013
The cost of the gas was about 171 x 39,653 million Btu/ktoe x $10/million Btu (2013 prices) = $67.6 million; current prices are much higher.
At least $67.6 million of imported gas cost reduction did not take place, because of less efficient operation of the CCGT plants.
Fuel Cost of Counteracting Wind/kWh
In 2013, the fuel cost of counteracting wind was 5,872,100,000 kWh of wind, per SEIA report/$67.6 million = 1.152 c/kWh, which would become greater as more wind turbine capacity, MW, is added, and as gas prices increase.
It is likely there were other costs, such as increased wear and tear of the CCGT plants, and increased grid build-outs for having wind turbines all over Ireland.
Ireland Natural Gas Imports Greater Than Expected
Ireland imports its natural gas. The Irish people had been told building wind turbines would reduce gas imports.
When the reductions of gas imports were much less than promised, the government conducted an investigation, which proved the efficiency degradation of the CCGT plants.
A similar outcome is in store for New England, if it builds out wind on ridgelines and offshore. The laws of physics apply on both sides of the Atlantic. See below section: Hydro-Quebec A Much Better Alternative Than Wind and Solar.
Wind Proponents Lied to the Irish People
It must be a real downer for the Irish people, after making the investments to build out wind and despoiling the visuals of much of their beautiful country, to find out the reductions of CO2 emissions and the cost of imported gas, at 17% wind on the grid, are only about 52.6% of what was promised*, and, as more wind is added, that percentage would decrease even more!!
*Not included are the embodied CO2 emissions for build-outs of:
1) Flexible generation system adequacy
2) Grid system adequacy
3) Storage system adequacy to accommodate variable wind (and solar). High percentages of wind (and solar) on almost all grids could not exist without storage system adequacy. See URL.
http://www.theenergycollective.com/willem-post/2396941/wind-and-sol...
CCGT Plant Efficiencies are Less at Part Load Outputs
If CCGT plants perform peaking, filling-in and balancing, due to variable, intermittent wind and solar on the grid, they would operate at varying and lower outputs, and would experience more start/stops.
Such operation is less efficient than at steady and higher outputs, and with fewer start/stops, similar to a car.
CCGT plant operation becomes unstable below 40%.
Hence the practical limit is about 50%, which means the ramping range is from 50% to 100%.
The table shows maximum efficiencies at low outputs; real-world efficiencies would be even less.
Output
Efficiency
Output
Efficiency
Simple Cycle
100%
38%
40%
26%
Combined Cycle
100%
55%
40%
47%
http://www.wartsila.com/energy/learning-center/technical-comparison...
http://docs.wind-watch.org/Wheatley-Ireland-CO2.pdf
http://theenergycollective.com/willem-post/89476/wind-energy-co2-em...
http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/Energy_in_I...
http://www.clepair.net/Udo20150831-e.html
http://fredudo.home.xs4all.nl/Zwaaipalen/17E_Wind_in_the_Irish_grid...
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Comment by Thinklike A. Mountain on April 2, 2022 at 11:33pm
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The truth is getting out: 9/11 was one of the biggest lies in human history
Engineers everywhere are waking up: Inside AE911Truth’s ‘Project Due Diligence’
https://www.ae911truth.org/news/833-engineers-are-waking-up-inside-...
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What if reducing and eliminating fossil fuels is the biggest THREAT to our planet?
https://www.theblaze.com/shows/you-are-here/what-if-reducing-and-el...
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Maher: ‘Left-Wing Media Just Buried’ Hunter Biden Laptop Story ‘Because It Wasn’t Part of Their Narrative’
https://www.infowars.com/posts/maher-left-wing-media-just-buried-hu...
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President Trump Comes Out Swinging in Michigan: “The Election Was Rigged and Stolen and Because of that Our Country is Being Destroyed” (VIDEO)
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/04/president-trump-comes-swin...
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That is right.
Buys more tunnel by extorting money from other people, who are sufficiently brainwashed to re-elect the vulture politician
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A politician is somebody who sees a light at the end of the tunnel, and goes out and buys more tunnel.
-- Will Rogers.
Politicians invent problems that don't exist, or create problems. Then complain things are broken, and demand to be re-elected so they can fix the problems.
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Does Maine's public utilities commission require conventional electric generating utilities to provide backup reserve? Is the same requirement applied to solar and wind, or do they get to pretend that coal and gas and Canada provide their reserve?
That didn't work well in Texas last year. Texas requires conventional utilities to have 15% reserve. Solar and wind interests said conventional generators provided their backup, Texas was getting 26% of its electricity from renewable sources. When that failed, conventional utilities' 15% backup wasn't near enough.
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Hell, My family is Odiorne, and the original Homestead, dated to 1600s, is still there...the family farm (now gone). Our family tried to buy it back to protect the area in the 1970s....but the owners were not willing to talk about it! I saw the deed chain...a lot of history. Odiorne state Park in NH is original, 1623 homestead.
Hate to see the area go totally down hill.
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Comment by Jim Wiegand on April 2, 2022 at 1:58pm
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Maine is such a disgustingly corrupt state and is plagued by this Democratic Commandment.........If there’s a problem, let's find a way to keep it going and soak taxpayers.
Maine as Third World Country:
CMP Transmission Rate Skyrockets 19.6% Due to Wind Power
Click here to read how the Maine ratepayer has been sold down the river by the Angus King cabal.
Maine Center For Public Interest Reporting – Three Part Series: A CRITICAL LOOK AT MAINE’S WIND ACT
******** IF LINKS BELOW DON'T WORK, GOOGLE THEM*********
(excerpts) From Part 1 – On Maine’s Wind Law “Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine if the law’s goals were met." . – Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, August 2010 https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/From Part 2 – On Wind and Oil Yet using wind energy doesn’t lower dependence on imported foreign oil. That’s because the majority of imported oil in Maine is used for heating and transportation. And switching our dependence from foreign oil to Maine-produced electricity isn’t likely to happen very soon, says Bartlett. “Right now, people can’t switch to electric cars and heating – if they did, we’d be in trouble.” So was one of the fundamental premises of the task force false, or at least misleading?" https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-swept-task-force-set-the-rules/From Part 3 – On Wind-Required New Transmission Lines Finally, the building of enormous, high-voltage transmission lines that the regional electricity system operator says are required to move substantial amounts of wind power to markets south of Maine was never even discussed by the task force – an omission that Mills said will come to haunt the state.“If you try to put 2,500 or 3,000 megawatts in northern or eastern Maine – oh, my god, try to build the transmission!” said Mills. “It’s not just the towers, it’s the lines – that’s when I begin to think that the goal is a little farfetched.” https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/flaws-in-bill-like-skating-with-dull-skates/
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Sign up today and lend your voice and presence to the steadily rising tide that will soon sweep the scourge of useless and wretched turbines from our beloved Maine countryside. For many of us, our little pieces of paradise have been hard won. Did the carpetbaggers think they could simply steal them from us?
We have the facts on our side. We have the truth on our side. All we need now is YOU.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
-- Mahatma Gandhi
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Vince Lombardi
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Hannah Pingree on the Maine expedited wind law
Hannah Pingree - Director of Maine's Office of Innovation and the Future
"Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine."
https://pinetreewatch.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/
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