If not Hydro. Perhaps Wind
Views: 209
Comment
-
Comment by Frank J. Heller, MPA on November 30, 2018 at 12:32pm
-
-
-
Enter a major renewable company is expanding its hydropower presence in Maine:
This web site gives you some details of their present installed capacity of 17,400 MW.
https://renewableops.brookfield.com/
It was calculated that in 2015, Maine's total electrical production was 5,354 gigawatt hours
of that the largest was hydro with 1,456; natural gas at 1,221; wind at 579,Oil at 492 and coal at 59 GWH. I assume production matches demand; but is not indicative of latent capacity to meet demand caused by a cessation of wind or solar power and losses caused by the balancing of production with demand from various sectors.
-
Comment by Dan McKay on November 30, 2018 at 12:09pm
-
Frank, can you find out if this facility is enrolled in the PUC Net Metering program ?
-
-
Brookfield, White Pine Hydro issued a 'green' bond last year that included these statistics:
" BWPH portfolio, which consists of 68 generating units across 21
hydroelectric facilities located primarily in the state of Maine with a
total installed capacity of 380 MW and forecast generation of 1,751
GWh/year with an average portfolio capacity factor of 53%."What I'm advocating are integrated restorations of old mills that would be powered by latent hydropower, like this one in Dover-Foxcroft:
"
The Mayo Mill in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, is a 60,000 sf historic complex that we renovated into a mixed-use building housing 22 residential apartments, an inn, cafe, office space and a data center. In addition to the real estate, the project also houses a 300 KW hydro electric power plant that will supply the building with 100% of its electrical needs. The project opened in 2015. Visit dfmill.com for more information about this project."
While I'm not positive, it appears that only about 50% of the hydropower generating capacity is being used, i.e. about half the generating capacity remains to meet additional demands.
-
-
WYMAN holds a lot of water, 208,910 acre ft, and 155ft high; but Abbott Brook, Aziscohos and Vanceboro dams hold more water; however flow is critical and that's where dams on Rivers shine as power generators.
136 of the dams in the data base are listed as hydroelectric; this does not list any which are capable of being equipped with generators; nor does it indicate water supplies with sufficient head to generate power using in-line turbines; nor does it list tidal impounds and lobster pounds. Some impounds like Carver Pond on Isleboro have tremendous amounts of water moving through them every tide change.
Wyman is one impressive dam; but other sources are as well.
-
-
There are 597 dams listed in the Maine portion of the National Inventory of Dams. Smaller dams under 15' and with a smaller pond acreage are omitted as are weirs which divert water into a power generating device.
If you're curious, goto
http://nid.usace.army.mil/cm_apex/f?p=838:3:0::NO::P3_STATES:ME
-
-
This excerpt from the Kleinschmidt report reveals that the hydropower potential is substantial:
"An inventory of Conventional Hydropower Development at existing powered and unpowered
dam sites in Maine was made. The screening analysis identified 110 total sites at powered and
non-powered dams with potential for installation of 193 MW of additional capacity. As a result
of limitations of the screening analysis, these estimates are considered an upper limit of
development and generation potential. Application of estimated development cost and potential
revenue data to these sites indicates that while many existing dam sites have hydroelectric
development potential, these opportunities do not appear economic under current market
conditions. In addition, when environmental and regulatory considerations are taken into
account, 45 sites with 55 MW of potential capacity showed significant development potential
for conventional hydropower development. "Other advantages are grid accessibility which lessens need for new transmission lines, secondary benefits of strengthening the dams and impounds, essential for drought/fire/flood protection and available for recreation and aquaculture.
Missing from the report are the thousands of smaller dams and tidal impounds that could power local grids with a minimal cost.
Bottom line is energy independence and local control; and a bargaining chip to prevent yet another gouge in the wilderness and pressure for an underground route, integrated with a gas pipeline. Full report is found on the Maine Energy web site.
-
Comment by Art Brigades on November 29, 2018 at 9:36pm
-
Frank, whatever hydro capacity Maine water has, it's a drop in the bucket (sorry for the pun). To equal the deliverable power of the NECEC, using Maine dams, it would require an addition of 15 new Wyman Dams (largest hydro project in Maine). Where do we put those these days?
-
-
Uh, with the election results casting a negative shadow over the transmission corridors, I find this just popped up promoting hydropower:
-
-
In a massive shift of political activity, a new lobbying site sponsored by CMP has been created to promote hydropower, probably in response to what seems to be a denial of the proposed corridor...see
https://www.necleanenergyconnect.org/
On its face it promotes clean hydropower as the renewable of choice. My initial reaction was this would promote Quebec hydropower and lines to transmit it. But in signing up for the site, became aware it was promoting hydropower in general and potentially developing the 54MW identified in the hydropower report done and found in the State Energy office by Kleinschmidt.
I should also point out I am exploring unutilized hydropower in another state in relationship to a similar extension of power lines from Quebec.
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/
Not yet a member?
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
"It's not whether you get knocked down: it's whether you get up."
Vince Lombardi
Task Force membership is free. Please sign up today!
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/
© 2024 Created by Webmaster.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine to add comments!
Join Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine