Martha thacker's Comments

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At 6:45pm on July 25, 2022, Nancy Sosman said…

Gorgeous dog !

At 8:48pm on March 2, 2016, Kathy Sherman said…
I was missing your analysis - SEC and seeing connections such as Harvard-Summers- new carbon tax economy etc. And cost of transmission. Apparently, I don't get alerts when you comment, and I missed your "still here" twice, but I am glad!!
I am looking for the picture of Oakfield Wind turbines casting shadow (just from the towers, not even flicker) across the entire pond. Do you remember it? ABC/Fox needs to see it. Rotor of 117 m is very large, but 140 m is in the current DOE "vision" from a year and a half ago. Yet our oft-reviewed evaluation of "evidence" for noise and health or even aesthetic and property value impacts is based on 30-40 m rotors on 30- maybe 50 m hubs. I have been surprised when I can find turbines on Google by their shadow (modest Hull II is 80 m rotor on 50 or 60 m hub). Google has rainbow glint out to about half mile.

Wind proponents believe that wind turbines have gotten quieter. This is incorrect. They just have had less mechanical noise, and they are quieter per kW. Longer blades can be made for the same amount of noise. None of that is "quieter".

If you still have direct e-mail, please do.
At 7:29pm on November 29, 2015, Kathy Sherman said…
matha - still here? If so e-mail please.
At 9:04pm on January 3, 2015, Eric A. Tuttle said…

Access to other works should be available at: 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4KW-VmaJQhZM1M1eTQ2MV9pN1E&usp=sharing

Though most are still in progress. 

At 9:00pm on January 3, 2015, Eric A. Tuttle said…

This is as much as I have Mapped thus far. There is at least one Branch from the MEPCO line at the Chesuncook, Brewer, Lincoln Junction in Chester. The Wind farms Tie into that line, not the MEPCO line it appears. Though the two have a switchgear connection to each other. The Proposed Oakfield project will also travel with the Chesuncook ROW to the same location it appears if one route is chosen, or possibly tie into the MEPCO line or parallel it back to the Chester Station.

Hope these Google Maps work for you.  

The line currently being built (MEPCO) line 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4KW-VmaJQhZTWZhd2pUYXFXUHc/view?usp=sharing

The (Studmill) line, 2007 to 2010+  installation.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4KW-VmaJQhZVjlybzFvQ01pLXc/view?usp=sharing

At 7:20pm on November 24, 2014, Eric A. Tuttle said…

Democracy is the Voice of a Republic, to correct that which no longer serves the people.

At 7:18pm on November 24, 2014, Eric A. Tuttle said…

I voted MICHAUD, the first Dem since Kennedy. Though I must say I have since learned that the parties, are skewd and defective. Democracy is not being Democratic, nor is Republicanism its counterpart. A long story.......... but truth finally after 200+ years. A republic is a form of government adopted from the Cherokee Nation, then banished to Oklahoma territory once corporations found them wiser.

At 7:08pm on November 24, 2014, Eric A. Tuttle said…

Not sure how to communicate through this medium. Sorry if I mess it up for you or others. I am only in hopes to remove personal conversation from the blog if you agree. References:paula32713@gmail.com gary@ppdlw.org hjlister@colby.edu lindsaynewlandbowker@gmail.com

At 6:51pm on November 24, 2014, Eric A. Tuttle said…

Martha... I am not sure what the 1.4B investment consists of, nor am I sure how much FW is willing to promise to invest in communities in any or all aspects. What I am sure of, is this methodology to obtain sustainable energy aka Green energy is Flawed. The Google Earth Photos are what agencies and others provide. They are also provided based on what I have seen and know to be true. The Purpose, I do not know. Through Research, Archiving, recording, listening and becoming informed we may learn. Though never remain behind the curve....... suspect...... and investigate your suspicions and get ahead of the curve. Though we enjoy life in Maine and wish to relax, always be aware of the attacks.

At 6:28pm on November 24, 2014, Eric A. Tuttle said…

This just came across my  ALERTS http://fusion4freedom.us/greedily-cashing-out-in-maine/

Nice article and an Eye opener. "Hopefully if utilized correctly"

Another that may be disturbing to Corporations (especially to fossil fuels), if allowed to develop. It may become a covered up technology, it may be a dream. 

At 2:24pm on November 22, 2014, Eric A. Tuttle said…
At 8:41pm on March 5, 2014, Kathy Sherman said…
I wish that I could leave it go. Although the Attorney General tried and failed on the need for new transmission, and the DPU rejected her argument, siding with DOER and the Distribution Companies and even my own little quasi-governmental load aggregator, there were a number of requirements in the statute that went totally unchallenged on which the contracts should have been denied. They denied the AGs argument about new transmission or upgrades, saying these were to maintain reliability and it would be impossible to predict the impact of any particular project or bundle of projects.
The statue requires 1) THAT THE RENEWABLE GENERATING RESOURCE MUST ENHANCE ELECTRICITY RELIABILITY WITHIN MASSACHUSETTS. They say that reliability isn't defined (is that so hard? It is assurance that enough generation can be called upon to meet demand). But DPU accepted NERC's definition: Reliability is the ability to contribute to system resource adequacy and system security. First Wind and the Distribution Companies say that the output of these wind generators will add to base supply (actually First Wind was honest enough not to say that, but the utilities and DPU did), increase supply reserve margins, and First Wind adds that tired old argument, wind energy will provide fuel diversity. Hello, ISO-NE is counting on wind energy (some of it offshore), energy efficiency, and demand management (like the cheating mill) to offset almost 8000 MW of coal. That is not even considering that VT's nuclear plant will stop generating by the time these wind facilities come on line.

The closest I can get to illustrate the total unreliability, and unpredictability of wind generation on a suitable time scale is the hourly generation data from Ontario. Check out how many homes would be lit up today or yesterday
http://www.sygration.com/gendata/Generator%20Report%202014-03-04.html
If Ontario didn't have 10,000 MW nuclear, and hydro to balance variable demand. This is ostly coastal farmland, not ridgeline, but Wolfe Island was iced out for days (allowing an interestng experiment on IFN).

So it is unreliable, and not going to make it down to Massachusetts, but DPU finds that it will increase base supply and reserve margins after it is delivered to the ISO grd at nodes in Maine and NH, and all this will enhance reliability of the whole system including MA.

The second criteria in the statute is that it contribute to moderation of peak load requirements. Confidential data on each facility's output, 'characteristics' and capacity value of land-based wind led DPU to find that facilities are LIKELY to produce power both summer and winter periods. We saw Ontario in winter, and the numbers for Maine in summer should speak for themselves.
The main criteria by which the projects were judged is price, not performance and the NEED FOR A LONG-TERM POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT. The banks or investors won't give loans without one, and even deep-pockets Iberdola doesn't begin to go forward without one. They talked about how the wind was free and so they could bid at near zero (that was before negative pricing) and so are price takers and would decrease wholesale electric rates. The did not mention the consequences of putting every one else out of business, which lower natural gas prices are already doing.
More than enough on that, but I fear that there is going to be a second round of this, so I want to see what can be done with a specific critique. What stage is Bingham at, and is there a suit re Oakfield?
At 3:38pm on March 5, 2014, Kathy Sherman said…

I think people are only now becoming aware of transmission issues, although from other parts of the country, it should have been obvious. There is more and more talk about the risk of transmission constraints here already, and also the scandalous costs to rate-payers in the UK.

Ironically, congestion was used as an excuse to buildturbine Nordex 100/500 ft total height, close to homes and schools down here.  Much to the state's dismay, the project got a thorough review by our regional planning agency, and they said congestion was no longer an issue. 

I have not gone to SEC, but a friend found in '05 Vestas reported an increase in neighbor noise complaints, but that it was impossible to find later. 

On the PPAs what is hard for me to understand is when they talk about rates, is that just for supply, or is it for transmission/distribution too, and what of the costs the utilities for wind PPAs above retail get "socialized" ditto for transmission. Does it get divided proportionately under various circumstances.  About tariffs and reconciliation factors, nodal pricing - all that is too much especially when comparing various states. 

These prices at cheaper, even if doubled, than the price for the offshore wind, and far, far cheaper than for PV SRECs in Massachusetts, but I think that the later would have more value, would be local, would not stress the grid as much (because I am not talking about taking over the Mojave to beam onto something to light LA).  But, alas it is not up to me.  I was not able to connect for the meeting but need to get back to work.

At 11:45am on March 5, 2014, Kathy Sherman said…
Hi Martha,
I have only tried this once before, but I thought maybe we could e-mail after I have a chance to go through all that you have written so far. I am very interested in distances, direction, etc. of the specific New England projects, but don't want to ask in public domain.
Today is solely the long-term bid process and reasons for approval. Some projects bit the dust leaving First Wind's Oakfield and Bingham in Maine and Iberdola's Meadowland (?) in NH.

Costs of new transmission are the KEY issue, and the environmental impact, of course.

I don't know if any of us tracked that our 2008 Green Communities Act was modified by the 2012 Act with transparency in the name to MANDATE these long-term power purchase agreements, the primary PURPOSE of which is to FINANCE new renewable projects. If the PPAs with MA utilities are not necessary, the project will not meet selection criteria.

On Mars Hill, it is doubly odd, because that is the only wind facility in Maine that seems to get decent capacity factors, possibly because of the noise variance.

 

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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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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