Cato Report - was [at-l] Windmill (Bird Kill)

[Charles Copeland" <charles@uswnet.com (Charles Copeland)]

I jist read the entire report (it's *looong*), including a bunch of
references.  It's also from August 1997.

Reports like this are interesting.  In short, its saying that solar power
has space, location and cost issues.  Hydro power has fish and land use
issues. Biomass power has location, efficiency and cost issues.  Wind power
has bird, space and aesthetic issues.  Geothermal has location, efficiency,
and environmental issues.  Most comparisons for efficiency, cost per
megawatt, space, etc are with coal plants.  It leads me to believe that
after all the fuss over trying to generate power from renewable resources,
the best and most efficient way is *still* from a coal-burning plant.

In my opinion, the report does not adequately cover the electric utility
industry's efforts to increase the efficiency and capacity of existing
powerplants (including hydro) and transmission systems nor does it mention
the effects of the 70s oil embargo on demand for electricity in this country
(it decreased it significantly) and the subsequent effects on power
generation construction.  The report also fails to indicate that
pumped-storage per-megawatt costs are significantly reduced when excess
power is used to refill reservoirs. There is significant discussion about
California power generation issues but I could not find where California had
placed a moratorium on building more windmills - only where the Audobon
Society recommended a moratorium until someone can figure out how to stop
killing birds.

Personally, I'd design a windmill without large spinning blades (they look
like big fans) but rather a single vertical rotor with a spinning S-shaped
scoop.  It's not as efficient but more could fit more into a space, it would
look better, they'd be cheaper to build, and might be easier on the birds.

It would nice if they would follow up the report with an update.


Charles