WInd farm approval expected

[uwila]

So, what do you tink?

I think it's good to reduce our dependance on oil/gas, especially Rusian oil/gas.

Approval Expected for Wind Farms

[SchneeBallFight]

we have one near us and I think it is rather lovely as well as creating jobs and reducing dependance on fossil fuels.

[themoon66]

I think they look very elegant. There is one up on the hills near my mum's house. I know some people say they are very noisy to live near, but mum reckons they are no noiser than the howling wind that is blowing at the top of that hill anyway.

[worldgonewild]

Excellent news.

[uwila]

OMG, does everyone agree with me? Must change my name.

[SchneeBallFight]

lol

[DominiConnor]

I've stod next to Danish windmills and they don't seem that bad, certainly wouldn't reach through home windows.
British ones won't be as good, but hard to see them as Concorde class noise problems.

The output of the new ones is pitiful, and I'm dubious that they won't fall down before they recoup their financial or energy investment, but it's certainly worth a go.
Hard to see a British project like this standing any chance of success. I give it 20% that they fall down before generating any power at all, 50% that they prune the number because they misunderstood the nature of the seabed in that area, and 100% that they cost 2-3 times as much as is claimed.
Note how the spin hasn't included the number of fatalities they expect in the building of such a structure ?

[SaggarClaus]

I think they're fantastic. Went up to a wind farm above my sister's home in Spain and was amazed at just how huge they are. Not that bad noise-wise either. I'd prefer to live close to one of those than a power station of any other description.

[themoon66]

Those pictures are beautiful Fio

[Gingerbear]

DC, Why won't the British Wind turbines be as good as Danish ones? Why will they fall down?

Scandanavian turbines have a design life of 20 years. Some refurbished turbines are now being sold.

I agree that the power output is low, 35-40% efficiency dependent upon location. But you cannot guarantee constant windspeed.

[whatwouldjesusdo]

I love wind farms, they are beautiful as well as useful.

re the wind supply, during the year I spent in Edinburgh, I dont think the wind stopped blowing for one single day. I wore a skirt the first day I was there, and jeans for the next 364.

[DominiConnor]

Britain's engineering capability has dropped below critical mass. We can no more build large modern technology than we can invade and conquer nations at will.
That's not true in much of Europe, who not only have better engineers, but have politicians who are numerate, an idea that in Britain is not only rare but typically seen as funny.

It even seems to be infectious. The jokers building Wembley were Australian, but they hired far too many Brits for the project to stand any chance of being built either to budget or safely. Not only is is hopelessly over schedule and cost, but is essentially falling into it's own sewers at the same time as there are problems with the roof. Same applies to the train "system", roads, and even electricity distribution grids which are in dire trouble.
The big new Airbus is in deep shit, guess which country builds large chunks of it ?

[uwila]

The British practically engineered engineering as we know it today. British engineers all over the world do great things. I know some fantastic British engineers. And they'd whoop your ass in a battle of wits any day, DC -- if they could be bothered.

BTW, when I say British Engineers, I am referring particularly to the Scottish as well as the English.

[Gingerbear]

It is not the british engineers who are unable to design, it is the lack of an 'industry' in britain in which they are able to flourish. Many engineers are working for foreign companies. Of course the 'heavy engineering' industry has suffered in recent years due to the expansion in manufacturing in for example Asia - China in particular. However your statement that we do not have the engineering capability in Britain is not true.
And I refute your statement about road/rail/national grid - the state of these is due to lack of investment, not due to how crap british engineering is.

This type of attitude is part of the reason why kids at school prefer to do anything but science and engineering.

[pantomimEdam]

Don't let Dom wind you up he knows zip about zip.

[whatwouldjesusdo]

actually DC has a point about engineers. Good engineering is a combination of innovation, conscientious thoroughness and good technical knowledge.

Traditionally, Britons have been good at innovating and original thinking, which is an important part of engineering. However, they are NOT the best engineers in the world imo. Germans, for example are much more thorough (it is not just a myth). I (British) often find myself saying in english tradition "Oh, lets just do this solution, because its quicker, and we have to get the product to market", only to find my German colleagues gazing reproachfully at me and saying, "But WWJD, the other solution is BETTER." (Its no coincidence that beautifully engineered Siemens mobile phones couldnt keep up with the marketplace - but I digress)
And Italian engineers have a far more rigorous training than British ones. They have years and loads of exams, and (I am told) a high dropout rate that ensures that only the best pass.

Engineering is neglected in the UK, where it doesnt get the status that it deserves.

[Gingerbear]

Ahem, I disagree WWJD. My experience is of chemical engineering - a four year Masters course is the norm, and you require top A level grades to get on any course.

The perception of engineers in the UK is still 'the man that fixes the washing machine' or the mechanic at the garage. I agree that the professional status needs to be raised to that similar to lawyers and doctors - as is true in European countries. There are many engineers educated in UK that are highly sought after abroad due to the 'superior' education.

Edam, this is a subject close to my heart as you can probably tell, and yes, I am wound up by folk like DC constantly putting engineers down.

[Carmenere]

I LOVE WIND FARMS!!!
Particulary the ones around Tarifa in Spain and the ones out at sea near my parents house in Co Wexford. I would love to have one near my house.

[whatwouldjesusdo]

Gingerbear - what I have heard from italian engineers, is that they had to re-take parts of their courses, and many dropped out.
I am in high demand abroad, due to my up to date skills, that I got when I went straight into cutting edge UK industry after my 3 year course, though . I like the UK system - you have to prove yourself in the job.

[whatwouldjesusdo]

not very clearly put. I mean, that I have worked with loads of people who werent that good, instead of getting weeded out at the university stage, they got made redundant first when their employer hit hard times. Comes to the same thing in the end, I guess.

[Gingerbear]

But if you fail parts of an engineering degree in the UK, you have to retake.
To become a chartered chemical Engineer you need at least 4 years post graduate experience - and prove that you have held a position with a certain level of responsibility.

I know many who started engineering courses, only to find them too hard, and drop out and study something softer and squishy-er

[whatwouldjesusdo]

only 2 people out of 160 odd dropped out of my course. I was really shocked, when an italian friend dropped out of his engineering course, as he is really serious and hard working.

Do you think it is worth going for Chartered status? Apart from the principle, of course.