Wind energy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

[bennelson]

Hi everyone,

I was in Milwaukee today, because there was an official ground-breaking of a wind turbine project that is going in at the port.

The wind turbine will create more energy than the Port Authority building uses, and the extra electric out (grid-tie) will actually make a small profit for the city.

Of course the reason why I even mention it here is because many people who have electric vehicles want them running off CLEAN ELECTRICITY. That means power from renewables, sun, wind, and other natural sources.

The following video I shot today explains it, and features the Mayor's speech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pFCkMYGXI8

I also spoke very briefly with an engineer from the company providing the wind turbine, Northern Power Systems. It's a Vermont company. The parts in the turbine are nearly all made in America as well.

[NeilBlanchard]

Good thing they are starting to install wind turbines, 'cuz they had a large spill of coal fly ash there near Milwaukee recently: Coal Ash Spill in Lake Michigan Occurs Within Days of New EPA Data on Hazardous Coal Ash Ponds : TreeHugger

[bennelson]

Yep, much of the electric energy for the Milwaukee area comes from a coal-burning power-plant in Oak Creek, just south of Milwaukee.

It's good to see that some people are starting to think and plan ahead, but it's still just such a small part of the big picture.

We all need to seriously ramp up how much of our energy is renewably generated, and drastically throttle down how much total energy we use.

It was nice to see such a good crowd at this event. There really was a lot of positive support for it there.

[Ryland]

There is a nice wind farm just west of Fondu Lac as well, it's really nice to drive past, quite rotation of the blades, a much nicer drive then being next to the coal power plants along the Mississippi river.

[Daox]

Yeah, me and my wife love driving by the fon du lac wind farm area. Looks so cool.

[greif]

how is the governor letting that go up? thought he is blocking everything