Why is it that folk, who should know better, are still referring to limited wind driven generators as wind turbines – have they succumbed to ‘Herd Mentality’ – do they not realise they are contributing to the marketing ploy of the wind industry? It would be churlish not to acknowledge how effective this marketing has been with the media being fully taken in! Worse still is that so many misinformed people opining they could ‘Hug a Turbine’ regardless of the warning signs situated in wind farms not to touch one of these monstrosities.

In simplistic terms nuclear, coal, oil and gas fired power stations use their source energy to heat and boil water to produce steam. This steam is then used to operate a STEAM TURBINE which then spins the rotor of an electrical generator. Thus it is totally misleading to call wind driven generators TURBINES when a large two or three bladed propeller is simply employed, via a gear box, to turn the rotor of an electrical generator – there is NO TURBINE – it is a clever (some would say deceitful) marketing ploy (as mentioned above) by the wind industry to imply a much more effective and sophisticated machine than what they are in truth.

Sir Charles Parsons, inventor of the steam turbine (1884) must be turning (excuse the pun) in his grave at people’s ignorance to the workings of such sophisticated machines. Indeed, the first turbine was connected to a generator that produced 7.5 kilowatts of electricity – the invention made cheap and plentiful electricity possible and revolutionized marine transport and naval warfare.

A lot of folk are obviously not familiar with the workings of turbo-prop aircraft engines, which employ a combination of both a PROPELLER and a TURBINE! To be sure, a turbine in its simplest form consists of numerous blades connected to rotary shaft, which are all ‘enclosed’ in a metal housing, and are absolutely nothing like a propeller. Wind driven generators are not driven by turbines – misinformed folk should visit their local power station and have a turbine explained to them by the engineers, thus enhancing their engineering knowledge – the power engineers might also offer their thoughts on large scale wind generation in the UK?

Yes, I was tipped off a few days ago, but asked to stay schtum. Excellent news, and with the subsidies now removed I’ll be surprised if they pursue this plan. Though I was also told that to help further the project two local farms had been bought at inflated prices, so they’re stuck with them. All in all, Mynydd y Gwair could turn out to be very costly for the Duke of Beaufort. Good.

Jac, see above link

Ioan Richards only man of any honour to stand out in this farce.

@ Ioan.

It’s a blog mun. Not a court of law 😉

@ Andy

Well, maybe you’d better take it up with this UA…

http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/our_council/council/minutes,_agendas__reports/reports/cabinet/2011/11-05-18/localism_bill.aspx

It seems to be covered by the definitions in the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994.