I really believe that we now know what is to happen up the lonnen (track, in Northumbrian)to the dead wind turbines.
They came into production about 2000, so far as I can remember. Since then at least one set of blades has been replaced, involving low loaders and huge cranes. A couple of years ago, men came to repair the blades by abseiling down or along them patching the places where there was trouble.
In about March 2007, two of the turbines stopped turning and later the arms and nacelles were removed and put carefuly on the ground. The other one soldiered on.
Now, more than 18 months on, an application has been made for more time to keep the two turbines even though they are not working, to allow the owners to come to a decision re. their future. A planning condition was that a turbine that was inactive had to be removed after 12 months, so they have had quite a lot of extra time. We await the decision on this application. We know that the Parish Council has not objected.
Today, G talked to an engineer that he found up at the site. This man said that an order had been put in for 3 sets of new sails. Delivery is expected to be December - about the worst time of year to fit them! Now we wait to see what happens.
What ever does occur, I feel sure that the energy expended on these three turbines - building, transporting, repairing etc will require a very long functional period with the new blades to make it carbon free.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I have yet to be convinced about wind turbines but I suppose that's what the navigators said when Columbus sailed off into the sunset. We are at the infancy of all this green technology - we must cross our fingers and hope that in the not too distant future they work it out properly!
Guess these are early days with this sort of technology and things are still being sorted as far as problems go, but you're right, your Decembers in that part of the world are not conducive to pleasant work conditions.Ours used to be fiercely hot, but with global warming we now wait until February for sizzling days.
Post a Comment