[BC] Re: wind farms

[r j carpenter]

Like all Good Things, wind farms do have a large front-end cost in terms 
of the energy required to manufacture and install the wind turbines. I 
once saw a comparison of the energy-cost of creating various "renewable 
energy" sources and the number of years of operation before there was a 
net gain.  IIRC, hydro dams were the worst.

I once heard a talk by N6NB who had gone to great lengths to build his 
ideal mountaintop ham shack miles from anywhere. He finally moves in, 
installs his gear and starts to listen.  There was a din of RFI from one 
direction.  You guessed it, a large wind turbine farm some miles away in 
that direction.

Back when I was doing radio propagation field stations, I had the 
nightmare that we'd get everything ready to operate and then discover 
that the Electric Welding and Arc Light Institute of America was located 
nearby. Just a bad dream, fortunately.

As for the pumped water energy storage schemes, back when I was in 
college I think that one in Connecticut was mentioned. That was long ago.

bob