We think wind power will grow to become one of the fundamental sources of energy in the future because it is stable and efficient.
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Softbank spokesman Kenichi Yuasa. Softbank plans to build a gigantic wind farm on the northern coast of Hokkaido that would generate as much as 1GW of power. (New Zealand Herald)
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0
Meguroman
Isn
t a major drawback of wind power exemplified by the location of this wind farm? The location is far from major consumers - electricity cant be efficiently transmitted over long distances.-1
2020hindsights
Not really true. Except maybe underwater.
You are seeing a backlash in Britain against wind farms. The main problem is that it makes large tracts of land hideous.
2
lucabrasi
We've got six enormous wind pylons on the moors above my village back in England. The locals all seem to agree they look great. Very spectacular
-1
2020hindsights
Probably made the house prices go down in the area as well...
-1
2020hindsights
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/9418808/QandA-wind-farms-and-house-prices.html
-1
Frungy
Idiotic. Built it OFFSHORE like they do in the netherlands. Wind farms have numerous problems when built too close to humans:
Infrasound - The low frequency sounds made by the turbines have been shown to cause depression and even hallucinations.
Strobe effect - The flashing of the blades and the interruptions in light patterns cause a phenomenon similar to strobe lights in a nightclub, and have caused a number of accidents in other countries.
Safety hazard - They're huge, they're placed where the winds are high, and when a part falls off it's falling a long way.
All in all it's better to put them out to sea.
0
AKBfan
Is it really reliable?
-1
illsayit
softbank and NEw Zealand infatutaed with Europe perhaps. Im pretty sure theyve worked out what eco-styled power generator that they will use in Japan has been decided.
0
gonemad
You mean, just like nuclear power plants...?
I'm sure they will do at a later time. Construction and maintenance are cheaper on land and as long as they still find suitable locations on land, why shouldn't they make use of it? Your concerns are mostly valid (except for the safety hazard), but the northern coast of Hokkaido is not really a densely populated area.
1
Thunderbird2
I remember the photos last year of one of these turbines up here in Scotland bursting into flames because the winds were too high and it couldn't cope. Keep them out at sea where only the sea gulls have to worry about them.... or ships crashing into them in thick fog.
0
Frungy
The advantages of building off shore from the start is that it will prove the viability of the technology and establish domestic construction expertise, allowing the same company to perform similar work in more well-populated areas. Also, just because an area isn't densly populated right now doesn't mean it won't become more densely populated later. Manufacturing companies often construct plants close to power sources in order to cut down on power costs and ensure a reliable supply. If you build it they will come!
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