Philadelphia Eagles Tackle a $30 Million Wind and Solar Project

[jpak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS368349963620101119

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The New Lincoln Financial Field Sustainable Energy Installation

It will be hard to beat the Eagles new sustainable energy system, which is designed for high visibility. Built by the Florida-based company SolarBlue, it will consist of 80 futuristic-looking spiral shaped wind turbines rimming the top of the stadium, and 2,500 solar panels on the facade. The system will also include a 7.6 megawatt cogeneration plant along with a "smart microgrid" system to keep everything running at maximum efficiency.

Green is Green

Green means big bucks for the Eagles, because the system will generate 4 megawatts of excess energy off-peak, which will be sold back to the grid. The franchise also expects to save $60 million in energy costs over the next 20 years.

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[BrklynLiberal]

1. Did taxpayer money pay for the original construction of the stadium?

If so, perhaps it might be nice if the "profits" from the 4 megawatts went back to them....

[JackintheGreen]

2. At least in part

The cynic in me believes this was conceived as a partial bulwark against continued Michael Vick related criticism, though the logical part of my mind says that these sorts of things take a really long time to plan and the Eagles have been working towards green for a few years now.

[DCKit]

3. Everyone is going to be disappointed when the wind turbines don't perform...

as advertised.

[jpak]

4. Based on what evidence?

n/t

[DCKit]

5. Personal experience and the wind maps.

The developers of this project are getting bad advice.

[jpak]

12. So you don't have any verifiable evidence that they won't perform - is that correct?

Similar VAWT that I have actually seen in operation generate power in very light variable winds and generate power at any wind speed.

[DCKit]

14. I would very much like to think so.

These new, spiral, vertical turbines are more efficient, but the merits are being oversold. That said, if they are mounted high enough, they will produce.

However, no turbine produces energy at it's rated output 24/7, and selling them based on "best case scenarios" does the industry a disfavor.

I love the new turbine designs. I came up with the same idea myself (independently) some years ago, but could never figure out the geometry. They're quiet, wildlife friendly and have a much wider cross-section - perfect for mounting on tall buildings and any other area without wind-shadows.

Are the Eagles going to mount them high enough to grab the maximum amount of wind?

[NNadir]

6. Or when a turbine blade goes flying into the crowd or into a field.

Maybe one of them will impale Michael Vick like a, um, dog.

[DCKit]

7. These are the new, spiral turbines. Little danger of that.

My issue is the seller promising the impractical.

It reminds me of a neighbor who was told by his installer that he would be able to heat his conventional, stick-built house with electricity from his 1Kw solar installation. It ain't gonna happen.

[NNadir]

8. I'm not convinced it "won't happen." It doesn't matter. Like all of these efforts, it's...

a useless gesture. The things won't last 15 years before they fail, and the Eagles will probably complain that they need a new stadium shortly thereafter, whereupon schools, libraries, health care facilities and aid to the poor will be cut to assure access to wind powered football.

[jpak]

10. You fantasize that football fans will be injured by these turbines that don't have blades?

that's just sick

yup

[jpak]

9. LOL - they're vertical axis turbines and they do not have blades

try again

:D

[NNadir]

11. Really? No torque on any portion of them? They work by, um, magic?

Sorry, Vick-boy, but not everybody on the planet is ignorant of the basic laws of physics.

No torque, no turn.

I guess your theory is that applying a whirling egg beater to your nose is a safe practice.

HAWT Disadvantages

• The tall towers and blades up to 295 feet (90 meters) long are difficult to transport. Transportation can now cost 20% of equipment costs.
• Tall HAWTs are difficult to install, needing very tall and expensive cranes and skilled operators.
• Massive tower construction is required to support the heavy blades, gearbox, and generator.
• Reflections from tall HAWTs may affect side lobes of radar installations creating signal clutter, although filtering can suppress it.
• Their height makes them obtrusively visible across large areas, disrupting the appearance of the landscape and sometimes creating local opposition.
• Downwind variants suffer from fatigue and structural failure caused by turbulence when a blade passes through the tower's wind shadow (for this reason, the majority of HAWTs use an upwind design, with the rotor facing the wind in front of the tower).

It must be fabulous to spend nice day after nice day wallowing in physical ignorance.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28402283@N07/3270731448">HAWT Disadvantages

[jpak]

13. They work just fine and do not go flying away- just because some internet sicko thinks they will

fantasize on