So much news today that it is boggling the mind. Unfortunately, as per usual, it is all bad! So today I have decided to start a Revolution! That is my right under the all the articles and doctrines we live under. I am not going to recognize the "CONTRACT WITH (corporate) AMERICA" anymore and consider that document belonging to a terrorist organisation. Their sole purpose is to enslave the working people of this country for their personal monetary gain. I am replacing it with my "COMPACT WITH AMERICA". Under my new America the "PEOPLE" are the prime purpose of the Government. You may even call it a bit radical and even a bit socialistic, but I believe the government should be an instrument by which the masses benefit not just a few. So I have loaded my "BIC auto ink feed - 1984 model" and started to go hunting those politicos who would enslave us to the corporations. Wish me luck and you are welcome to join me.
On a happier note I have also found numerous places for us to site our new windmill farm, that will take the Town of North Adams off the grid and even make a few bucks extra for some nice municipal projects down town for the enjoyment of the town folk. Which mountain would you prefer?
25 comments:
Southview, wind is good and has great potential for the small city, but might I also suggest that you consider some other alternate energy sources that are available in NA but un-tapped.
There are several locations around where hydro power could easily be harnessed (and in some cases the structures are partially built).
A good amount of energy could be captured from the dump - both geo-thermal and and methane.
To help the local farmers, a little local government help could go a long way. The manure that these farms generate can (and should) be digested to produce methane gas to fire a steam generator or generate hydrogen. The by-product from this produces a ferterlizer that blows any commercial product away and it is much better for the environment. The traditional farm waste product could help a farmer become energy independent and greatly reduce their ferterlizer costs. Search the web for a farm in Ct that produces a product called "Cow Pots".
Southview, one other thought. Just as with broadband, one of the best and lowest cost things the local governmet can do is simply to gather and make available reliable information on how the average citizen can take advantage of the many alternate sources that are available.
Remember, information is the new weapon of the revolution!!
da snoop.....I already discussed our vast hydro capabilities in several of my earlier blogs, (check the archives) but thank you for bringing it back to the forefront. I have to say here just like in other comments, I and as well as you and others, have noted how the town can get itself clean of dependence on outside forces for it's energy needs. But it seems that those that have been given the power to make these things happen just don't give a damn, so our comments fall on deaf ears and blind eyes. And they wonder why we have nothing but destine for our politicians!
But back to our energy producing potential. This area is a premo location for all the sources that you mention. Hydro is probably in first place with wind power second and shit gas turd....I mean third! :~)
I don't know if they give a damn or not but you can see the battles that would have to be fought because of idiots like Tillinghast. She would rather the whole area die a slow death than sacrifice a little for the betterment of the area in the long run.
Energy in equals energy out - no way around it, so the the deciding factor is cost. Unitl we start paying the true price for oil and coal, the alternatives will never have a chance. As gas prices increase (which is reflected in the price of everything) the alternatives will look better and the "environmentalist" will have get have to become a little more realistic.
Da snoop.....Since the Republican invasion, (starting with tricky dickie through ronnie the rat and continuing with king george) and the death of our government, all but a token (but under strict control) of people in the department of Research and Development have done any real work. Their budgets have been cut to the bone to be used elsewhere. To say there has been any progress would be to say that Oil companies and corporate CEO's are our friends. Ever since I was old enough to reason, I envisioned every home with their own Unit producing all the energy they needed. It has not happened! Why have we gone from the old huge wooden floor model radio to micro mini computers, you need a microscope to see, in just over 65 years. But in the energy department of research we are still listening to the same old radio? Can you say "OIL Companies" ?
Southview I don't totally disagree with you but I don't totally agree with you either. There is research being done and in fact there exists now a unit that you can put in your home and generate your own electricity for the rest of your life. Depending on the "fuel" in, the "exhaust" of the device is water vapor. The saddest part, the company that produces these units started out in Pittsfield Ma and was allowed to slip away.
Where I agree with you is the big companies have keep gas and oil at a price that is preventing these other systems from being financially viable to the consumer. With just the benefit of economies of scale in production, these units would be extremely cheap.
What are these units? Fuel Cells. What is the company? Plug Power, formerly of Pittsfield, now in Latham NY.
The downside is that right now the "market" calls for a unit that uses natural gas to extract the hydrogen from, but water could just as easily be used and thus the "exhaust" would be water vapor. If one combined one of these units with a windmill (electricity to perform hydrolysis) , you could use the electricity to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in water and burn the hydrogen to produce power. Anyway, if interested check out www.plugpower.com.
Disclaimer - I own stock in this company.
You are both goofy in this one---people don't move to the Berkshires for cheap energy--forget wind---it does not amount to a single bean in the whole shcele of things-- the City did explore the Eclipse Dam--years ago--- it was not economically feasible for a private developer---nor for the City to do it on its own---OK-- Da Snoop - have you visited Fairbanks new monstosity??? how would you like 20 of them on our NA ridge abutting Florida??? or better yet-- how would you like 20,000 of them on our ridge lines in Massachusetts???
you are so pipe dream oriented--wind is not a SOLUTION--- it is merely a phenomonen- to make enviros- FEEL GOOD-- into thinking that they are doing something about the environment- when it doesn't accomlish a damn thing---chbpod
chbpod.....We hear that term thrown around a lot, but just what does it mean..."economically feasible." By what standard do they measure. Are we talking short term payback for monies invested and high profitability within an investor's viable spendable lifetime? If the project uses more money to build and maintain than can be gained, than I would agree with you. BUT... as the cost of oil and gas and coal continue to spiral upward and the availability of grants and low and no interest loans to municipalities are now available, It would be a good thing to revisit these projects. I keep thinking of the commercial where the beaver said to the guy..."And doing nothing didn't help?"
chbpod...to continue...Why does everything have to be privatized? Have we finally gotten to the point where we as a town are no longer "economically feasible"? At what point do we throw in the towel and tell the State that we can no longer afford to exist as a town because of economic reasons? At what point does the mayors office become the office of a yet to be named CEO?
It seems to me that any technology that would help would be welcome. Windmills are not a pipe dream nor are they a passing phenomenon but a viable reality. Because they don't look pretty is not a good enough reason to not embrace something...the same was said about TV antennas. The reality is that Windmills draw the visitors to the area not drive them away, so you have a double your money situation. Personally I would install as many as feasible along the (SPRUCE HILL) Ridge overlooking the city. Not only would we have enough for the town's own use but we could tell the Power Company not to let the door hit them in the ass on there way out! How's that for economic feasibility payback?
Wind and water power, agricultural gas, geothermal, photovoltaic, more efficiency and decreased demand by spoiled Americans -- no one of those will totally solve the problem, but a combination could have an impressive impact on the energy picture. And that's what I hope will happen. It won't mean "20,000 of them (windmills) on our ridgelines" -- that is a total exaggeration. And "Anonymous," your argument might carry more weight with some folks if you would sign it...
I think we should pursue as many of these options as possible, in combination. There are energy grants out there, both public and private, that would help defray the cost.
Kacy
You all should knock off the liberal crapola and burn fossil fuel.It works well and only an idiot would think we are running out.If leftist / commie crackpots would let us drill in Alaska..yes ANWAR...and drill in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida we would have even more. Are you aware that drilling in the Gulf near Florida is not allowed because they are worried about a spill ruining the beaches? Canada has very large deposits of soil impregnated with crude oil and we have more coal than we could ever use. Does anyone know that the Nazi's turned coal into liquid fuel in the 30's ? Or that South Africa uses liquid coal on a large scale? I know that if we drill in these places we will disrupt a bug or maybe a frog so perhaps we should think about nukes again?
Don't miss quote me but I am not advocating only windmills or only hydro. Those are the ones that seem the most viable for North Adams. Solar is a joke here in the North East, although it will heat your hot water in the summer time and you can build a unit with only a few parts from Wally mart, (CHINA). What seems to be the biggest hurtle to overcome is not the technology or the funding but the reluctance of those with the ability to make it happen not showing any interest, especially if it wasn't their idea and they can't claim a political credit for it. So the hot air will continue on forever and nothing will be done until the situation forces them into action.....Then watch them strut around with their puffy chest stuck out, spewing accolades upon themselves on how they have been working on the situation behind the scene for a long time! Ya Right....
Reddi Kilowatt you miss the point entirely on why alternates instead of carbon based fossil fuel. Regardless, you should do a little more homework and see how long ANWAR and other domestic sources will actually last even at current consumption rates (though demand increases annually). Germany also produced wood gas during the energy shortages of the wars, are you advocating deforestation as well?
Deforestation? The first thing a tree does when it is cut down is to grow again.I am advocating liberal tree hugging leftists ought to get a life.I once heard a local nut who has a talk show on local access say he would not drive to Albany because it would harm the planet.I won't name him but the old bat sitting next to him likes to nodd her head a lot and say nothing.You should do your own homework and see that there is no shortage of oil.The sea bed is unexplored and so is Alaska.There is even natural gas right here in good old Berkshire county.It is the eastern overthrust belt and the gas is to deep in the ground to make it worth going after at current prices.Chill out ! Put your baseball hat on faceing forward and celebrate the next earth day by burning a tire and throwing old motor oil back where it came from.Or better yet maybe the hot air coming from the mouth of Al Gore could be put to use to generate electric power instead of insulting the fans.
The first thing a tree does when it is cut down is to grow again. - I see your a city person.
It is the eastern overthrust belt and the gas is to deep in the ground to make it worth going after at current prices. - well that certainly helps the energy problem. Gee you're right what I am worried about.
The rest of your post is simply not worth going after - must be too deep.
Reddi....And your point is?
Look you insulting country boy. Any tree cut down grows back from the roots.The only way to kill a tree is to gurdle it or in other words cut the bark off in a circle all the way around the tree in a six inch band.Do that and it is dead in two seasons.Trees are everwhere and probably the most unused fuel there is.The energy problem???? It is a problem only in the empty head of a left wing crackpot.Gas is plentiful and cheaper in this country than in most other countries.I gotta go now.I am going to drive to Albany and poison the planet.
Reddi....And your point is?
I'm sure you didn't mean the only way to kill a tree, I can think of at least a dozen, but with the exception on conifers, I would wager they do not grow back from the stump once cut down. But tell me, why do you think gas "is plentiful and cheaper in this country than in most other countries" it all comes from the same place? Hell, they can't even get fuel in Iraq - how could that be?
Gas is $5.00 to $6.00 per gallon in Europe and even in Russia.Russia has more oil in Siberia than the Arabs have.Reason? Taxes on gas.I believe the gas tax here is 60 cents a gallon.
As for trees,I cleared land I own and they grew right back from the roots I do believe however that conifers do not grow back.
Scrub trees maybe, but not anything with any girth, and yes conifers do grow back from the stump - ask a xmas tree farm owner.
If I can remember correctly from school, back in the age of enlightenment, that there is a definite evolution of a forest. Lets see if I rememberer correctly...an open field (or a cleared field)...Then, scrub bushes and undergroath...Then, your fast growing softwoods such as poplar...Then, slower growing but bigger hardwood varities...Then, your your fur trees take over and that is the end of the cycle till you cut them all down to make an open field again. The complete cycle takes hundreds of years to complete from beginning to end. Did I remember correctly? Do I get a gold star today?
Hey Reddi- from your description of the local cable access show-- the guy who looks like Jesus Christ does'nt own a car- he has a bycicle-- and the reason why he won't "drive" to Albany----is that he would have to pedal his butt back------but true enough his breathing might add to the CO2 over Petersburg Pass----and KC-- who the heck are you-- no id on your "profiles"--- and most of the usual suspects on this board know damn well who I am-----and I am not afraid to make it public as I have in the past----now for wind power to replace our Grid production at max-- it would take 20,000 wind turbines-- that's fact-- although- moderated a bit since they do not perform at much more (plus or minus) 20-30%--and they are unreliable-- and would not shut down a single solid fossile fuel plant---so 20,000 on OUR ridge lines throughout massachuseets or Cape Cod bay or the Cape and islands---that's a cart load of twirling gadgets--- chbpod---and if you don't know what chbpod stands for??? go pound sand-- I don't know what KC or Reddi Kilowatt stands for either-- so where's your credibility???---you moron--chbpod
Reddi Kilowatt was a stick figure of a red electric man and was used by Massacuusetts Electric on their signs along the Deerfield river. For some reason the electric company decided to kill Reddi off and actually cut his picture off of the signs along the river.
As for the guy with the bycicle...he ought to go back to Northhampton. I know what chbpod means. I am the biggest fan of Think About It.
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