Windmill on fire

[klondike]

ChatGPT....

Are offshore wind turbines more expensive to install and maintain than onshore

Yes, offshore wind turbines are generally more expensive to install and maintain than onshore turbines due to several factors:

Installation Costs

1. Foundation & Infrastructure – Offshore turbines require expensive foundations (e.g., monopiles, jackets, or floating platforms), whereas onshore turbines are placed on simpler concrete foundations.


2. Transportation & Logistics – Moving large turbine components to offshore sites requires specialized vessels and cranes, increasing costs.


3. Grid Connection – Offshore turbines need undersea cables and substations to transmit electricity to the mainland, which adds to the cost.



Maintenance Costs

1. Access Challenges – Offshore turbines are harder to reach for repairs due to rough sea conditions, requiring specialized vessels or helicopters.


2. Corrosion & Wear – Harsh marine environments (saltwater, strong winds, and waves) accelerate wear on components, leading to higher maintenance costs.


3. Downtime Risks – Repairs take longer offshore, leading to potential revenue losses.



Cost Comparison

Onshore Wind: Around $1.3–$2.2 million per MW to install.

Offshore Wind: Around $3–$5 million per MW to install, sometimes higher for deep-water projects.

O&M Costs: Offshore turbines cost about 2–6 times more to maintain than onshore ones.


Advantages of Offshore Wind

Despite the higher costs, offshore wind farms benefit from stronger, more consistent winds, leading to higher electricity generation and less public opposition than onshore farms.

Would you like more details on cost reductions or technological advancements in offshore wind?

[JBR]

https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/09/25/wind-farms-paid-nearly-2m-to-switch-off-even-as-customers-face-soaring-energy-bills/

Thank you.  An excellent article which explains why a complete reliance on wind farms is a mistake.

If we want to continue to benefit from reliable electricity generation, we have choices:
- more nuclear power, as our 'friends' in France;
- go back to digging coal, as this can be burnt with a minimal production of nasty emissions;
- take the opportunity to extract oil, which I have heard we still have in our localities;
- explore that thing I heard about but now seems to have been forgotten: fracking.

Nett zero is a complete scam and will never happen if China and others continue their power generation.

[dextrous63]

Does anyone know what happens to wind turbines after they have reached the end of their life (circa 20-25 years)?

[klondike]

ChatGPT does.

[dextrous63]

ChatGPT does.

It's nice that you have a new friend to talk to.😬

[JBR]

Does anyone know what happens to wind turbines after they have reached the end of their life (circa 20-25 years)?

It wouldn't surprise me if they would have to be replaced, perhaps in their entirety.  Expensive!

[dextrous63]

It wouldn't surprise me if they would have to be replaced, perhaps in their entirety.  Expensive!

Found a useful article

https://www.power-technology.com/features/wind-turbines-are-ageing-what-happens-next/?cf-view&cf-minimized&cf-view

[klondike]

It's nice that you have a new friend to talk to.😬

Quicker to use than Google as you get answers to the specific question rather than links to possible answers based on a few words in the question.

[dextrous63]

Quicker to use than Google as you get answers to the specific question rather than links to possible answers based on a few words in the question.

This is true.  I might eventually upgrade from my quill and move onto one of these new fangled fountain pen thingies.

[klondike]

Just as with Google though it can come up with BS. It pays to check if the answer seems unlikely. On the recycling of wind turbines I pretty much knew the answer already from other stuff I'd read before I asked the question.

[JBR]

Found a useful article

https://www.power-technology.com/features/wind-turbines-are-ageing-what-happens-next/?cf-view&cf-minimized&cf-view

Interesting.  But one small section made me question it:

"Turbine foundations are removed so that land can be returned to an agricultural use."

Why not erect a new turbine on the existing foundations?  They could use the existing (presumably underground) power lines.

[dextrous63]

Interesting.  But one small section made me question it:

"Turbine foundations are removed so that land can be returned to an agricultural use."

Why not erect a new turbine on the existing foundations?  They could use the existing (presumably underground) power lines.

Good question.  Although, to be fair, one can buy hope that in 20-30 years time someone will have come up with a far better solution to the problem other than big desk fans.

[Mups]

Good question.  Although, to be fair, one can buy hope that in 20-30 years time someone will have come up with a far better solution to the problem other than big desk fans.

The way the population is increasing,  there won't be any more farmland to site these things on in another 30 yrs anyway. 
Every spare inch of ground will be covered in 'affordable housing,'   or new prisons.

[JBR]

Good question.  Although, to be fair, one can buy hope that in 20-30 years time someone will have come up with a far better solution to the problem other than big desk fans.

Ah, my guess is nuclear power!  Perhaps by then nuclear fusion.

February 04, 2025, 10:40:25 PM

The way the population is increasing,  there won't be any more farmland to site these things on in another 30 yrs anyway. 
Every spare inch of ground will be covered in 'affordable housing,'  or new prisons.

Affordable housing?  Surely, five-star hotels!

[dextrous63]

Perhaps these metal towers that will be blighting the landscape can be repurposed as homes.