Wind Farm In Huron County

[dtown]

wow this is really cool

http://www.mlui.org/growthmanagement/fulla...sp?fileid=17027

i think this is defintly a good thing for michigan.

What do you guys think?

[RustTown]

Apart from the power they provide they look so cool. I remember seeing some in the Pennsylvania countryside, and it sure is an interesting sites. A lot of people hate them, though. For me, not only are they an interesting piece of architecture, but are an alternative energy source that can help drive down utility prices.

[dtown]

i read somewhere that people in traverse City used to have to pay more to get power from the windmill up there, but now it is actually cheaper than conventionally generated power

[Ka3kab]

Yeah thats true, but now its just part of the grid. TC Light and Power is thinking about putting up a few more, but it came with the usual resistance.

[dtown]

oh, i think i heard about that, they didnt want to ruin the scenery or something? personaly, i think they look cool.

[Ka3kab]

Of course they don't. They don't want anything. Don't build a wood burining plant, it would ruin the look of town, don't build an ethonal plant in Kingsley, it would create too many jobs and would cause too much traffic. Don't build a wind far, the one we have is already too ugly. Never mind that wind is free and Ethonal is cleaner burning than regular gas and wood is renewable and plentiful. As long as it comes from downstate, tourist included, they don't mind as long as it doesn't affect the astetics of the "small little town". 120,000 during the day really isn't that small in my opinion, not when it's crammed into less than 30 square miles.

Well, anyway, sorry about the rant.

[dtown]

i totally argree with you on that one, everytime i read something about something being built in TC it seems like the residents think it will ruin the "small town" look, i dont think its that small of a town either, especially since its the only city in the area, so its like the main center of buisiness and stuff

[VeeFan]

I think windmills only had to the aesthetics of a region. I'd much rather look at the windmills churning away instead of vast nothingness. That's how it felt in the UK at least, I took more pictures of the windmills further north in the country than I took of anything else.

[Ka3kab]

I agree and disagree. I know, sounds not right, right. Well let me explain. They look kinda cool, but they are huge. The one in Traverse City you can see forever if you're in the right place. I was looking towands the west standing at the airport and could see the thing churning. It's about 8 miles away from there. But They're also good because it's basically free energy. I am not the hippie, tree hugger type in any way, shape or form but come on, we can't keep up with the demand we have for oil. It's going to run out and then were all &#@(ed. We will piss off the Middle East and Venezaula more than we already have and they will cut us off. And again, were #&$@ed. So anything to cut down on oil, to me, is a good thing.

[dtown]

i agree, but its different in the thumb than in TC, there are few forests, few lakes, and other than by the lakeshore, there is nothing. Yes you will be able to see them for miles, and other than the huge grain elevators that lie in every city, this is about the only thing to see

[Ka3kab]

This is true. The one's in Mackinac City are visible for quite a while coming up I-75. You would probebly be able to see these ones from about 10 miles or more.

[dtown]

when did they put those in, because last time i was up there, i dont remeber seeing them...

[Ka3kab]

The last time I was there was about 2003 or 04. They are a little tricky to see if youre not looking for them. I imagine most people are pretty focused on the bridge.

[dtown]

yeah, ive seen pics of them before, there a way off in the distance on a hill right?

[Ka3kab]

Well kind of. From a distance their on a hill, but once you're in town, they are behind another hill.

[dtown]

oh, mmkay