Of Mice and Windy Men
July 10, 2009
It is a special time to be in the wind power business. It is not often that one gets to make a lot of money at the same time one is hailed as a paragon of selfless virtue. It is truly a rare event that should be savored. Usually those who endeavor to make money are seen as the villains that they so clearly are.
But pulling my tongue out of my cheek, we see the wind power business as very positive for the future of our business, i.e. delivering engineering and project services to the natural gas industry. While we understand that Mme. Pelosi believes that natural gas is not a fossil fuel, we know that the more enlightened members of her staff will catch this mistake eventually. Natural gas will be given no favors by this administration or Congress. And since ForeRunner’s work force is not legacy union, we are out of luck there as well.
But we can count on the insight provided by John Steinbeck on plans, even the plans of Wise Ones in Washington. Some years ago Mr. Steinbeck said that the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray; that is, our plans do not turn out as we expect. And this is as true for Washington as it has been in my life.
While official Washington’s view on energy is the triumph of Science over engineering, engineering must always be satisfied. After all, no one has yet made water run uphill without a pump (or windmills generate energy when the wind is not blowing). And so those of us who abuse Mother Earth with our pipes and compressors and towers still have a role to play in our nation’s energy supply.
Simply put, the order of magnitude growth in wind-powered electricity is mandated. The wind is there, and we know how to make the windmills. Subsidies have been provided and regulations written, which will make the money available. A veritable flood of windmills will cover the land over the next 10 years.
But as Scripture reminds us, the wind blows where it will. It also blows when it will. Thus we are left with the problem of generating power then the wind does not blow. As it turns out, that is a surprisingly large amount of the time. Even in Wyoming, which I certainly find surprising. My childhood memories are of hurricane force wind 24/7/365.
But since even Boulder, CO needs power when the wind does not blow, we must use nasty old standbys (fossil fuels) to keep the cappucino machines running. As it turns out, the wind changes its mind about whether it wants to blow or not in a remarkably short time. So we are left with the need to provide large amounts of power on unpredictably short notice, as well as the need to shut off that same large amount of power on equally unpredictably short notice. What can we use to balance those windmills?
Until Science gives us their promised magic batteries, the only solution we know of for rapid ups and downs in the need for power is our old friend, the gas turbine. Going back to Mr. Steinbeck, we begin to see the essential truth of the insight he provided some 70 years ago. The Plan for Pristine Purity of energy from the wind requires the construction of more fossil fueled energy. Even more perverse is the scale of work to be done. Given the amount of wind energy planned, the amount of natural gas infrastructure needed will be substantial. Gas turbines use very large amounts of natural gas, and they use it right now. To get an idea of what is needed, you might think in terms of the water piping in your house. It provides for the daily needs of the household, but then hook a fire hose to that house water piping; a fire hose that turns on and off several times a day.
The supply of natural gas is not a problem. We have plenty; and if we need more, we just have to drill more wells. But there is a great need for bigger pipes, more compression and gas storage in the vicinity of the gas turbines. We are going to have to tear up our house a bit to put in bigger water pipes, as well as locate some water tanks on our street.
This will undoubtedly prove a great irritation to our friends in Boulder. How they balance their need for on-demand cappuccinos with the vagaries of nature will be great theater.
Blog Archives
December 2009
My Gosh, I Agree with Ted Turner - 12/22/2009November 2009
Natural Gas Prices - 11/16/2009July 2009
Leadership Near a French Town - 07/16/2009Perversity Strikes Again - 07/10/2009
Of Mice and Windy Men - 07/10/2009
June 2009
Dead Cat Bounce - 06/15/2009Notes From Dubai - 06/15/2009
Value - 06/15/2009
Buffoons or High Priests - 06/15/2009
April 2009
Cold Harbor - 04/10/2009An Arrogant Crow - 04/07/2009