Green energy is trendy, politically correct and, more importantly, far less destructive than the old-fashioned, fossil fuel-reliant technologies. Great on paper, not so great in practice, especially when it comes to the image-conscious residents of the Cape. They have been battling the installation of a wind power generating farm for nigh on seven years now. I see their point. I may not agree with it, but I can see where they are coming from.
While wind power may work on the Cape, with its wide open space and plenty of well, wind, it could never be practical in the center of Boston. Fortunately, the city will not be left in the petroleum dust, according to an article in today’s Boston Globe. What the city lacks in open space it makes up for in rooftops. What better place then, to install large, efficient solar panels? That is the undertaking of John Rosenthal, a developer with plans to build a large complex of apartments, offices, and stores near the Mass Pike in Fenway, which will be powered, in part, by large solar panels installed on the roof of one of the buildings.
From the Globe article:
“The solar farm would be installed on the roof of a parking garage that Rosenthal would build over the turnpike by Brookline Avenue. … Rosenthal said the solar farm could produce up to 450 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power about 100 of the 330 apartments he wants to build on land between Brookline Avenue and Beacon Street.”
No one can object to an un-obtrusive, independently funded, efficient and green source of energy, can they? Let’s hope not. The project is yet to be approved by city officials. Here’s hoping that all new buildings in Boston will come equipped with soon-to-be trendy rooftop solar farms.
No objections to the roof project – - but here’s some things you have to think about with any electric-generating project like this:
First, what will it generate on average? Not maximum, because renewables rarely put out that much. Over a year, I believe either solar cell or wind power typically generates only 20%-30% of the maximum possible. That average value (the Capacity Factor) gives a better idea of the return on the investment. You rarely see that number reported because it’s so much worse than the maximum (rated), and/or the news reporter isn’t smart enough to ask for it.
Second, recognize that an intermittent source like this leads to no reduction in the number of conventional power plants with high capacity factors (70 – 95%). Why? Daytime loads are the biggest on the electric grid due to industry, etc. If it is a stormy day and there’s no generation at the apartments, or something on the solar system is broken, the building’s occupants will still expect their TVs, microwaves and air-conditioners to work. So the power company has to keep that power generation ability ready to go. (It’s usually a legal requirement. Often they’re pumping it out as well, because you can’t start a big power plant up in an instant when the grid needs more juice.) Only if you get many, many renewables out there using various sources (so they’re predictably not all disabled at the same time due to weather, etc) can you think about reducing conventional, dependable, 24 hour generation methods. Or, as an alternative, the apartment dwellers could agree to disconnect themselves from the grid unless they are pumping surplus back in. (In that case, they’ll want batteries too.)
Wind power can be used on city rooftops – there are various turbine designs that do it (some look like egg-beaters) – so it can’t be entirely dismissed. But nothing beats wide-open spaces like Cape Cod. I think windmills are rather pretty myself, but if they don’t want them obstructing the view, Cape Codders should at least support their local alternatives, which I’m afraid is coal and nuclear. There’s a cost to every benefit in life – be it a beautiful view or the power for your big-screen TV.
Jim Aach, author of Rad Decision: A Novel of Nuclear Power
Wind turbine plans are also subject to nimbyism, and nimbies doen’t get any more nimbyesque than in Norfolk, where a proposal for a large wind farm has been thrown out. Norfolk nimbies tend to be particularly self-righteous and bullying, and split communities, intimidating people to the point of suicide.