Comments on: Early World Technology: Eight Abandoned Windmills http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/19/abandoned-windmills/ Urban Culture, Alternative Art and Wonders of the World Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:24:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Leo http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/19/abandoned-windmills/comment-page-1/#comment-131323 Leo Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:21:24 +0000 http://weburbanist.com/?p=8467#comment-131323 Thanks for the nice pictures. However, the annotations need a little improvement. The "Dutch "windmills are not from the Netherlands. The stone tower mill is most probalby from a Balkan area: Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, may be Poland. It could resemble some tower mills from France. The post mill originates from Belgium or the Northwestern part of France. The Netherlands has approx. some 1100 traditional windmills fully restored and functional. I do not agree with Jon that a traditional windmill is exclusively used for grinding corn. In nortwestern Europe mills were applied for other activities such as fulling, sawing, paper making, oil pressing etc. etc. The windmill on Gotland, Sweden, was most probably not used for powering a large farm, since this was not a custom until the 19 th century and even impossible considered its isolated position. In certain occasions windmills were used to power a farm, and then those windmills were located on the roof of a barn. In most other cases treadmills were applied. Leo Thanks for the nice pictures. However, the annotations need a little improvement. The “Dutch “windmills are not from the Netherlands. The stone tower mill is most probalby from a Balkan area: Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, may be Poland. It could resemble some tower mills from France. The post mill originates from Belgium or the Northwestern part of France. The Netherlands has approx. some 1100 traditional windmills fully restored and functional. I do not agree with Jon that a traditional windmill is exclusively used for grinding corn. In nortwestern Europe mills were applied for other activities such as fulling, sawing, paper making, oil pressing etc. etc. The windmill on Gotland, Sweden, was most probably not used for powering a large farm, since this was not a custom until the 19 th century and even impossible considered its isolated position. In certain occasions windmills were used to power a farm, and then those windmills were located on the roof of a barn. In most other cases treadmills were applied.

Leo

]]> By: Bobby dee http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/19/abandoned-windmills/comment-page-1/#comment-112484 Bobby dee Mon, 11 May 2009 03:52:36 +0000 http://weburbanist.com/?p=8467#comment-112484 I love seeing a wind driven water pumps in the Midwest. The Amish have them in Iowa & Wisconsin. I have seen many working in northern Nebraska that are on short towers. I love seeing a wind driven water pumps in the Midwest. The Amish have them in Iowa & Wisconsin. I have seen many working in northern Nebraska that are on short towers.

]]> By: Luccia http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/19/abandoned-windmills/comment-page-1/#comment-96810 Luccia Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:27:21 +0000 http://weburbanist.com/?p=8467#comment-96810 Actually, Jon and others, farm windmills pumped water, generated electricity and some powered mills that ground grain. The term windmill was used as a generic for any such wind-driven device by the farmers who used them. The article errs a bit that they were abandoned in favor of "modern" electricity. The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) set up poles and strung electrical wire throughout rural America, connecting farms to the grid. Farmers were forced, sometimes with deputy sheriffs standing by, to disconnect their wind-powered generators, allow the mounting of the electrical meter, and watch as REA installers hooked them up to the grid. Those who resisted were fined. The Amish, who had religious doctrine behind them, were able to avoid mandatory connection and retained the ability to generate their own electricity. It is ironic that today they are seen as forward-thinking and "green," for avoiding the forced abandonment of self-generated electricity while they were ridiculed at the time for being "backwards." Actually, Jon and others, farm windmills pumped water, generated electricity and some powered mills that ground grain. The term windmill was used as a generic for any such wind-driven device by the farmers who used them.

The article errs a bit that they were abandoned in favor of “modern” electricity. The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) set up poles and strung electrical wire throughout rural America, connecting farms to the grid. Farmers were forced, sometimes with deputy sheriffs standing by, to disconnect their wind-powered generators, allow the mounting of the electrical meter, and watch as REA installers hooked them up to the grid. Those who resisted were fined. The Amish, who had religious doctrine behind them, were able to avoid mandatory connection and retained the ability to generate their own electricity. It is ironic that today they are seen as forward-thinking and “green,” for avoiding the forced abandonment of self-generated electricity while they were ridiculed at the time for being “backwards.”

]]> By: Anthony Hamberg http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/19/abandoned-windmills/comment-page-1/#comment-96482 Anthony Hamberg Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:10:51 +0000 http://weburbanist.com/?p=8467#comment-96482 Happy to see it is back online for many reasons. Not the least of which is that abandoned projects such as this support negative perceptions of renewables. Also there is a several year back-order on new towers, and we all know that before you recycle you reuse. I wonder if any of the Stimulus is directed at rehabbing existing or abandoned "old-tech" installations such as Kamaoa? Happy to see it is back online for many reasons. Not the least of which is that abandoned projects such as this support negative perceptions of renewables.
Also there is a several year back-order on new towers, and we all know that before you recycle you reuse. I wonder if any of the Stimulus is directed at rehabbing existing or abandoned “old-tech” installations such as Kamaoa?

]]> By: Anthony Hamberg http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/19/abandoned-windmills/comment-page-1/#comment-96481 Anthony Hamberg Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:02:54 +0000 http://weburbanist.com/?p=8467#comment-96481 In case anyone is curious about the Hawaiian wind farm. It was built by HECO, the Hawaiian power company and abandoned in the early 90s due to tech issues but appears to be back online now. Why it went offline: It was older technology that went online in 1985. Westinghouse, the maker of the turbines, dropped out of wind energy manufacturing and didn’t offer upgrades. As parts ran out, maintenance went up and the old units aren’t nearly as efficient as new technology. The landowner, Campbell Estates, controls the property and hasn’t done anything with it. All while new wind farms are being built all over Hawaii. Most Recent: Apollo Energy Corporation purchased and repowered the retired Kamaoa Wind Farm which began commercial operation in 1987. Now owned and operated by Tawhiri Power LLC and renamed Pakini Nui Wind Farm, it consists of 14 General Electric turbines producing 21 megawatts. It was returned to service in April 2007. The purchase power agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Company was approved by the Public Utilities Commission on March 10, 2005. Kamaoa Wind Farm consisted of 37 Mitsubishi 250-kilowatt wind turbines capable of generating up to 9.3 megawatts. In case anyone is curious about the Hawaiian wind farm.

It was built by HECO, the Hawaiian power company and abandoned in the early 90s due to tech issues but appears to be back online now.

Why it went offline:

It was older technology that went online in 1985. Westinghouse, the maker of the turbines, dropped out of wind energy manufacturing and didn’t offer upgrades. As parts ran out, maintenance went up and the old units aren’t nearly as efficient as new technology. The landowner, Campbell Estates, controls the property and hasn’t done anything with it. All while new wind farms are being built all over Hawaii.

Most Recent:

Apollo Energy Corporation purchased and repowered the retired Kamaoa Wind Farm which began commercial operation in 1987. Now owned and operated by Tawhiri Power LLC and renamed Pakini Nui Wind Farm, it consists of 14 General Electric turbines producing 21 megawatts. It was returned to service in April 2007. The purchase power agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Company was approved by the Public Utilities Commission on March 10, 2005. Kamaoa Wind Farm consisted of 37 Mitsubishi 250-kilowatt wind turbines capable of generating up to 9.3 megawatts.

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