NY Thruway: too windy

New York State Thruway Authority loses lawsuit over non-functioning windmills
www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/nys-thruway-authority-loses-…
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the New York State Thruway Authority against the manufacturers, installers, and consultants involved with a project aimed at powering facilities with wind power, but which turned out to be a failure. The New York State Thruway Authority, as part of the push by Gov. Andrew Cuomo for agencies to move toward so-called “green energy” sources, installed several wind turbines in 2015, projecting it would save $300,000 a year in utility costs. Even if that were true, it would take 16 years for the nearly $5 million investment to pay for itself.

That’s if they worked. But within a couple of years, four of the five wind turbines erected to power toll plazas and other Thruway facilities near exits between Eden-Angola and the Pennsylvania state line had failed. The Thruway had hoped that due to their proximity near the shore of Lake Erie, prevailing winds at these locations make them well-suited for wind power generation.

However, it was the winds at these locations that made the failed turbines unsuitable for the conditions in the region, because they can’t stand up to the wind shears there.

DB2

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Sounds like an opportunity for the engineers to improve their designs.

Who made the wind turbines? Are better designs available now? Do other brands hold up better?

In NY you expect General Electric to be the supplier.

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Article says supplier was Vergnet. They had asked for wind shear studies but Thruway refused and went ahead anyway. I guess they hurried to meet a schedule with no flexibility.

Wind turbines are not a bad idea but its one of those teaching situations.

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Article says supplier was Vergnet. They had asked for wind shear studies but Thruway refused and went ahead anyway. I guess they hurried to meet a schedule with no flexibility.

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Oct 22, 2015

Vergnet completed a significant US project in New York State this April with a total of four MP-R 275kW turbines now producing clean, green renewable energy on the Interstate 90 (I-90) freeway.

The I-90 is a transcontinental freeway, and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at 3,020.54 miles (4,861.09 km).

The project, developed for the New York State Thruway Authority, was signed in July 2013 followed by construction, installation and commissioning in November 2014. It is part of a New York state initiative to utilise more renewal energy with an overall goal of generating 30 percent of energy from renewables.

http://www.vergnet.com/news/vergnet-successfully-completes-w…

These were really small wind turbines. Obvious corruption on the project. New wind turbines are rated at 12 to 15 MMW each.

Jaak

These were really small wind turbines. Obvious corruption on the project.

Sounds like it was one of those “feel good” projects.

New wind turbines are rated at 12 to 15 MMW each.

What would be the required safety setback from the interstate for a large turbine? Quarter-mile? Half-mile?

DB2