tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post602260845290031471..comments2023-08-25T05:18:29.312-06:00Comments on Madville Times: Basin Electric Suspends NextGen Coal Plant; DoE Cancels EIScaheidelbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03261598066395322681noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-52376697238183608432010-12-23T12:51:27.956-07:002010-12-23T12:51:27.956-07:00But RJ, coal won't be able to be any part of t...But RJ, coal won't be able to be any part of the solution, since it will run out. The wind doesn't blow every day, but it will blow forever. Plus, we pay a higher price for that temprorarily constant coal power in pollution and health impacts. <br /><br />Uff da: the total cost-benefit spreadsheet couold be complicated!caheidelbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03261598066395322681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-91583866387892548242010-12-23T11:59:08.446-07:002010-12-23T11:59:08.446-07:00To follow up on Susan's comment, each MW of th...To follow up on Susan's comment, each MW of the coal plant would generate roughly 7.9 million kwh a year. Each MW of the wind farm would generate roughly 3.7 million kwh a year. Wind can be part of the solution but it cannot be the sole solution.<br /><br />RJ TraverAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-84233551700833530752010-12-23T08:11:25.550-07:002010-12-23T08:11:25.550-07:00Work on batteries for storage of renewable energy ...Work on batteries for storage of renewable energy is ongoing.<br /><br />Deer Creek Station will use natural gas for as long as natural gas is cheap. It'll be gasified coal if that's ever cheaper, as the project connects to the Northern Border pipeline, which is the carrier for the synthetic fuel made from coal at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant in Beulah, North Dakota.<br /><br />Basin Electric refers to the synthetic fuel it creates from coal as "natural gas." See, for instance, this website. http://www.dakotagas.com/<br /><br />Northern Border pipeline: http://www.dakotagas.com/Gas_Pipeline/index.htmlKelly Fullernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-69287773582099584532010-12-23T06:33:55.645-07:002010-12-23T06:33:55.645-07:00When is someone going to develop really big batter...When is someone going to develop really big batteries for those wind turbines? (Probably not until we quit relying on cheap, dirty coal?)caheidelbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03261598066395322681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-31256921421424241792010-12-22T22:03:25.003-07:002010-12-22T22:03:25.003-07:00Cory, don't get into the economics of the issu...Cory, don't get into the economics of the issue without putting in a factor that acknowledges that the wind towers only generate power about 50% of the time, because the wind doesn't always blow. In addition to the cost of the wind generation, you must have duplicate generation capacity, such as Basin is building at Deer Creek near Buffalo Ridge,(natural gas) so that we still can run our air conditioners on those hot windless summer days. It may be healthy, but it's not more economical.Susan Wismernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15329279.post-19664652553680857492010-12-22T11:00:29.986-07:002010-12-22T11:00:29.986-07:00Good for Basin! Good for us all and better yet for...Good for Basin! Good for us all and better yet for our grandchildren! It’s important to do the right thing to help stop the devastation coming our way from human-carbon-produced greenhouse gasses and climate change. It’s also important to do the economically smart thing and the strategically smart thing to move our nation into leadership with clean energy technology.<br /><br />Coal-sourced electricity is the old technology that produces the greatest harm. Reducing our dependence on coal and switching to wind and solar only helps in the transition to a clean energy economy. South Dakotans do not owe it to Wyoming or to West Virginia to increase coal consumption. We do owe it to ourselves to take every opportunity possible to expand wind energy development in South Dakota, to become a major supplier of wind energy to light up the nation and to become America’s leading clean energy state. Why not produce the energy here and make our state wealthy?Rick Hauffenoreply@blogger.com