I have thought about this before, and someone else has just mentioned it -
can the increasing number of windfarms take enough energy out of the wind to
affect weather patterns? Is the wind "slower" in some way the other side of
a windmill? Maybe the size of a windmill is insignificant compared to the
mass of air around it, but wouldnt even the slightest effect change things
(it must be a bigger effect than a butterfly flapping its wings ;-)
I guess the same goes for wave power (although AFAIK that isnt as widely
used as wind).

cheers

dave.

Dave, it is insignificant.

E.g.: The total energy dissipation of a very big Iceland low in winter
is in the order of 1000 EJ. To give you an idea: The total yearly
energy consumption of man kind is in the order of 400 EJ.

It is a pity that most of this energy (over 99%) is very low grade
heat - so utterly useless. About 1 permille is turned into mechanic
energy (wind), but be glad about that. If 1000 EJ of mechanical
energy would be unleashed over the UK (or the Netherlands), during
let's say a week, it would be a "rather restless event", to say the
least ... :-)

Mazzel & broge / kind regards, Evert Wesker
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
http://come.to/wesker (redirect URL, no adv's), or
http://www.euronet.nl/users/e_wesker/


On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 17:41:01 -0000, "a"
wrote:

I have thought about this before, and someone else has just mentioned it -
can the increasing number of windfarms take enough energy out of the wind to
affect weather patterns? Is the wind "slower" in some way the other side of
a windmill? Maybe the size of a windmill is insignificant compared to the
mass of air around it, but wouldnt even the slightest effect change things
(it must be a bigger effect than a butterfly flapping its wings ;-)
I guess the same goes for wave power (although AFAIK that isnt as widely
used as wind).

cheers

dave.

"Evert Wesker" wrote in message
...
Dave, it is insignificant.

E.g.: The total energy dissipation of a very big Iceland low in
winter
is in the order of 1000 EJ. To give you an idea: The total yearly
energy consumption of man kind is in the order of 400 EJ.

It is a pity that most of this energy (over 99%) is very low grade
heat - so utterly useless. About 1 permille is turned into
mechanic
energy (wind), but be glad about that. If 1000 EJ of mechanical
energy would be unleashed over the UK (or the Netherlands), during
let's say a week, it would be a "rather restless event", to say the
least ... :-)

I like your euphemism for "total carnage and destruction". :-)


Mazzel & broge / kind regards, Evert Wesker
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
http://come.to/wesker (redirect URL, no adv's), or
http://www.euronet.nl/users/e_wesker/


On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 17:41:01 -0000, "a"
wrote:

I have thought about this before, and someone else has just
mentioned it -
can the increasing number of windfarms take enough energy out of
the wind to
affect weather patterns? Is the wind "slower" in some way the other
side of
a windmill? Maybe the size of a windmill is insignificant compared
to the
mass of air around it, but wouldnt even the slightest effect change
things
(it must be a bigger effect than a butterfly flapping its wings ;-)
I guess the same goes for wave power (although AFAIK that isnt as
widely
used as wind).

cheers

dave.

Dave, it is insignificant.

Thats good news.

E.g.: The total energy dissipation of a very big Iceland low in winter
is in the order of 1000 EJ. To give you an idea: The total yearly
energy consumption of man kind is in the order of 400 EJ.

Well I didnt even know what the prefix 'E' was - so it had to be pretty big!
(For anyone else that doesnt know, the prefix E is 10^18)

I can sleep now that worry has been lifted )