GoingTrueGreen's Blog Postings

The Answers are Blowing in the Wind

10/7/2024

Some are dubbing the environmental problems caused by broken wind turbine blades "acceptable" because wind is renewable energy. Energy from oil is consistent until all sources have been depleted, thus non-renewable. Wind is inconsistent, but will not be completely gone one day in the future.

Therefore, should people start to label different fuel sources based on pros and cons or an evaluation that puts all the facts into perspective, and perhaps finds a better way?

Pros and cons are key to scientific evaluations, but we should not allow that to stifle our intelligence to create another way, a better way. Think about what we are saying here… Are we trying to justify the “hurt” to people and our environment based on reasons of renewability or non-renewability? Based on consistency or non- consistency?

Compared to oil that is non-renewable and the environmental problems from fossil fuels have caused, we all know this fuel is not acceptable for the long term. However, oil pumped from the ground like all actions taken, have pros and cons. Using oil as a fuel has adverted many environmental issues such as: cutting down trees for wood to burn, killing whales to use whale oil, and reduced the burning of toxic kerosene for heat, and light. Yet, kerosene is still used in various countries around the world, and that is a problem for children's health. For more details on this, please visit: (https://www.goingtruegreen.com/gtg-blog/gravitylight)

We need a complete picture, because without one we “use” someone or something for our own gain of power, finances, and pleasure – that is a sin. That is wrong. That is unacceptable. Especially when we know the energy answer for the world. Sadly, we have no politicians or companies willing to provide funds for research, development of the equipment, and maintenance, because Hydrogen Fuel Cells as the energy answer will lead to the elimination of monthly fuel bills for everyone worldwide.

Just selling and maintaining equipment with Hydrogen Fuel Cells will have less profits, but that industry will have profits, and free the world. Perhaps all the tinkers, inventors, improvisers, handymen and handywomen should unite so we ourselves can provide clean, safe, and renewable energy that eliminates monthly energy costs for the world.

Gather data from NASA, Sir William Grove (1839), Stanley Meyer whose prototype car went cross country on less than 20 gallons of water, and peruse my previous Going True Green blogs on Hydrogen Fuel Cells by using the SEARCH box at the top of the page. Let us lead the way, another way to an amazing future.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Not Gone With The Wind

9/27/2024

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Wind Turbine blades spin, they get old, and they have been breaking creating a serious environmental issue. I am not going to get into the pros and cons of our energy sources in order to compare one against the other, because all our energy sources have, and are developing terrible environmental problems.

The catalyst to all these issues is the fact that profits make the world go around and around, until we are spinning so hard we all fall down. That is what happened this summer off the coast of New England, and it spun heads around. A three (3) football field long wind turbine blade broke. And this was not the first time this has happened. An offshore wind project near the United Kingdom also had this issue previously. Adding insult to injury, GE Vernova could not explain WHY the blade had broken.

A manageable clean up in water, compared to over land, is NOT possible as far as I am concerned. The tide, the currents under the surface, as well as weather, will move all this non-bio degradable material around. Additionally...

- How much will the debris hurt sea life?
- How much will the fiberglass material break down?
- How many shards of fiberglass will be consumed by fish?
- What will happen if we eat that fish with just one sharp micro-sized shard within?
- How many feet will be cut when walking on a beach from a fiberglass sea invasion?

Profits make the world go around and around, until we are spinning so hard we all fall down.

I immediately see long-term ramifications, because the wind turbines are over water. I believe the sensible action to take while offshore wind projects are on hold, (construction and power generation at the project has stopped) is to keep wind turbines on land. The clean up in New England waters has now moved to cleaning debris that washed up on Martha's Vineyard. We need to wait for the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to investigate the incident, and GE Vernon will inspect all blades made in the Canadian factory that made the blade which broke.

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Additional issues upon our environment from wind turbines, comes from the fact that the wind turbine blades once dubbed recyclable, are not. Around the globe fiberglass blades have been stockpiled. One location in Texas is shown in the photograph. According to Iowa's state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) they have over 1,300 blades piled up in Newton, and two other cities. Iowa's DNR reported in 2021 that no recycling was occurring. Companies that were contracted to recycle the blades dumped them without permits and disappeared.

What is the answer... Remove greed and the world would be a much better place. Wind, Solar, and so on, should be transition energy sources as we perfect Hydrogen Fuel Cells that operate on demand! However, the world doesn't have this energy answer because there will be no monthly bills. Nobody can put a price on FREE Hydrogen molecules derived from FREELY collected rain!

Wish to learn more about the Hydrogen Fuel cell energy answer for the world?
Peruse previous GoingTrueGreen blog posts that cover the details with Links below:

Hydrogen Power, The Real Answer
https://www.goingtruegreen.com/gtg-blog/hydrogen-power-the-real-answer

Treat, But There Is A Trick
https://www.goingtruegreen.com/gtg-blog/treat-but-there-is-a-trick

On The List
https://www.goingtruegreen.com/gtg-blog/on-the-list

Are We Getting Energy Enviro Solutions?
https://www.goingtruegreen.com/gtg-blog/are-we-getting-energy-enviro-solutions

Process Of Energy Progression
https://www.goingtruegreen.com/gtg-blog/process-of-energy-progression

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS WE HAVE HAD THE BURIAL CLOTHS THAT COVERED JESUS' BODY. WHAT STORY DOES ALL THE EVIDENCE TELL?

Authenticity of the Holy Shroud of Turin can no longer be disputed. Jesus' linen Sindone not only gives us a photograph of Jesus' face, but His whole body front and back, fully crucified. An image made 2,000 years ago for us to see today with our modern technology. An image made a nanosecond before the resurrection. There are no viable theories left or evidence to present a possibility of forgery.

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PROCESS OF ENERGY PROGRESSION

1/2/2022

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The world has stalled with our progress toward hydrogen fuel cells as an energy answer. Additionally the far left, with the acquiescence of the far right, have blocked the production of carbon free transition energy such as 4th generation safe and low waste nuclear power plants, as well as modern hydroelectric dams. Both of these energy sources would help lower our emissions as we progress toward hydrogen fuel cells. Fuel cells that will work with FREE rain water and FREE sunlight. Why is this stall taking place? So both extreme sides can make money.

Energy created by humans started with the burning of wood. From wood we made charcoal. The making of charcoal is an ancient technology. Basically make a fire in a pit, cover it with mud and later reclaim the partially combusted pieces of wood, now called charcoal, to burn again. (Charcoal burns hotter and is used today by people in poor nations.)

From charcoal, humans progressed to coal, a rock dug out of the ground; and mixed in that time frame also came energy from: wind, hydro, oil, gas, solar, nuclear, geothermal and finally the energy answer: Hydrogen Fuel Cells operating with hydrogen molecules obtained from collected FREE rain water.

Needless to say the trauma doesn’t conclude with our stalled energy progress. The process of progression for energy production is also halted in all the disadvantaged nations among us. From Haiti to the Congo the far left, with the unspoken approval of the far right, are helping to keep poor nations poor. In the name of saving the environment, the far left prevents disadvantaged nations from progressing with their energy production process like we did. Harboring arrogance and greed, while yelling, “We must help the poor,” both sides have denied these countries the transition away from wood and charcoal.

The people in disadvantaged countries become trapped by using charcoal and kerosene, causing ill health and carbon footprints that harm our environment. Who are we, in the already energy advanced countries, to tell the people who are poor that they can’t progress on their own toward better solutions?

Perhaps from one of these poor nations a young student with morals and scruples will provide us with the break-throughs for successful hydrogen fuel cells to be our world’s solution. We all know that many countries already have hydrogen fuel cell technology, sadly greed is preventing further development because after equipment purchase there is only maintenance fees, no monthly fuel or utility bills.

A hydrogen fuel cell energy answer would work with a system that collects FREE rain water and as needed, the membrane component, will separate the hydrogen molecules from the freely collected rain water (not from natural gas) with FREE electric power created from the Sun with a few solar panels. A small battery backup will suffice for cloudy days and night time because the electricity made by the fuel cell will always be recharging the battery. The hydrogen molecules run the fuel cell that makes FREE electricity to power the house, office and our car. The byproduct is water.

So because our energy answer and carbon free energy solution has an equation filled with the word FREE, greed has prevented all the established and wealthy nations around the world from reaching the energy answer goal needed for humankind.

The far left and the far right in unspoken harmony hurt the poor even more by causing harm to our world’s environment just to show a profit or secure their position in office. Let it be done through donations, fear mongering, movies, books, corrupt politicians, pseudo-education, implausible plans, suspicious deals, mislead organizations or sales of fuels such as gas and oil.

Now allow me another minute to answer the question that has been circling through everyone’s thought patterns as reading this promulgation.

Why on the topic of energy, would the far right agree with the far left?

There is information and evidence, on this ungodly agreement showing millions of dollars have exchanged from one hand to another in political donations and failed solutions. The reason for the far right to support the far left’s failed solutions are obvious. In the 1990s, both sides started in earnest to prevent the opening of safe and low waste 4th generation nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is also carbon free. In the name of the “environment,” the emphasis placed on solar and wind to replace oil, hydroelectric dams, gas and nuclear was put on steroids… while keeping their sinister secret just out of sight.

This secret has taken me some time to come to terms with, because after all, we all want to believe the sales pitch. Sadly, we are all being sold a bill of goods. The media doesn’t care about the complete truth because sensationalizing makes them far more money than journalism. Corruption can infect everyone. These dishonest people in the media, politics, Hollywood and corporations, belong to the COC, “Collective Of Corruption”.

Here is the bottom line: If solar and wind replaces oil and gas completely, more harm will be done to our environment due to the need for backup systems. The mathematical equations showing power production comparisons DO NOT add up for these systems. The far right knows this and thus, by supporting solar and wind under the table, they ensure their sales of oil and gas. Oil and gas need no backup batteries, they need no vast amount of land like solar or wind farms. The amount of harm to our environment and land confiscation for solar and wind to meet the world’s energy needs will create more problems in the long run. From carbon emissions with manufacturing to more wildlife displaced or killed as land is consumed. From short production lifespans to toxic waste buildup. The complete picture is unavoidable and unfeasible.

For example, Hydroelectric dams are not popular due to the amount of land needed to hold the built up water. This will displace wildlife and plant life. Yet, why are solar farms popular when they take up more land and produce less power per square meter? More wildlife and plant life is disrupted by solar farms. Additionally, dams last longer, use less material that is toxic in production and in recycling. Some calculations state similar solar output would use 16 times more materials and 300 times more waste than a modern dam. Then the E-Waste goes to poor nations where the toxins will leach into their ground water supply.

As far as a transition source of energy toward Hydrogen Fuel Cells that work off of rain water and on demand so we do not risk storing hydrogen, dams are better than solar. Sadly, these complete facts are not presented by the media which only wants to sensationalize the story. Some data on the scrapped plans for a modern carbon free hydroelectric dam in the Congo would produce enough electric power for the entire country… no wait, enough power for the entire continent of Africa. Thus setting the people free to improve life on their own. They could start by finding better politicians, inventing cost cutting technology for fuel cells and telling foreigners to stop mandating policies upon them under the lie of saving earth. When energy advanced countries keep people poor in energy and spirit, after their own country moves ahead and stops before hydrogen fuel cells save the world, that is a sin. Where there is hypocrisy, there is corruption.

The math doesn’t add up for solar and wind as the complete solution, nor are dams, geothermal, oil, gas and nuclear. However, for those with the authoritarian power:

The more payoffs accepted to stop transitional 4th generation nuclear plants that are safe and operate for 60 years with a fraction of waste; the more oil and gas sold.

The more land needed for solar farms and battery back ups that provide no reasonable payback or needed duration of supply; the more oil and gas sold.

The more wind farms that take up space, kill migrating birds, insects and bats, along with windless days and aged out equipment; the more oil and gas sold.

The more prevention of developing the energy answer hydrogen fuel cells, that operate on demand with water; the more oil and gas sold.

Now don’t misinterpret what I am saying, I have solar, I use solar, I produce more than I consume. However, while I have no electric bill due to my energy efficient house and solar panels, I still need to make hot water and heat my home. So I use the cleanest transition fuel available to me along with my 95% energy efficient heating system. That fuel is natural gas. The previous owner used oil with a 72% efficient heating system. When I researched using solar instead of gas, I found that I would need to double the number of solar panels that I am already using. I don’t have the space nor the money for 25 more panels. Additionally, I would need another 25 solar panels just to charge up batteries for nights and cloudy days so I could be off the grid. Again, I don’t have the space or the money. Then there is no reasonable payback on the costs for the battery backup system and I have yet to charge up any electric car. Additionally, what about the recycling issues after an expected 20 year lifespan for the panels? Read more data at my Dead Solar Panels blog post.

As an individual, I am doing the best I can on many environmental fronts. I must because this isn’t just my job, this is a passion. Yet, I am distraught, because one doesn’t have to look far to see hypocrisy like a major city pretending to help the environment with passing a policy that stops new construction from using natural gas. Electricity must be used instead, but what fuel is being used at the utility’s power plant in the neighborhood with high cases of asthma to make that electricity? Most likely oil, not a solar or wind farm. And yet these same policy makers cry out that we need environmental justice for the poor. Who is hurting the poor when you block one of the cleaner fuels, such as gas, to help us while we transition toward carbon free hydrogen fuel cells. Alas, we are not in transition anymore because monthly money can’t be made off of everyone with their own hydrogen fuel cell in their home, office and car.

These are the truths. Humankind has always faced truths such as these. Until regular honest people step up to serve the people and not get rich off of the people, we will always have the poor, along with the poor of heart, mind, soul and a politicized environment.

To LEAD, one must SERVE.
Wishing and praying for all of us to have a happy New Year.

If anyone wishes to see sources of implicating data in support of this blog, please email me with full contact info and I will be happy to respond.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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What Happened In Texas?

2/18/2021

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I have been asked and I have been receiving the very question structured above for today’s GoingTrueGreen blog title by many GTG members.

First, I wish to level the playing field. Unlike other electric utilities that I have worked for or visited and had first hand information about many operations, I do not have first hand knowledge of every detail that contributed to the failures in the power grid infrastructure for Texas. Therefore, I must reserve the right to correct any verbiage in this blog due to the fact that despite reading and confirming some reliable information on the subject, “Sensationalism” prevails and real “Journalism” is squelched.

So what happened with the power grid in Texas? Seems to me that a poor management decision was made due to money justification. The temperatures were dropping and the demand for electricity was spiking. Additional Megawatts were needed and a decision was made not to bring on more production from gas, oil or coal power plants. After all, perhaps an innocent assumption was made that this was Texas and the weather will be warm again in a day or two. In addition, the decision makers had to justify the cost for bringing on line additional generators.

So again we have the real problem: Assumptions and Money. This A & M is a contagious disease that crosses all spectrums of power production. End result, there wasn’t enough power to meet the demand and the grid started to shut down as designed for safety protocol. Rolling blackouts were put into action until additional generators could be brought on line. A 100% shut down was avoided, but 85% of that Grid took a hit because of humankind’s decision.

So the lost of power wasn’t an act of God, but a humankind assumption floundering in money justification and that is the problem with all energy production. Both Renewable energy and Non-Renewable energy are plagued with this A & M disease. Case and point:

Why did the power grid supply fail?
There is a rare winter storm in Texas, a state that saw no reason to spend “money” on winterizing their energy production.

Solar panels have no system to clean snow off, because those systems cost money. (Even I have a way to clean snow off my solar panels. I had to come up with some method, because my area does get snowfall every year. I have a very simple and safe way, that had a very small investment. However, I must put in the time since I could not afford an automatic system. My time makes me money as I am able to produce Kilowatts once the sun is shinning again.
BTW: I do not go up on my roof. My previous GTG blog posts on solar explain more.)

Texas Wind Turbines and Gas Lines froze because they never had the money spent to winterize their operations. Oil and coal could not meet the demand because of human error in decision making. (System automatically starts to shutdown as a safety precaution when demand can’t be met.) In total, an 85% system shutdown.

If Texas had invested in winterizing all electrical generating systems, this one storm would have provided payback and possible profit. Now, this storm is costing them far more than any winterizing investment. Additionally, we need to ask the following: Did the government and electrical utilities provide helpful information on the news to inform the public of alternative ways to keep warm as well as how to drain most of the water out of their pipes? All the frozen and broken water pipes may become a legal matter now costing the utility more money, because while the storm can be labeled as an act of God, the system’s failure was due to poor decisions made by humans.

The irony is this, the two political sides blame each other and fail to see that they are both to blame, because the little that they do, is all about making money for themselves. Let it be for renewable or non-renewable energy production.

Next week, Texas’ weather will be around the sixty degree mark, while most of northern United States will have another week in and out of the twenty degree zone, but the power remains on.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Wind turbines built into your apartment building?

5/20/2009

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Doing Turbinomic designs that incorporate wind turbines into a building's facade has yet to be done and it leaves many unanswered questions.

However, an Oklahoma architect put together a design that does just that. Will we soon see innovative skyscrapers with wind turbines incorporated into the facade and between each floor? The two images on this page show Rand Elliott's design and he claims that the tower would create all the power needed by the entire building when winds are at 28 mph. About 10 to 15 percent of the building's energy needs would be meet when the winds are only at 10 mph.

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George Jetson may live here, but will you?

Each floor's turbine can turn at its own rate, thus different wind speeds at different heights - no problem. Yet we have some numbers missing from the equation:

How much will a building like this cost?

AND...

How loud or how noisy will the turning turbines be?

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!

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