Wind turbine on Portland blown over by gales (From Dorset Echo)
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Wind turbine on Portland blown over by gales
9:00am Friday 16th July 2010 in
A WIND turbine at the Sailing academy has been blown down – by the wind.
The turbine in the academy’s car park was levelled in the early hours of yesterday as the Portland coastline was lashed by winds of up to 55 miles per hour.
Fortunately no-one was injured when the turbine was brought down and no vehicles in the car park were damaged.
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy’s chief executive John Tweed said wind strength on the Portland coast hit its peak in the early hours of Thursday.
He said: “The wind turbine installed as part of the venue’s commitment to environmentally friendly power generation was damaged yesterday morning due to high winds of 48 knots experienced along the Dorset coast.
“There is no damage to the academy or its surroundings and plans are currently underway to repair the equipment.”
He added: “It’s extraordinary and it’s extremely fortunate that no-one was around to be injured by this.
“People from Scottish and Southern Energy are on their way to repair it.
“We will have to be very convinced of its strength before it goes back up.”
A spokesman for Scottish and Southern Energy said: “I can confirm that the damaged micro wind turbine at the sailing academy was installed by engineers working on behalf of our contracting business SEC.
“It is too early to speculate how the damage occurred we will be investigating thoroughly.
“A team of engineers from SEC are on site to thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure the equipment is removed safely.
“This is a very rare incident and we will be working closely with the turbine manufacturer and the sailing academy to understand precisely how the damage occurred.”
The downed turbine was cordoned off by sailing academy staff yesterday to ensure it caused no problems for visitors.
Comments(13)
ballstoit
says...
9:38am Fri 16 Jul 10
The wind can be blowing hard enough to knock you off your bike and yet these things can be stationary.
I cant see how they can possibly generate enough power to be worth the effort.
Mike Hannon
says...
9:43am Fri 16 Jul 10
What would happen to these obviously flimsy structures during a real Portland storm?
martaaay
says...
11:01am Fri 16 Jul 10
'no vehicles were damaged' yet the fallen turbine is pictured very close to a car with a dented front wing and a corresponding snapped turbine blade
echorubbish
says...
11:16am Fri 16 Jul 10
iiiMillennio
says...
11:46am Fri 16 Jul 10
Trust it didn't take out any Portland Pikeys or the much loved herring gulls as it came crashing down - perhaps The Birds are taking their revenge ;-)
Mick from the rock
says...
12:42pm Fri 16 Jul 10
iiiMillennio wrote:I couldnt stop laughing when I read this story,what kind of firm builds a wind turbine that wont stand up to wind ? Then you have one on Tophill at a school in the dirct flight path that funnily enough kills birds ? (I must add that more birds are killed every year flying into windows) Killicks hill little school has a new headmaster that stopped the children going into the playground because it was too windy,untill the staff reminded him that these were Portland children that have grown up with strong winds around them,and he relented.The power of the wind is immense so OUR council being as bright as ever (with the combined brain power of 2 cows) decided lets put a bio fuel plant there,well I hope the 45 metre high chimneys are stronger than the wind turbines,also hope the wind doesnt blow from the North East too otherwise Portland will smell like a chip pan,I know people that have been to bio plants all over the world and the common theme in a 20 mile radious is the smell,so lets hope South westerly are more promminent then Weymouth will stink for a change instead of pikey Portland
Surely a wind turbine should be in its element when gales blow - or was it "the wrong type" of wind!
Trust it didn't take out any Portland Pikeys or the much loved herring gulls as it came crashing down - perhaps The Birds are taking their revenge ;-)
maximan
says...
1:39pm Fri 16 Jul 10
Weston7
says...
2:21pm Fri 16 Jul 10
I any case does any windmill pay its way without government (our) subsidy?
Mick from the rock
says...
2:56pm Fri 16 Jul 10
Weston7 wrote:are you that dumb ? does wind power come free is another way of putting your dumb question lolololol jeez there's some slow people about,no weston evertime the wind blows we get charged,wot a dik ed
Why are the other 2 much bigger wind turbines there out of action?
I any case does any windmill pay its way without government (our) subsidy?
they get payed for having there stupid.
Mick from the rock
says...
2:59pm Fri 16 Jul 10
Mick from the rock wrote:sorry but im still laughing ahahahh
Weston7 wrote:are you that dumb ? does wind power come free is another way of putting your dumb question lolololol jeez there's some slow people about,no weston evertime the wind blows we get charged,wot a dik ed
Why are the other 2 much bigger wind turbines there out of action?
I any case does any windmill pay its way without government (our) subsidy?
they get payed for having there stupid.
p.s. they are all working today at 3pm putting electric back into the grid (which they get payed for)
FenBeagle
says...
4:44pm Fri 16 Jul 10
It is unlikely that wind turbines would be built, if there was not the ROC (Renewable obligation certificate) indirect system, in place.
http://rogerhelmerme
p.wordpress.com/2010
/07/03/what-is-wrong
-with-wind-power/#co
mments
acop40
says...
4:55pm Fri 16 Jul 10
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The damaged wind turbine, blown over by high winds on Portland, lies across the car park at the sailing academy
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Mabu says...
9:07am Fri 16 Jul 10