
Shipping wind turbines is not a breeze - watchdogtimer
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shipping-wind-turbines-is-not-a-breeze
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philipkglass
This is a good read. The difficulty of transporting large wind components over
land is one reason that onshore wind turbines have lower maximum capacities
vs. offshore turbines. The largest onshore turbine is 5.3 megawatts [1] while
the largest offshore turbine is 9.5 megawatts [2]. Transporting super-large
components by sea is easier -- no tunnels, bridges, or winding roads to worry
about.

Very tall turbines tend to improve capacity factor and project economics by
tapping steadier winds found further away from the ground. For onshore
projects, at least, that benefit is in tension with the more difficult
transport and assembly logistics noted in this article.

Solar has the logistics edge in that all of the components for a solar farm
are much smaller and weigh less. Even the largest individual solar modules are
under 40 kilograms each. Racking systems are also assembled out of smaller
pieces. No oversized loads need to be transported to the solar farm site.
There are more truckloads of components for a 400 megawatt solar farm vs. a
400 kilowatt farm, but the individual components and trucks need be no larger.

[1] [https://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ges-largest-
onshor...](https://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ges-largest-onshore-wind-
turbine-prototype-installed-and-operating-netherlands)

[2] [https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/1605-mhi-
vestas-...](https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/1605-mhi-vestas-
offshore-v164-9.5-mw)

~~~
hyperbovine
Given the huge promise of terrestrial wind farms, it seems like someone is
right now figuring out a way to either a) fabricate them on-site, or b) fly
the parts in via drone or dirigible.

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colechristensen
I have driven alongside trucks carrying single turbine blades on midwest
highways many times and I can tell you many people would be very uncomfortable
seeing something even larger flying across the countryside.

~~~
frandroid
Once it's 200m up in the air it doesn't look so big anymore, especially if
it's not right above roads.

~~~
jacquesm
Up close and personal with a large windturbine they look plenty big to me.
2/3rd of the Eiffel tower but moving.

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directionless
Y'all may be interested in
[http://keystonetowersystems.com/](http://keystonetowersystems.com/)

They're a small company that uses a neat system to manufacture the towers
onsite, cutting down the shipping for it.

(Disclosure -- they're friends of mine, but I have no direct experience with
them)

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csours
Someone on the site asks about helicopters and I wonder the same thing. I know
helicopters are hellishly expensive to use, but they are used occasionally -
eg for ski lifts.

Helicopter Installs Ski Lift Towers at a Private Ski Club:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83MPTPNXhTs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83MPTPNXhTs)

~~~
trhway
>The largest wind turbines can weigh up to 700,000 pounds fully assembled and
typically require around 10 loads to transport.

so, average speaking the components are on the scale of 35t/each. The current
helicopters top at about 20t payload, so could be used only for some smaller
parts. That one
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_V-12](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_V-12)
could have done more jobs here. Or it is a new and shiny market for airships
(or some kind of hybrid with airship)

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latchkey
Watching wind turbines fail on youtube is kind of entertaining. Some of the
videos are really quite spectacular.

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michaelwilson
I wonder if the same technology used to make folder fight jet wings ( so they
can store more on an aircraft carrier) could be applied here?

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TheSpiceIsLife
You end up with a weight and complexity hit for something that is essentially
a single-use feature.

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dawnerd
The show Outback Truckers did a little segment when one of the drivers had to
deliver one
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRkiNh7VK0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRkiNh7VK0)

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JohnJamesRambo
Stupid question but is there a market for lots of smaller wind turbines?
What’s the efficiency like vs. one big turbine? Is there something like a
solar farm with modular panels, but for wind?

~~~
michaelhoney
As I understand it the power is relative to the square of the diameter of the
blades, so bigger is (nonlinearly) better. [http://xn--drmstrre-64ad.dk/wp-
content/wind/miller/windpower...](http://drømstørre.dk/wp-
content/wind/miller/windpower%20web/en/tour/wtrb/size.htm)

~~~
perfunctory
On their diagram 40m = 500kW, 80m = 2500kW. So the doubling of diameter is
five-fold increase in power. That’s even more than squared.

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jakeogh
A lot for a few MW:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Di9g3Lc474](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Di9g3Lc474)

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csours
This has a strong propaganda smell - he fails to mention the use of fossil
fuels in production of nuclear fuel; he also fails to mention the use of
concrete and steel in the construction of nuclear power plants.

I wish you could magically get power out of a lump of radioactive metal that
you found lying on the surface of the ground, in the real world you have to
build infrastructure to harness it.

~~~
sunkenvicar
He shows wind energy has horrifically low energy density. He also shows the
immense infrastructure required for one wind turbine.

A comparison with nuclear is left as an exercise for the viewer. Perhaps it is
made explicit in the full video.

