China’s Push Into Wind Worries U.S. Industry

[OhioChick]

PIPESTONE, Minn. — Finishing the 20-story climb up a ladder inside a wind-turbine tower, Scott Rowland opened the top hatch to reveal a panorama of flat farmland dotted with dozens of other turbines.

Two of the closest, like the tower he was standing on here, were built by Goldwind USA, where Mr. Rowland is vice president for engineering. “These are very sophisticated machines,” he said.

They are also the only three Chinese-made wind turbines operating in the United States.

That could soon change, though, as Goldwind and other Chinese-owned companies plan a big push into the American wind power market in coming months.

While proponents say the Chinese manufacturers should be welcomed as an engine for creating more green jobs and speeding the adoption of renewable energy in this country, others see a threat to workers and profits in the still-embryonic American wind industry.

“We cannot sit idly by while China races to the forefront of clean energy production at the expense of U.S. manufacturing,” Senator Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, said during a debate this year over federal subsidies for wind energy.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/business/global/16wind.html

[liberal N proud]

1. Senator Brown will fight it while others help the Chinese

[ProfessionalLeftist]

2. That the U.S. waited so long to be the innovator and leader in alternative energy

is not necessarily China's fault. Because of it, China and others have taken the lead. Not defending China - can't stand the regime. But you must admit the U.S. has dragged its feet on this issue for decades and still is doing so. Remember Obama's promises re: climate change and green jobs? Well....*crickets*

The oil, coal, and gas industry own and run the U.S. gov't and the EPA and come January, will have even more control and influence from them. Thus we can expect even less progress on this issue.

Of course WE should be creating those green jobs in our own country. But, we're not - so China's eating our lunch.

[mbperrin]

3. Yes, oil, coal and gas own the government. I live in one of the finest

areas for wind development in the US, often called the Saudi Arabia of windpower. Private companies are building thousands of these wind generators around here, but the federal government is subsidizing the building of a coal-powered plant here, even though the coal for it will have to be hauled a thousand miles by rail from Wyoming to west Texas! The feds are providing one and a half BILLION dollars for this boondoggle!

Every junior college around here is offering programs in wind generator construction and maintenance, so even they can see the potential.

No one ever said bribery increased the intelligence of government officials, and this is a great example.

[Grinchie]

4. Then stop building Tanks and articles of War!

The fact is that the technology to build wind turbines is the same as building aircraft, submarines, Missiles, Howitzers, Warships, and all the other doodads that the Military Industrial Complex gets to drool over. Oh yeah, they get all the best raw materials as well, price is no object!

Now ask yourself why on earth would a manufacturing concern switch to Wind Turbines when they have orders for the next decade for Articles of War at sweet cost plus Contracts?

Nobody would. Thus, the Cninese heavy industry steps in to fill the void, as our Heavy industry is devoted to War product.

God forbid Boeing start making Wind Turbines..

Not that I am defending the mass erection of thousand of Wind Turbines.. I personhally think Wind Turbines are just another centrakized Energy Scheme that is contrived to create anoither monopoly for too big to fail Corporations. Wind Turbines need lots of maintenance and care, so its sold as a job creator. Yet, Wind Turbines are unsightly, noisy, and are the lowest common denominator in regards to energy collection.

Solar, with no moving parts, is constantly sidelined and diminished by investments in obsolete technology such a "Concentrated Solar" which is just another Tea Kettle Steam Generator design powered by the Sun. The true investment in Next Gen Solar Power is ignored, and idiotic, High capital and infrastructure Wind is promoted.

I'm sure everyone likes standing next to a helicopter. Just wait till there is one in your back yard in the form of a wind turbine. They are loud and unsightly. And they really don't like wind over 40 Knots without being damaged or shut down/throttled back, hoping the mechanism is working properly.

[4dsc]

5. Boondogle best describe this

To understand just how much energy we use in this country and expect that we can somehow build a clean energy future is ridiculous.