Comments about ‘Classrooms crank up energy-saving projects’

So, they get a grant for $36000 to buy a wind mill that saves them $1800/yr. So, after 20 years it begins to pay for itself? (It will probably be less because of inflation) What they didn't include is cost of maintenance.

If they are going to teach this sort of thing, I hope they also point out the economics of the wind mill, the fact that wind mills don't do well when they are covered with ice. They also need to bring in bird remains once they kill birds that have been mushed in the blades.

why is it that everytime you read an article about energy saving devices that you see grant money mentioned? This stuff does not work!!! it is a waste of money and time to pusue this nonsense. put time and money onto something that works!!

There just isn't much of it in UT yet, and it's really not a fully mature, developed technology yet - but improving all the time.

Educationally it's a good hands-on learning experience for future science/engineering sorts. I do hope that the students are learning good financial analysis skills at the same time though, as not all technologies are a panacea and many require substantial improvements and supporting infrastructure to prove viable at all.

Also, they are wind turbines, not windmills. We have one a block from my home in Dallas and it provides about 45% of the home's average needs (3800Ksf home), at a cost of ~$21K. Through time, as it matures on the supply side and more energy efficient end use appliances/lights are introduced (LEDs for instance) it will become a better cost/value proposition.

Renewable energy seems to be the "cool" thing and once we have it we think that we have succeeded. Renewable is good, but a good conservation program will need to be put in place to see any advantage of renewable energy. A good program will almost equal the output of most systems. Without conservation we are just blowing in the wind.