They were put up as an addition to the grid, not a replacement, and they're owned by power company. They only release the brakes when they need the power during surge times. When you don't need the power and they aren't spinning and, when they get covered in ice because they aren't moving, you have no way of cleaning the system without heating coils or flying a helicopter while spraying it with deicer, you can't turn it on because the added weight will break it.
Think of it as the fan in your house. When you want a breeze, you use it and when you don't you don't. Now go tape some coins to all the blades and turn it on high.
The hilarious part about the windmills is that the blades are only good for 5ish years then you have to replace them. Go look up "windmill blade graveyard" and see how "green" they are.
They were put up as an addition to the grid, not a replacement, and they're owned by power company. They only release the brakes when they need the power during surge times. When you don't need the power and they aren't spinning and, when they get covered in ice because they aren't moving, you have no way of cleaning the system without heating coils or flying a helicopter while spraying it with deicer, you can't turn it on because the added weight will break it.
Think of it as the fan in your house. When you want a breeze, you use it and when you don't you don't. Now go tape some coins to all the blades and turn it on high.
The hilarious part about the windmills is that the blades are only good for 5ish years then you have to replace them. Go look up "windmill blade graveyard" and see how "green" they are.