Veterans Affairs wind turbine, built for $2.3 million, stands dormant

[Locutus]

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — A $2.3 million federal stimulus project at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in St. Cloud is giving green energy initiatives a bad name.

A 600-kilowatt wind turbine — some 245 foot tall — stands on the wintry VA grounds, frozen in time and temperature, essentially inoperable for the past 1 1/2 years. No one is working to fix it, though many attempts were made to repair the turbine, once billed as a model green energy project.

“The St. Cloud VA is a hospital, and our focus is on our patients and we like to think that we treat our veterans very well here,” said Barry Venable, a public affairs officer for the VA in St. Cloud. “We’re embarrassed that this turbine does not operate as advertised.”


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Veterans Affairs wind turbine, built for $2.3 million, stands dormant « Watchdog.org

 

[55Mercury]

Man, I thought St. Cloud, Minnesota was one of the most scenic little towns I'd ever seen when I hitch-hiked through it in the summer of '72 (that and Vernon, B.C.). Taking a google trip through it now, though, and "progress" has trashed its aesthetic appeal (ditto for Vernon). Fvck progress.

 

[The Old Medic]

Just another "Clean Energy" failure.

Heck, if it WAS working, it would be killing birds. $2,300,000.00 is pocket change to the US Federal Government. They waste a lot more than that every day!

 

[L Gilbert]

Man, I thought St. Cloud, Minnesota was one of the most scenic little towns I'd ever seen when I hitch-hiked through it in the summer of '72 (that and Vernon, B.C.). Taking a google trip through it now, though, and "progress" has trashed its aesthetic appeal (ditto for Vernon). Fvck progress.

That's about the same view I have of a few places. The ruination of the south end of Baja, for instance.

Just another "Clean Energy" failure.

Heck, if it WAS working, it would be killing birds. $2,300,000.00 is pocket change to the US Federal Government. They waste a lot more than that every day!

And fossil fuel burners, hydro plants, etc. don't need maintenance? They never have problems?
uhuh I bleev dat were billyuns woodent.

 

[EagleSmack]

And fossil fuel burners, hydro plants, etc. don't need maintenance? They never have problems?
uhuh I bleev dat were billyuns woodent.

Not working for 1.5 years and counting though?

Shouldn't it be... ummm...fixed?

 

[L Gilbert]

Not working for 1.5 years and counting though?

Shouldn't it be... ummm...fixed?

lol Depends upon how dedicated the people that perform the maintenance are. I spose there are other factors like opportunity and suchlike, too. Maybe if we had more Dutch people to look after the windmills?