Huge Koh Tao Wind Turbine Has Started Being Built

[jaidam]

I noticed the foundations for a large wind turbine have been built on the hill behind Chalok Ban Kao, fairly near Koh Tao resort. A worker at the site told me it could be 40 meters high so will be visible everywhere on the south of the island.

At an initial build cost of way over 100 million baht, and an environmental cost that I guess to be unmeasuable by spoiling the look of the SE part of the island do any TV members have an opinion on this project?

In my mind this huge sum of money could perhaps have been better utilised to buy every building on KT a solar system to make use of the constant sunshine without building such an ugly structure on a beautiful tourist dependant island.

[torbs]

I noticed the foundations for a large wind turbine have been built on the hill behind Chalok Ban Kao, fairly near Koh Tao resort. A worker at the site told me it could be 40 meters high so will be visible everywhere on the south of the island.

At an initial build cost of way over 100 million baht, and an environmental cost that I guess to be unmeasuable by spoiling the look of the SE part of the island do any TV members have an opinion on this project?

In my mind this huge sum of money could perhaps have been better utilised to buy every building on KT a solar system to make use of the constant sunshine without building such an ugly structure on a beautiful tourist dependant island.

I think it goes very good hand in hand with the hole Koh Tao Eco Operation, and wind power is a good and reliable sustainable power source, especially here on Koh Tao. As to the 'spoiling the look' is through, but that is just the sacrifices we have to give, when we want to try and save the planet. Just look at many other places in the World, especially Europe, apart from the alps you can hardly drive anywhere without seeing a wind mill somewhere on the horizon. And if it can help to get more reliable power here on the island it's okay.

As with the solar panels, that is a responsibility of the single resort and/or owner of the house and that is really amazing why we don't see more of that around, course that is really something that in Europe is taking of more and more on new buildings, but I guess the cost of it and to get qualified builders to install it is not so easy.

So lets at least be happy about the government doing something to improve the power situation

[Samuian]

Well, it seems it's the other side of the coin.

When I came here there was hardly a fridge running,

evenings have been spend with candle lights and early to bed.

Nowadays..... well, everyone knows the power consumption must be huge,

for that everybody has to pay a price!

kamma derived from how we abuse nature, some call it "progress"!

guess someone made the calculations wind vs. solar...

at least the electricity for aircompessors for the scuba gear,

comfort of air conditioned enclosures, cooled fizzy drinks

and frozen pizze are guaranteed then!

Edited August 9, 2009 by Samuian

[Birdman]

Could be that it is more efficient in the long term.

Anyway I never considered that an eyesore anywhere in the world. Remember windmills in the Netherlands? Actually to the contrary, it's an aesthetic object, which also shows, that people here are concerned about environment in a positive way.

After all Koh Tao is a 100% touristic island and tourists concern more and more about environment friendly energies.

Edited August 9, 2009 by Birdman

[goldfish]

If the only drawback is some people don't find it aesthetically pleasing then I'd consider it a success. Solar energy is, naturally, a great idea but, if I'm correct, I believe a certain percentage has to be sold back to the national grid at a greatly reduced rate therefore making solar energy uneconomically viable. Unfortunate but true, if I remember correctly. Something really needs to be done at a political level here

[Gatorade]

Well, it seems it's the other side of the coin.

When I came here there was hardly a fridge running,

evenings have been spend with candle lights and early to bed.

Nowadays..... well, everyone knows the power consumption must be huge,

for that everybody has to pay a price!

kamma derived from how we abuse nature, some call it "progress"!

guess someone made the calculations wind vs. solar...

at least the electricity for aircompessors for the scuba gear,

comfort of air conditioned enclosures, cooled fizzy drinks

and frozen pizze are guaranteed then!

I don't think that wind power is all that it is cracked up to be. Unless there is enough wind all year round to drive the Blades it will only ever supplement

existing power. In any case I would not have thought that one windmill would supply all the energy needs of the island.

There are some other issues which should be considered. They are fairly noisy. They are a blot on the landsacape and in other parts of the world

have wreaked havoc on the bird population. Hardly as environmentally friendly as some would claim!

[NHJ]

it's a good idea to go the green power road, the visual impact is a small cost versus reliable power.

years ago a satellite dish was something awfull that had to be hidden(in belgium), nowadays a lot of people have satellite dish and i don't hear anymore, it's something to hide.

it might take time to get the eye used to it but time will do its job.

[PoorSucker]

Be more concerned about the oil rig they are going to set up.

[cmsally]

I wouldn't have thought anywhere in Thailand would be suitable for wind power. When you look at the suitable locations in Europe they are windy on an incomparable scale to Thailand. Thailand doesn't have anything like the winds that come off the Atlantic Ocean etc

[ClaudeFeller]

Well this seems to be a governmental project. Me too I do not believe in Wind Energy for Thailand. Turbines are very inefficient at lower wind speeds, the rated power output is for windspeeds around 10 m/s which is a lot more than the standard breeze.

Solar in Koh Tao? Most of the Resorts have not enough money or not enough confidence to invest in Solar. They like more to pay 30 THB/kWh for the private owned and fuel powered grid.