California turbines frozen in Minnesota wind

[phantom power]

Like a lot of California transplants, 11 newcomers to Minnesota are having a hard time adjusting to our winters.

They are wind turbines, erected last fall by 11 metro and outstate cities. The green-energy machines were expected to be spinning before Christmas, but so far their blades have been largely motionless, apparently paralyzed by frigid weather.

The turbines sit idly in Anoka, North St. Paul, Chaska, Shakopee, Buffalo and six other cities, all members of the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA). The refurbished, 115-foot towers had operated on a California wind farm, where they didn't have to worry about cold hydraulic fluid turning to gel and oil lubricants getting too sluggish.

Avant Energy of Minneapolis, which operates the turbines for MMPA, says it is bringing in a company that will get the windmills running within two months.

http://www.startribune.com/local/north/83506647.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUoaK7D_V_eDc87DUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

[Myrina]

1. oops,

:wtf: "... will get the windmills running within two months" ??

Just leave 'em alone, in 2 months it'll be spring & they'll start to thaw.

[rurallib]

2. Like thos LED traffic lights in Milwaukee

apparently the old style lights generated enough heat to melt the snow covering them after a storm. The new LED lights stayed covered and therefore useless

[Historic NY]

3. DUH......there was a time manufacturers recommended cold weather lubricant viscosity grades...

someone can't think ahead and really dropped the ball .

[phantom power]

4. Somebody, somewhere must be kicking themselves.

I assume this is fairly easy to fix, but in the meantime the optics are terrible.

"Ha Ha! DFHs and their windmills that don't turn!"

[joshcryer]

6. Engineers.

Always fixing problems after they come up, rarely anticipating new ones.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. "will get the windmills running within two months" - - doh! - - in two months it'll be warmer!

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Then the fluids won't gel

:silly: