Category Archives: Maps/Pictures

Ontario Wind Turbines

Although I haven’t posted anything new here for a while I have been busy.  In spite of all the Google Earth kmz and kml files I’ve produced and the pictures I’ve created, I am still not entirely satisfied that I’ve properly conveyed the extent to which the Ontario government will be changing rural southern Ontario.  My latest effort is ontario-wind-turbines.org, where I place the projects on Google Maps, add some javascript and let you look around.

As of this writing I have 83 projects mapped out, including most of the larger ones.  I’ll be adding more projects as time allows.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

The World Turbine Tour

Google Earth has proven to be a good way to convey to people just how big modern wind turbines are.  For those running Google Earth (it is free and can be downloaded from Google) I’ve created kml and kmz files that can place pushpins or 3-d models respectively in Google Earth so you can fly around and see what they might look like.  My latest idea was to place a wind turbine close to several iconic and familiar landmarks.  Below are clickable screen snapshots of the results, but for the full effect I’d recommend viewing the kmz file with Google Earth itself, making sure you’ve got 3-d clicked on.

If you’d like to see something else, let me know and I’ll post it.

For those really into this stuff I can send all the source stuff to anyone who wants to mess around with it – like the sketchup files, the model and the underlying kml file.

UPDATE – I’ve created enough pictures that I decided they would be better kept in a online album.  So I installed Coppermine and included all the pictures I’m showing here, plus a few others.  I’ll keep adding them as I get the time.

WindFarmRealities Photo Album

A Toronto Tour

My Toronto Twenty-Two Turbines posting has gotten a fair amount of response, including a number of suggestions of other locations where turbines might be installed.  Always responsive to my readers, I’ve added some new turbines to the Toronto skyline.  All of these pictures are clickable.

3 in High Park

 Queen’s Park

Toronto City Hall, with Queen’s Park’s turbine in the background

Eaton Center, with City Hall’s turbine and even the 3 High Park turbines

 

Exhibition Place.  Note the rather small wind turbine that was placed there several years ago, and which many Torontans think represents what is being installed out in the sticks.

The Toronto Twenty Two

That has a nice alliterative ring, doesn’t it?  There’s a big discussion over at Ontario Wind Resistance about putting some wind turbines in Toronto and having the residents there do their part in fulfilling Ontario’s dreams about wind energy.  In an effort to constructively add to that discussion, I’ve created a 3-D Google Earth KMZ file that shows 22 turbines placed in Toronto’s harbour.

Happy flying.

Update, 4/30/2012.  Someone mentioned putting a turbine on the lawn at Queen’s Park, the seat of the Ontario government.  Hey, your wish is my command, and there are more at a follow-up posting.  All of these are clickable.

And here’s a picture of the new improved waterfront, with the QP turbine visible up University.

And while I’m at it, here’s the toy turbine compared with what is getting installed now, with even larger turbines soon to follow.

The Bruce Peninsula

I recently posted about the eastern shore of Lake Huron and how a line of wind turbines roughly 20km deep snaked all the way up that coast.  Unfortunately the snake doesn’t end there; it continues onto the Bruce Peninsula.  Here’s a snapshot of the 200 turbines planned.

You’d think an area as unspoiled and scenic as the Bruce Peninsula would be safe from this type of industrialization.  You can imagine what would happen if just about any other industry set up shop over this large an area.  There are actually 2 projects included in the picture above:  Bruce Peninsula and Mar Silver Birch (or something like that).   One wonders how much of a transmission line will have to be built to carry it all to where people actually live and work.

As always the Google Earth kml files for the projects are freely available.  In addition I’ve created 3-D kmz files that can be downloaded from my reference materials – scroll down to the kmz’s to see my selection.  And if there’s any special requests for other projects I’d be glad to fill them also.

Lake Huron Pictures

Earlier I posted pictures of the wind turbine projects slated for the Chatham-Kent area.  I’ve continued onward, now creating pictures of the eastern shore of Lake Huron, specifically the Ontario counties of Lambton, Huron and Bruce.  As ugly as Chatham-Kent is, I think Lake Huron is even uglier.  The yellow cloud is 200km long and 20 wide and runs up the entire coastline.  The picture is clickable, but even at full size it doesn’t do justice to what is planned there.

And, like C-K, I’m not showing everything in play.  In Bruce and Huron I’m showing about 400 turbines each which is roughly 80% of those that have been publicly discussed.  There’s also another 200 up on the Bruce Peninsula that I’m not showing either.

One of the consequences of the wild west environment the Ontario government has created is that it is often difficult to get accurate information about the various projects. Secrecy and financial deals are rampant. To help me keep track of the ongoing mess, I’ve created an Excel spreadsheet with all the projects I’m aware of, their county, size, status and the status of any picture I’ve created for them. It is also available for the asking.

Here’s a larger picture of Bruce County, followed by a larger picture of Huron County.  You may notice a few gaps, like east of Goderich and north of Port Elgin.  Not to fear, I’d bet the other 20% that I’m not showing will be filling these gaps.  Nor am I showing the Middlesex County turbines, which fill in the corner between Huron and Lambton.

 

I Have Pictures!

In earlier postings I created Google Earth maps with pushpins showing where there are (or will be) wind turbines.  To take that one step further I have now created a 3-D model of a wind turbine that reflects how it will actually look.  Below are some screen shots of sample viewpoints.

For those who can run Google Earth you are in for a treat (in an obscene sort of way).  I’m in the process of creating KMZ files for each project which can be opened by GE and allow you to fly around the projects and see what they will actually look like from different vantage points.  To see which KMZ files are available, go to my reference materials page, scroll down to the kmz’s and download at your pleasure.  Initially I’ve got Amherst Island, Ostrander Point and White Pines, and I’ll be adding more as time permits.  If you have a project that you want displayed quicker than my random rate, please let me know.

To use the KMZ files, here’s a general step-by-step:

  1. Download the kmz file(s) from my reference materials.
  2. If you want you may be able to open the file directly from GE.
  3. Remember where you saved them!
  4. Open up Google Earth.
  5. Wait until the opening globe stabilizes.
  6. Upper left corner, “file” – “open”.
  7. Navigate to where you saved the kmz file.
  8. Open the file(s) you want. Magic then occurs.

I’ve found it easiest to zoom into about 3000 feet then tilting, using the upper circle in the upper right corner. It does take some practice learning to fly around, but after a few minutes it starts to become easier. Have fun! If you can…

These are screen shots of what it looks like.  Click to enlarge.