Wind generators on cell phone towers -- are solar panels too expensive?

Question

Some cell phone towers alongside I-78 in NJ now have "windmills" on top. The diameter of the turbine is around 6 feet. They look much like the farm windmill generators in the 30-ties. With many blades. Not just the three as on modern day large scale wind turbines.

Questions:

1. Did I assume correctly, those are electrical generators? (Or are they possibly just "wind speed" and "weather conditions" measurement devices, operated by a company other than the cell phone operators?)

2. Why so many blades? I thought that was the issue with the old farm windmill generators, they were not as efficient.

3. Why windpower? I thought solar panels are the "in-thing". (Are solar panels in fact too expensive to install and service? Do they need bigger back-up batteries, since they do not work at night?)

http://www.energyadvocate.com/fw90.htm

Answer 1

1. If they're 6 foot in size they must be for electricity.
2.So they can be used in low wind.
3.Wind is cheaper and makes more power. Solar has good pr from people who know really nothing about it.

Size of th battery would most likely be the same seeing you can run out of wind just as long as you run out of light on rainy days.

Answer 2

An EMP journey might wreck the image voltaic panels. think of of them as one great transistor. the ability producing element of the windmill might fare ok, yet once you do no longer contain a mechanical braking equipment or furling, the probabilities of the windmill overspeeding is amazingly genuine. If the progression occurs for the duration of a wind hurricane. The electronics of the cost administration equipment may be the area this is susceptible- no longer from "antenna effect"- yet from the wide spectrum RF power that could discover resonance interior the digital factors themselves- those microwires might overload and burn out in case you have been close sufficient to floor 0. "nuclear hardened" electronics are no longer extensively attainable interior the buyer industry different than in derilect kit offered surplus- it would have necessary to have specd interior the settlement, and often that may no longer familiar till you have the documentation for the factors. Or be knowledgable sufficient approximately what you're finding at to take the gamble. Batteries may be unaffected if the equipment did no longer brief out thoroughly, the wiring may be positive, it particularly is in basic terms your administration electronics that is imapcted. EMP may be random in what shopper electronics may be affected as you moved faraway from floor 0. in case you have an older vehicle that makes use of factor ignition, and electromechanical regulator interior the charging equipment- if those have been burned out- your greatest situation may be the place are you going to dig your grave- you will not have lots time left to stay if it have been the top results of nuclear detonations. That lots power could have possibly left you blind. you may magnetize an engine block and it's going to nevertheless perform. maximum have aluminum pistons and might often be unaffected. Even an engine with iron pistons would not be waiting to maintain sufficient magnetism to circumvent it from working the two. there is quite some hype surrounding EMP, however the certainty is the impacts are lots extra possibly to be oblique such because of the fact the shortcoming of the nationwide grid if the administration platforms get knocked out. Of you ensue to be interior the region impacted, your place pc would possibly no longer artwork, yet your new vehicle might start up and run merely positive. or Vice versa. it particularly is the oblique impacts which will reason social unrest- what occurs if there is not any power for a month, no beer, no television, no soccer, no activities. and maximum of all- no nutrition. which would be what you will desire to situation approximately.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

The windmills are probably backing up the solar panels when the sun doesn't shine.

Answer 5

Probably wind power for back-up systems.
The smaller dia. multiblade fans would be
dictated by the need not to interrupt the
line-of-sight radio in use.