I read somewhere that the total power needs of the ENTIRE province of ILOCOS NORTE is equivalent to the power requirements of Mega Mall in Mandaluyong. Is that a stunning factoid or what? Even if it isn’t exactly accurate, and the needs of an entire province are say 1.5 x Megamall’s or .5x Megamall’s, I am not sure if that is a statement about how wasteful our malls are or how small and non-industrial Ilocos Norte is. At any rate, driving back down south from our overnight stay at The Blue Lagoon, we decided to make a brief stop at the windmills, wind turbines, whatever you want to call them, at Bangui Bay. From a distance they were unusual, white, modern, three-pointed fans or blades hovering over a bucolic green farming landscape in the foreground.
Up closer, they were truly impressive…massive in size, spinning at a slow speed (hardly much wind) but letting off a solid whirling sound. Sitting atop extensive sand dunes, these multi-million dollar state-of-the-art turbines gave you reason to pause. To ponder the possibilities of alternative energy. I am not sure what the cost trade-off is but I suspect a finance guy would freak out at the high end cost of this energy generated by the turbines… But forget that for a moment and realize you could electrify your home with one of these babies, that is, if you had several million dollars to spare. And imagine what the neighbors would say about the whirring sound all day long!
Here is a link to a site with some interesting information on the turbines. After a brief stop at the turbines, we got back into the car and continued our drive South.
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I remember in some “educational video” about Japan, they have these small windmills, that are attached to the street lamps. The windmills would of course wind during the day, and by nightfall, it has stored enough energy to light a lamp.. It’s kind of amazing actually, plus the windmills are beautifully designed so they are visually stimulating as well.. Not only that, there are homes in Japan which have small windmills as well, and though the energy may not be enough for all of their appliances, at least they are able to use its energy for one or two..
my husband gad invested quite a sum on alternative electrification/power like solar panels, a diesel genset and a windmill. He had to sell the windmill though because it simply was too “noisy”.
Thanks marketman for your reply on my inquiries about Kapuluan’s food prices. Is that you in the last 2 pictures? You don’t look a retired man for me. Just visited your site today and i must say based on the blog that I’ve read, you articles and reviews are very informative, and I’ve bookedmark your site. You don’t have to worry about your greatest fear when you started your blog and it seems that a lot of people do visit you site!! Congratulation Marketman!! :)
Truly awesome to look at, wonder when I can go to Ilocos? =)
We chanced upon these wind turbines in the Cochilla Valley driving through to Palm Spring, California – it was an amazing sight to behold!! There are literally hundreds , possibly thousands of wind turbines woven almost like a garden patch. There are even eco-adventure tours to explain the mechanics, history, uses of wind energy, etc. and takes one up close and personal with these modern windmills. Truly amazing modern man invention!!
It sure is attention getting to compare the exorbitant dollar for dollar cost of sustainable energy with that generated by burning fossil fuel because the cost of eventual clean-up, righting the havok and devastation wreaked by global warming is hidden and does not even come up in the preliminary calculations although it will definitely figure in the final reckoning.
Same with cost comparison of sustainable food production and industrial agribusiness. The cost of cleaning up the contamination of the watertable, waterways and eventually the oceans due to use of massive quantities of fertilizers (which btw are also derived from fossil fuels) are simply and conveniently ignored.
These Northerly spots you have been featuring lately definitely make it worth a detour
from the usual Manila-focused trip back home. The Kapuluan Resort seems unmissable.
I’d like to save money from big Meralco bills. Do you know of anyone whom I can contact for solar panel installation? I’ve been thinking of this for almost 3 years now but I don’t know if there is any stores nearby my place in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Is it expensive?
Is it easy to install?
Any pros and cons?
Thanks
Aside from tulips, windmills are trademarks of Holland. Amazing how the windmills protect the Dutch from devastating flood and hurricane considering Holland is below sea level. Their engineering technology dates back prehistoric times. I have a vivid recollection of their canned milk sold in our groceries with their windmills on the label. Where I came from after two days of rain most of the barangays are flooded. It’s happening years after years. I blame our political system where only elected government officials monetarily benefitted from their own malfeasance but comes rainy days they travel the same public roads with flood water with their late model SUVs or cars. What is behind the US billion-dollar boondoggle Bataan Nuclear Power Plant to power up the region? My answer is graft and corruption of our elected and appointed government officials. When there is flood water the stream of commerce, agricultural and fishing industries are sufferings.
hey marketman! is that you on the picture? you look different here than your yummy magazine photo (the one which had you by the beach) “,)