Greetings and salutations!  I know, I know...it's been a long time, but I have returned.  I don't have much to say at the moment because I'm at work, but when I saw this New York Times article, I just had to post it.  It's about Curitiba, Brazil...which is apparently being touted as the greenest city in the world (according to Inhabitat anyway.  I actually haven't read the entire article yet, but what I've read so far is fantastic).  So check it out...I'll be back later to discuss.

As I performed my daily check of Wired this morning, I happened upon this article and it instantly made my day.  Wind energy is something I've been doing a lot of research on as of late.  Potential noise levels aside, I've always felt that it would be our best fossil fuel alternative (I don't know what it is, but there's something very sexy about wind turbines.  Ok, I'll shut up now).  You can read the article for you self (I urge you to), but the gist of it is that a start-up company called Wind Energy Systems Technology (WEST) is making moves and doing big things.  They're planning to set up wind turbines on old oil platforms off the coast of Galveston, TX.  It's small scale in comparison to the Cape Wind project in the works off the coast of Martha's Vineyard...but they have an advantage since they don't have upper-crusters throwing a monkey wrench in the plans because they don't want to ruin their view.

I always thought the midwest would be the best place for wind farms.  I never considered the cost of running lines out to users.  It makes a lot more sense to put the out in coastal waters.  They guys at WEST are truly brilliant.  They're reducing carbon emission by maximizing on a green energy source and they're recycling on a large scale by re-purposing decommissioned oil platforms.  They've even had the foresight to consider possible hurricanes and are mounting them on hydraulic lifts (also recycled from oil industry equipment) so they can be lowered.

I only have one concern.  If coastal wind farms become widespread, what effect will it have on aquatic wildlife?  WEST's project only involves repurposing existing obstructions.  What effect would new construction have?  I have a lot more research to do, but in the meantime I'll be keeping a close watch on what WEST is up to.