A trip to Mount Wachusett turned out to be a showcase for alternative energy. The sun-bathing windmills below totally dominated (and nearly ruined) the view from this overlook half way up. And no, they weren't turning. I'm sorry, wind power is not the answer! (see excerpt below)
(...this letter written by Princeton Municipal Light Department's (PMLD) General Manager, Brian Allen, offers a candid assessment of the utility's two-turbine (3.0 MW) project. The turbines have failed to live up to expected production levels and has been plagued with technical problems. Rather than reducing rates for customers, the project lost $1.875 million and will continue to lose $600,000 yearly under current circumstances...)
On the drive up here, I passed by a solar farm off Route 70 in Lancaster, MA and hardly even noticed it although it is located right next to the road. The solar farm produces 550 kilowatts, which is just about what all the municipal buildings in the town consumes.
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| Windmills Suning Themselves |
Sunlight is everywhere, not just on high isolated ridges, where windmills are located. Not every day is windy, but every day has at least some sunlight.
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| Oh, Yeah Solar is Everywhere! |
"Rising above the surrounding forest to a height of 2006 feet, Mount Wachusett stands as a unique landmark within the central New England landscape. From the summit, a clear day reveals views of Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire, the Berkshires to the west, and the Boston skyline to the east.".
(from the mass.gov/dcr wachusett mt website)
Mr. Retro made it non-stop to the top. Up the car road, then later a second ascent on a combination of unpaved and paved roads.
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| On top of Wachusett |
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| Barely visible due to my photography skills - a group of 5 or 6 birdwatchers were spotting broad winged hawks. Good thing for the hawks the windmills weren't turning today. |
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| Boston Skyline from Wachusett |
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