It's simple planetary geometery.
The earth's rotational axis is tilted in relation to the plane of
it's orbit. (This is what gives us seasons) Therefore the arctics
have drastically short solar days in winter, if the sun makes it
above the horizon at all. The angle of incidence means that the
solar radiation has to fight through a much thicker layer of
atmosphere also. There's simply a lot less solar radition to be
collected.
Sublimation effect (ice evaporation) inhibits ice buildup on a wind
turbine at extremely cold temperatures(below zero F). Ice is a
bigger problem at temperate climates where you get freezing rain.
To directly answer your question, I've seen plenty of pictures of
wind turbine disasters. That's why you mount one on a tower a safe
distance from you house instead of on your roof. (that and it's a
lot easier to maintain, and you don't have to live with vibration
noise).
Dan and Dan on otherpower have a lot of great stories in the
experiments section. Lots of great reading there. They go into
great detail describing failures and what they learned from them.
Their information is free. Hugh Piggot has also detailed his
failures as well as his successes.
The discussion board on that site is one of the best discussion
boards around. I highly reccomend it. That board was one of many
that was looked at to see why it was so successful before
Papercreters was created.
--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Merrill"
<robertmerrill1953@...> wrote:
>
>
> Hi S.G.;
>
> <<<<<Solar power isn't practical in the arctics>>>>>>
>
> I am wondering where or how you derive this assumption?
>
> <<<<<wind in Alaska >>>>>>>
>
> Have you ever seen the pictures of ice encrusted blades stuck 4' in
the
> ground when they severed in a 60 m.p.h.??
>
> See Yaaaa........ Bob M.
>
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