Originally Posted by asmac

I cycle past a large nuclear plant which has a single wind turbine set up as a display unit. I wonder how many thousands of these would be needed to replace just one of the nuclear units.

I don't believe wind energy is a viable solution. Subsidies to wind farms have doubled electricity costs here, hydro is tapped out and coal has been replaced with gas (same CO2, less smog). Wind farms are not only ugly but render large swatches of good land virtually uninhabitable. You mention wood in the same sentence as oil but solid fuel turbines are just another form of renewable solar energy (like wind, wave and hydro) with net-zero emissions if the trees are replanted.

We have a big problem but saying "electricity" doesn't solve them. Moving away from a suburban, commuter car culture is obviously the key but it will be a long term change with humongous political complications. Bikes will be part of it and I'm glad to see the people here continuing to push it and show what can be done.