[Steely Tom]

Of course, to make the whole thing work we would have to have a pretty large over-capacity so natural gas peakers can take over when solar isn't producing.

I read somewhere that a typical wind turbine requires 0.75kW of spinning reserve for each wind-generated kW.

[Jeff Chandler]

I read somewhere that a typical wind turbine requires 0.75kW of spinning reserve for each wind-generated kW.

Yeah, I don't think giant pinwheels are the way to go. Solar panels, however, will eventually become competitive.

I remember reading once that the energy required to manufacture a solar panel is equal to the amount of energy that panel will ever produce, which kind of makes them energy STORAGE devices, rather than energy producers. But that will (or already has?) change, and eventually they will make more sense.

They will never dominate the energy production industry, though

[GingisK]

...spinning reserve...

...is what, exactly?