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To: hadaclueonce
Wind generation would not exist without the BIG tax breaks they get.

Slightly overstated but the gist is right. However, the cost of wind power has been reduced by 90% over the last 20 years. That has brought it into the realm of possibility. It is already competitive without subsidy (as is solar) for an increasing number of off-grid applications. In fact, I have been told that some rural electric coops have run the numbers and concluded that it would be cheaper to abandon some existing power lines, thus saving on maintenance, and install distributed wind. For grid linked applications wind is competitive with gas fired turbines. Nuclear is still champ, of course, but unfortunately we're not building any.

Bottom line, large scale wind is still subsidy dependent for grid linked applications but the subsidy cost is not outlandish. I'm all for building more nuclear plants but in the meantime wind is a good hedging option, especially when you start factoring in probable carbon taxes or other CO2 mitigation expenses in the intermediate future.

19 posted on 02/03/2007 2:13:25 PM PST by sphinx
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To: sphinx
How do you propose to back up the instantanous demand when the wind does not blow?

As a Reliability Coordinator, my only option is to shed load. Your AC, your pc and your lights, all off until I can order more generators on line. Want to sign up for interruptable rates?

The sad thing is that you cannot store electricity. In a perfect world you could. But not in this one. Pumped storage. Damns that you can pump water back into at night would be great. Pump motor load when the wind blows, generation when there is load.

Wind generation will never be the solution.
20 posted on 02/03/2007 2:22:14 PM PST by hadaclueonce (shoot low, they are riding Shetlands.....)
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