[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

“You cannot STORE the power.”

There are all sorts of things wrong with wind energy; as the article describes.

However, the energy can be stored. The economics may never be favourable; but the technology is already here. Storage methods include: batteries; storing pressurized air in abandoned gas wells, to generate power with pneumatic motors; and pumping water to reservoirs to generate hydro power, when needed.

Some of the energy can be sent over the grid, to smooth peak demands in different time zones (this is already being done for base load generators).

[Nathan Zachary]

That all sounds wonderful (well, except for the batteries)but currently, none of that exists.

I'd love to see the EPA approve the development of a huge artificial reservoirs, flooding thousands of acres of wobble worm habitat.

And abandoned gas wells, oh yes! spew some sour gas out with that compressed air,killing all wildlife in the area- that ought to impress the EPA as well! :o)

[Right Wing Assault]

However, the energy can be stored.

But everytime you store it, you reduce the initial efficiency even more. For example, compressing air takes energy.

[nmh]

“You cannot STORE the power.”
There are all sorts of things wrong with wind energy; as the article describes.

However, the energy can be stored. The economics may never be favourable; but the technology is already here. Storage methods include: batteries; storing pressurized air in abandoned gas wells, to generate power with pneumatic motors; and pumping water to reservoirs to generate hydro power, when needed.

Some of the energy can be sent over the grid, to smooth peak demands in different time zones (this is already being done for base load generators).

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You cannot STORE wind energy.

Dream on.

[muawiyah]

The local power supplier is buying windpower from Texas ~ the company even financed the producer so they could get starte sooner. This fluctuating power source is easily offset through the connection to HydroQuebec. Plus, there are a series of coal-fired plants in the loop; couple of gas generators (they fire up fast to provide a reliable fill in for baseload needs). Then there are the atomic power plants on the company's grid.

We have thermal power protention a mere 120 feet deep in this area.