[Ditto]

Wind is currently at 1 percent given 12gw = 30 twhr/yr and we use 3000 twhr/yr.

Source?

The DOE says wind only generated 13.8 million MWh in 2005 out of a total of 4,000 million MWh consumed from all sources. That works out to about .035% or about the same as just one large baseload nuke or coal fired plant produces in a year.

I'd bet you're confusing nameplate capacity with actual generation. (Take the total wind installed base nameplate rating and multiply by .26, the average capacity factor.) That is why capacity factor is such an important measure.

Now, compound that with the fact that historically, electric demand has grown around 2-3 percent per year, you just can't build wind farms fast enough to keep up with new demand.

[mad_as_he$$]

As an observer of wind power in Kalifornia for 30 years let me just say wind is a stupid wasted effort solution. Wave power and nuclear are the answer.

[DungeonMaster]

If the country is now using 4 quads per year rather than 3 I have to recalculate. I'll check into it. Thanks.