Y
yaputya
Guest
http://aefweb.info/data/Wind%20farming%20in%20SE%20Australia.pdf
The above quoted article has been criticised for the author's selection of data sources which
distort the conclusions, but the basic point is that wind farms today MUST always be a supplement
to the base load grid. The wind can fail to blow for long periods but the power demand continues so you
end up investing in a base load infrastructure (spinning reserve) that costs virtually the same as if there
were no wind farms.
Despite the massive investment in wind turbine technology around the world, doubts remain.
The main problem with increasing the proportion of wind power is meeting the base load demand,
something wind power will not be capable of until much cheaper energy storage technology than
exists today is developed. Sure, some countries with hydroelectric schemes may be able to pump
water back up into reservoirs but this is hardly an efficient end-to end technology.
Until a cost-effective energy storage technology is developed, wind power will remain an option
that can only increase electricity infrastructure costs.
The above quoted article has been criticised for the author's selection of data sources which
distort the conclusions, but the basic point is that wind farms today MUST always be a supplement
to the base load grid. The wind can fail to blow for long periods but the power demand continues so you
end up investing in a base load infrastructure (spinning reserve) that costs virtually the same as if there
were no wind farms.
Despite the massive investment in wind turbine technology around the world, doubts remain.
The main problem with increasing the proportion of wind power is meeting the base load demand,
something wind power will not be capable of until much cheaper energy storage technology than
exists today is developed. Sure, some countries with hydroelectric schemes may be able to pump
water back up into reservoirs but this is hardly an efficient end-to end technology.
Until a cost-effective energy storage technology is developed, wind power will remain an option
that can only increase electricity infrastructure costs.