Reliability of wind power
Today is one of the coldest days of the year.
Ontario has 413mw of installed wind energy.
At 1pm today the four working wind farms in Ontario are producing a grand total of 14mw.
That is a whooping 3.39% of their rated capacity.
Now, if we needed that 413mw we would be screwed.
413mw of base power gives you 413mw that can be called upon when needed. That is real power
Wind gives you 0 to a possible 413mw but not when you want or need it.
That is a major flaw.
You still have to build and pay for the base power.
Can wind even be considered power?
If it can’t be relied upon when needed what good is it?
I think it’s just bad politics.
What do you think?
You also need to build or upgrade transmission lines and substations to handle 413mw even though they would rarely see more than a small fraction of that.
Rucio
January 23, 2007
I agree this is just a way to buy votes or get tremendous kickbacks.Is it possible that Mcguinty has been fooled by the smooth talkn Texas boys ?
bluerider
January 29, 2007
Gee, you guys are idiots or at least dishonest.
Why would Enbridge, Suncor and other corporations get involved and finance wind farms if it were a bad business deal. They can’t write it all off as bad business losses.
On that cold January day at least in Parry Sound the wind speed was very low.
Wind Turbine require a wind speed of app 7 m/second or 25.2kph.
On that day in Parry Sound it was 0~7kph.
In Sault Ste Marie it was 0~13kph. Not much to power a wind turbine!
In all of Ontario we had a very non-windy day.
Check your fact before you spout off with this misinformation.
I would advise all who read this to do their own research.
Start with:
AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION http://www.awea.org/
The Canadian Wind Energy Association http://www.canwea.ca/
Danish Wind Industry Association http://www.awea.org/faq/cost.html
There is a bottom line here: We must do everything possible for this planet to create, encourage, maintain and build that which is sustainable.
Oil, Coal is not. They are talking of only 20% dedicated to wind power. And yes, the wind does not blow all the time, it’s only a clean, cheap alternative.
Blowhard
July 25, 2007