Big Wind Power: Is That All There Is?

Steven Hayward
The list of problems with big wind energy goes on and on. The graph above focuses on the tiny fraction of wind power capacity which is available at the time it is needed -- during peak demand hours. Utilities are forced to utilise fossil fuel backup power to make up for wind power shortfalls. Meanwhile, during off-peak hours when the energy is not needed, utilities are forced by law to buy wind power -- whenever it may be generated. The expense of these nonsensical policies is passed down to power consumers and taxpayers.

While the installed capacity of wind power on paper—that is, assuming the wind is blowing at the right speed—looks impressive, in the real world grid operators can count on only about 8 to 13 percent of that capacity being available during peak times. (The table below shows the percentage of wind capacity available at peak times by NERC region). The Department of Energy’s headline for this release tells the story succinctly: “Electricity Resource Planners Credit Only a Fraction of Potential Wind Capacity.” This is one reason why the greenhouse gas emissions savings from wind power will diminish with the further spread of wind power. _StevenHayward

Read more about the massive hoax that is being forced on North America, Europe, and the UK

Meanwhile, in the world of real energy, oil producers are contemplating the possibility of "peak demand." Prospects for global reductions in demand for oil are taking place at the same time that new oil discoveries are popping up from North America to South America to Africa to the Middle East to Southeast Asia, and beyond.

Some people within OPEC are getting worried. Paradoxically, peak oil doomers are circling the wagons, fighting off suggestions that the entire movement is based upon a technocrat's delusion.

If commodity prices do indeed decline, as expected by many, consumers could benefit from the interlude of price relief.