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News

Wind turbines 'not reliable'
Tom McGhie, = Financial=20 Mail
15 April 2007
Reader=20 comments (3)
Suppliers of electricity from wind = turbines are=20 highly erratic and cast doubts on their reliability as a source of = power,=20 official figures reveal.=20

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Just weeks before the Government publishes its energy review White = Paper, a=20 research paper by National Grid shows that on some days, even in winter, = wind=20 turbines are virtually motionless.=20

The Government is said to want wind power to supply 20% of energy = needs from=20 2020. Advocates argue that the UK is the world's windiest advanced = nation.=20

But, according to the National Grid, in the period between October = 2006 and=20 February 2007 there were 17 days when output from the existing 1,632 = windmills=20 was less than ten per cent of capacity.=20

During that period there were five days when output was less than = five per=20 cent and one day when it was only 2%. In the whole five months, the wind = turbines were operating at only 35% efficiency.=20

Jeremy Nicholson, director of the Energy Intensive Users Group, whose = members=20 include big energy users such as Corus, said: 'These figures show how = necessary=20 it is that the UK has a balanced energy policy. We simply cannot over = rely on=20 any one energy source.'=20

A spokesman for the National Grid said wind constituted 2.5% of = generation=20 capacity, assuming turbines were working at full capacity.=20

Five steps to being a green consumer

3D"wind =95 1. Read the=20 latest advice on our Caring Consumer channel
=95 2.=20 Easy steps to save energy
=95 3.=20 Other advice on saving the world (and money)
=95 4. Compare prices on = green energy=20 tariffs
=95 5.=20 BLOG: Advice and tips on green and ethical spending

Other stories:
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WANT TO=20 KNOW MORE?

ADVICE:=20 How to make your home greener=20
REPORT:=20 Will your home fail the new energy test?

READER=20 COMMENTS (3)

Wind power has to be considered relative to the = overall=20 demand variability and the variability and intermittency of other power=20 generators. The wind does not blow continuously, yet there is little = overall=20 impact if the wind stops blowing somewhere =96 it is always blowing = somewhere=20 else. And as weather forecasting is constantly improving, making it = easier to=20 predict in advance what wind can provide. Therefore wind can be = harnessed to=20 provide reliable electricity even though the wind is not available 100% = of the=20 time at one particular site. In terms of overall power supply it is = largely=20 unimportant what happens when the wind stops blowing at a single wind = turbine or=20 wind farm site. The more wind farms that are built over a wider = geographical=20 location, the more reliable wind energy is.

- Graeme = Cooper,=20 London

This report appears to endorse our experience with a tradional = windmill at=20 Heage, in Derbyshire. We often have several weekends when we are open to = the=20 public and there just is not enough wind to even make the mill idle - = let alone=20 produce flour. And yet there are plans in the pipe line to build wind = turbines=20 in nearby Derby 's Pride Park and and Carsington Reservoir. I hope the=20 developers have made a special arrangement from those above which = ensures they=20 will get adequete wind to enable them to work effectively and not just = to become=20 an eyesore!

- Alan Gifford, Derby

Just what evidence will it take to prove that = 'wind-power=20 electricity generation' is neither reliable nor consistent enough for = more that=20 just per a peripheral green supply and its cost without subsidy is = enormous.=20 Environmentally it is a visual and sonic disaster.
The only regular = source of=20 green energy to this country is the sea. Building a tidal barrage across = the=20 Severn Estuary is inevitable and should be started at once. All other = major=20 tidal runs will also eventually have to be harnessed. Places where tidal = lagoons=20 can be constructed will also have to be found.
Solar power is also a = very=20 good 'power source' for domestic and industrial water heating = applications and=20 more should be done to make this more affordable to the=20 'masses'.
Photoelectric products should also be given more Government = research support.

- Chris G, = Stafford

=20

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