[ RadSafe ] World's Biggest Wind Park -Capacity Factor vs. Nuclear

[James Salsman]

John Flood wrote:

>....  Any cost analysis that includes
> operation and maintenance will find wind power costs more than coal....

That was, for the most part, true in 2003, but is no longer.

>....  The cost of maintenance and repair of
> hundreds or perhaps thousands of small individual generators spread over
> hundreds of square miles in all kinds of weather is remarkably higher
> than maintenance and repair of large turbines in indoor facilities.

Actual empirical operation of commercial wind generation has proven
that false.

> It is that maintenance cost that has driven so many wind farm operations
> into bankruptcy.  Even the operators that acquired wind farms from
> bankruptcy sales at ten cents on the dollar go bankrupt themselves....

Do you have a source for that?  The economics have been changing
quite rapidly.  Perhaps you are referring to the 1970s Altamont
Pass operators?

> If the wind system cannot achieve a reasonably steady state output, it
> realistically has to be limited to less than the margin above load for
> the system.  Otherwise it becomes an immediate threat to the stability
> of the grid.

Again, shaping fully addresses this issue.  The technical issues of
modulation, and storage are easily overcome.  The most advanced
storage systems involve stationary hydrogen fuel cell storage with
electrolysis.  That recovers about 45% of input, easily modulating
output.

Otto Raabe wrote:

> Wind farms are dangerous to birds, they can kill flocks of birds.

That was also true in the 1970s, when the fast 25 kW turbines killed
many raptors.  The new multi-megawatt turbines spin much more slowly,
and kill fewer birds per acre of wind farm usage than house cats over
the same suburban area.

Sincerely,
James Salsman