Wind Farms

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Nobody said you don't need backup.

What I said was that spoofer's statement is bull. Having spinning reserve power generation does not mean that wind power generates as much CO2 as generating the same power from fossil fuels. It just means wind generation does not eliminate CO2 emissions completely.

Incorrect because of the way energy is traded wind takes priority as a result plants are operating well below max capacity and hence the emmissions per Kwh increases greatly. This is as a direct result of wind energy a Nd the preference it gets on the SEM

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Emissions per Kwh from the backup station are high, because ideally the backup station spins, gives off CO2 but generates zero power - infinite emissions per KWh!

But of course total emissions are lower than if the power was all generated from gas.

I'm not talking solely about spinning reserves but all the plants operating at reduced capacity.

Apologies for resurrecting this thread but it seems the proposed wind farms aren't going to go ahead
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/proposals-for-giant-wind-farms-are-shelved-30071008.html

VladToBeHere wrote: »

I've lived within 5 minutes drive of the UK's largest wind farm site (Whitelee Windfarm, 215 turbines, each around 450 feet tall) and I find the things fairly majestic.

Electricity has to come from somewhere, and wind isn't an absolutely horrific option.
There were a few days recently where there was enough wind energy in Scotland at least generated to power the whole country for a short period.

I would rather have a wind turbine in my back garden than a coal/oil fired power station, even with the noise from the wind energy.

Frankly I find all the opposition to wind energy both in the UK and here a bit distasteful.

Distasteful ? Hyperbole much ? Many people oppose the "greenwash" that is being used to push through more and more taxpayer and electricity bill payer subsidised construction of wind turbines - And they have a perfect right to do so.

The energy density (power generation per area) of wind energy if far too low for wind energy to be considered as anything other than a very small part of the energy generation mix.

One of the largest of the current generation of wind turbines can generate about 5 MW (when the wind is blowing at the right speed....). Even a relatively small power station ( say having two 500 MW turbines ) generates 200 times that amount 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

There is not a simple choice to be made between centralised power stations and wind turbines - Wind energy has it's part to play but because of it's low energy density and dependance on the wind blowing at the right speed it can not replace conventional power stations.

This video clip tells you all you need to know:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc7rRPrA7rg