The facts on wind farms
I WRITE in response to two letters that appeared in your newspaper on Friday 28 September, entitled 'Anti-wind? Here's why...'.
They contained a number of factual inaccuracies that I would like to address.
Most wind turbines will be active and producing power for about 70 to 85 per cent of the time, albeit not at full capacity. A typical turbine is expected to generate 20 to 40 per cent of its theoretical maximum output over a year.
Conventional power stations likewise produce only about 50 per cent of their maximum output across the year.
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A recent report from the IPPR (Institute of Public Policy Research) stated that due to advances in weather and power forecasting it is inaccurate to describe the output from wind power as 'unpredictable' and concluded that wind power can play a major role in a secure and reliable future electricity system.
The UK has approximately 33GW of installed wind capacity and the National Grid has stated that only around 7 to 10GW will be required as backup, which is around 30 per cent, not the 90 per cent as quoted by Ceinwen Rees.
Most increases in electricity bills are due to rises in fossil fuel costs and the cost of electricity generated by wind is low. Ofgem's figures show that the current cost to UK households of developing all forms of renewable energy, including wind, is under £20 a year.
The planning and construction of UK wind farms is financed entirely with private capital, no matter what the costs are. It is only when the wind farm is fully operational and delivering electricity to the grid that it qualifies for any incentives. Wind energy producers receive a payment for each megawatt hour of electricity they generate for the national grid. All sources of renewable energy qualify for these payments, which fluctuate according to the wholesale electricity market price. They are a necessary incentive, protecting and encouraging investment in low-carbon energy technologies and ensuring a secure, cost-effective supply in the future.
Sara Powell-Davies
Communications manager
Renewable UK Cymru
Comments
by johndavies
Monday, October 29 2012, 8:50PM
“Grounds for instant dismissal ?? if she worked for me it would be.
Sara Powell-Davies purports to be the Communications manager for Renewable UK Cymru Complains that she thought some letters contained a number of factual inaccuracies that that she would like to address.!!!, yet her own letter is full of falsifications !!!
She states -
1 - "The UK has approximately 33GW of installed wind capacity"
NO IT DOESN'T. Look on your own Renewable UK website, it shows 7.3GW installed.
2 - "A typical turbine is expected to generate 20 to 40 per cent of its theoretical maximum output over a year."
NOT ACCORDING TO DECC. – they say 26.2%.
Ofgem & National Grid work on the presumption that wind only gives a max 11% firm generating capacity.
3 - "and concluded that wind power can play a major role in a secure and reliable future electricity system."
Only if you can call 4,030 turbines supplying a mere 4.14% of annual demand 'major'.
& an intermittent 11% firm generating capacity 'reliable'.
I would expect better from a 10yr old……but then it's what we've come to expect from the wind industry's Communications / PR machine, who don't like to spoil a good story with fact.”
by maxmin
Saturday, October 20 2012, 9:43AM
“Neathboy CLM why do you have to belong to any political persuasion to abhor wasting money? The fact is that windfarms are not fit for purpose and will do nothing to provide us with a reliable source of energy. They haven't yet - why do you think that is going to change?”
by NeathPTboy
Friday, October 19 2012, 4:52PM
“Neathboy,
WE are not building unreliable wind farms, overseas labour are building unreliable wind farms, the only part WE play is paying for them with our increased energy bills, for someone rich to get richer.”
by Neathboy234
Friday, October 19 2012, 3:14PM
“As i said the fact is we are building a lot more wind farms, Something i'm sure makes the right wingers on here feel psychically sick. Which is something that i personally find quite hilarious.”
by NeathPTboy
Friday, October 19 2012, 12:33PM
“Johndavies,
I totally agree with you on your opinions regarding wind energy, unlike neathboy234 who is a deluded fool.
Take a look at all MY previous posts and you will see that I am not the same person or a troll.
It was neathboy234's deluded love of wind turbines that inspired my username.”
by Neathboy234
Thursday, October 18 2012, 8:24PM
“johndavies I'll tell u the difference between me and the other one. "The facts on wind farms is that they are here to stay and we're getting a lot more of them". As for the other one we all know who he is, yet another alter alter ego, of our strange little friend lol”
by johndavies
Thursday, October 18 2012, 8:02PM
“Having read all the comments, I think NeathPTboy & Neathboy 234 is schizophrenic troll !!!”
by Neathboy234
Sunday, October 07 2012, 7:50PM
“NeathPTboy so i'm not an engineer as i. A bit of advice to U, get yourself a new crystal ball the one u got is U/S. I wrote U/S as you not doubt know is an engineering term that we use for something that is kaput. lol”
by NeathPTboy
Sunday, October 07 2012, 7:45PM
“Germany states it will shut all of their reactors by 2022....a lot can happen between now and then, a different government will have different ideas and will probably make u-turns on this decision.
So when our expert engineers retired they took the knowledge with them did they and kept it a secret?
You're certainly not an engineer, of that i'm sure, as you wouldn't have made such an ignorant statement about not going anywhere near a nuclear power plant.
The Rusians are building them because they are not stupid enough to buy unreliable renewable junk from the Germans.”
by Neathboy234
Sunday, October 07 2012, 7:16PM
“NeathPTboy the Germans are of course shutting down all their reactors due to safety reasons. Only this week we learnt that £24 billion have to be spent within the EU to bring all our reactors up to scratch on safety. As far as our engineers leading the way, all our experts who built our existing reactors have all retired. We will be relying on the French to build them for us. I'm an engineer myself, and i'm not going anywhere near one. The Russians are building 10 new ones at the moment, thankfully the wind mostly blows form west to east”