Re: Wind Power

From: Don Kelly (dhky_at_peeshaw.ca)
Date: 08/29/04 

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 03:56:09 GMT

"Dan Bloomquist" <EXTRApublic20@lakeweb.com> wrote in message
news:4130C93D.7080900@lakeweb.com...
>
>
> LongmuirG wrote:
> > Dan Bloomquist observed:
> >
> >>Why do you think there is a wind industry? Capital doesn't bet on a
looser.
> >
> >
> > So why does Big Wind keep demanding direct & indirect subsidies? -- tax
breaks,
> > guaranteed market access for any electricity produced, higher prices (my
local
> > utility will "sell" you wind-generated electricity at a premium above
the cost
> > of regular electricity).
> >
> > Questions about the profitability of wind power will not go away until
> > politicians start to salivate over spending the taxes they get from Big
Wind.
>
> The coal industry is subsidized, so what?
> So compare the numbers:
>
> Net installed wind ~$3.00/watt
> Net coal $3.00-$5.00/watt
>
> Which contradicts Rolf's rant:
> 'No. These are very inefficient, expensive and wasteful.'
---------
 If you use the above figures, then what about gas turbines which are
cheaper yet to install.
In addition, consider the load factor of wind plant vs coal or other plant.
Wind doesn't replace other plant in that such plant must be available in
case wind production does not meet load demands. Now you have 30watts of
wind plant needed to effectively replace 10watts of coal plant. $9.00 vs
$3.00-5.00
>
> Especially when you consider that wind pays its energy
> payback in a very short time while coal has no payback
> attribute at all.
------------
Excuse me- what school of economics did you graduate from? Who would build
coal plant if it did not have a payback and more during its lifetime? Ditto
for any source.

Economic justification for wind, all other things being equal, may not
actually be there. Justification in terms of deferred use of fossil fuels is
another matter. 

-- 
Don Kelly
dhky@peeshaw.ca
remove the urine to answer
>
> Best, Dan.
>
> -- 
> http://lakeweb.net
> http://ReserveAnalyst.com
> No EXTRA stuff for email.
>

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