How is generating electricity from the wind different from conventional generation?
In “conventional,” or thermal, generation, a fuel is burned (or atoms split) to heat water into steam (or to blow air) to turn the generator (i.e., the turbine). It takes time (minutes to days, depending on design) to get the plant going, so if it is providing peak power it is not turned off as the demand temporarily drops. It continues to burn fuel, either idling or redirecting the steam away from the turbine. In this way, it can be instantly switched back to generation mode when demand rises again. In wind-powered generation, it is the wind that turns the generator, via the large wing-like blades. It is also the wind, rather than the grid operator, that determines when it produces power and how much.
