Is wind power reliable?
As David says, you would not design a thermal power generating system which did not have built in reserve. He has answered his comment about those letter writers being unconcerned (or unaware) that there was a shortage of nuclear output during the cold snap in early January. “Why should they have been concerned/aware?” The system is designed for this. David quotes research to back up his assertion that wind has a capacity credit and the reserve margin of conventional plant may be reduced. He indicates that based on statistical analysis this reduction might be 7 GW if 40 GW of wind power was to be installed. More than the reserve available to the National Grid during the cold spell in the first week of January 2009. He overlooks that two of the researchers, Grubb and the Oxford Economic Research Associates (OERA), quote periods bereft of wind. For example:- Grubb says there are on average 6 hours per month during the winter and twice this amount during summer when the wind is low or non
Is wind power reliable?