Wind power is expensive - telegraph

[Hobjob]

Britain's offshore windpower costs twice as much as coal and gas generated electricity
Off shore wind farms cost twice as much to produce electricity as gas and coal powered stations and will need subsidies for at least 20 years, a major report warns.

Britain's offshore windpower costs twice as much as coal and gas generated electricity - Telegraph

[John_M]

To be honest, that's not really surprising. I think the emphasis on wind power has been for political rather than practical reasons, because windmills are so visible. Wind power isn't really viable as an alternative energy source for anything other than very small installations.

[Meta menardi]

I do see what you men, but as balance of cost changes, will this alter in favour of windpower? (I have my doubts, but what can we predict accurately).

I feel that the future is quite muddy to look into.

[Ukwildlifeo]

The ones of Whitstable, Kent only seem to be turning half the time if that! No wonder it costs more to make money from if there not operational all the time. Thats before you get to the generators which keep need replacing at something like £1/2 million a time...

[nightshade]

Wind generators near tintagel had about a third idle, at anyone time.
These wind generators are old technology anyway

[bigdave60dog]

That is a bit of a short term view.
You can have no idea of the whole picture. The costs of energy are set to rise above all previous expectations. Oil will never run out but as the bigger countries eg China and India develop The BRIC nations(Brazil,India, Russia and China) have just signed an agreement to work together to achieve set level of economic development by 2020. Demand will outstrip supply in a way previously unimagined. Oil will soon become too expensive to use a a main source of energy, so will coal. It is likely that were it not for a global recession we would be experiencing similar power shut-downs to those experienced in developing counties right now.
Wind turbines have a projected 20 year life. That is expected to see us through the time until a political acceptable alternative is available. Scotland is set to meet 50% of it`s energy needs from Wind and Marine sources by 2015. Norway is way ahead. In the very near future we will all be very glad to have those turbine turning away I am sure.
Just look at the good reliable research and do not listen to news reports and popular media.

[Lancashire Lad]

It is nonsense to suggest that wind generation is beneficial as a stop gap method of producing meaningful amounts of electricity for the next twenty years by using the premise that coal and gas costs will have risen to the extent that wind power will have become competitive in that period.

The present, (and outrageously offshore wind biased) “Renewals Obligation Certificate” subsidy system, which is already in place for the next twenty seven years, ensures that offshore wind has an unassailable advantage over any other means of generating electricity – but if those subsidies were to be removed, it would be a different ball game altogether.

Unsubsidised, it would be a substantially longer timescale before wind generation comes anywhere near close to becoming genuinely competitive as a large scale electricity producer.

The suggestion of looking at good reliable research is creditable, but I just wish that people would do that once in a while, and actually make reference to their sources before making sweeping statements.

I have always maintained that wind power has a relevant part to play in our national energy strategy. But – that part will only ever be practical and financially sustainable as long as the total quantity of wind generated electricity does not encroach upon the national base load requirement. – However, the fact that successive governments seem hell bent on having at least 30% of our electricity generated by wind shows unequivocally, that they have no apparent desire for cognisance of the inevitable consequences. (Start buying your candles and torches now folks – you heard it here first! ).

The present “wind and yet more wind” policy, is nothing more than a cynical ploy to hoodwink the gullible (and for that read majority) of voters into thinking that the government is actually being “green” – when all it really is, is a means of putting billions of direct and indirect “subsidy” pounds into the pockets of the wind farm entrepreneurs. All at the expense of the electricity purchaser, whose pound would be far better spent on other, far more efficient, reliable, and equally “green” sources of generation.

I don’t intend to repeat yet again what I’ve already posted on the subject, but for those who are interested, the facts of the matter, along with all necessary reference source links, are here: -

Very interesting facts

A Problem With Wind

Regards,
Mike.

[STYRBJORN]

Governmental involvement with wind power enables the politicos to show that They Are Doing Something. Spending vast amounts of taxpayers dosh on spectacular projects which will prove totally cost-ineffective in the long run but who cares? We won't be in power by then so what's the odds?

Cynic? Me?

Ric

[brendaward]

The facts are that oil will run out, probably in our children's lifetime, maybe sooner. Just a little bit of wind power will help and it will become more efficient by trial and error. We can't have it perfect in the infancy stages. Just look how solar power is advancing. At one time it was an expensive extravagance now with the photoelectric cells we could have new roof coverings in time at a relatively low cost. It takes time.

[STYRBJORN]

[quote=brendaward;683743]The facts are that oil will run out, probably in our children's lifetime, maybe sooner. Just a little bit of wind power will help and it will become more efficient by trial and error. We can't have it perfect in the infancy stages. Just look how solar power is advancing. At one time it was an expensive extravagance now with the photoelectric cells we could have new roof coverings in time at a relatively low cost. It takes time.[/QUOTE]

Which we don't have. Fusion and tidal are the only realistic modes. Wind, solar, hydro-electric are all very well as top-ups but for base-line supply they are too unpredictable.

Ric