Breaking (Danes) With Wind

The blades on the mill go 'round and 'round...producing sound, fury, and little else.

...Specialists believe that it is unrealistic to expect turbines to produce much more than 20 to 25 per cent of their potential annual output, and that has been the experience in Denmark. Sometimes there is too little wind, sometimes there is too much. Sometimes the machines are broken or being serviced and polished.

With wind turbines, a conventional power station must always provide back-up. For the Danes, traditional power stations with capacities equal to 90 per cent of the installed wind-power capacity must be permanently online to guarantee supply at all times.

So the Danes pay about 300% of average US electric rates, not to mention the tax subsidies, which some estimate to be greater than the annual Danish expenditures on ALL schooling.

Helluvadeal.

HT: AmSpecBlog