Chuck wrote:
> According to the DOE, Iowa wind farms produced 27.4% of the state's
> electrical capacity in 2013... a far cry from being able to supply half
> the country. Unlike the UK which fails to meet the claimed 33%
> production from installed capacity, Iowa very slightly exceeds it. When
> you figure out how to get rid of all the backup conventional generating
> capacity you'll have something. Meantime you've just managed to
> increase the cost and (some would say) blight the land.
The DOE estimate is slightly misleading for several reasons. First of
all, several major wind farms came online in 2013. We're building them
as fast as we can. Secondly, Iowa is an energy exporter. A substantial
amount of our wind energy is exported to other states. Thirdly, we've
been able to replace mainline coal-fired plants with gas-fired boost
plants.
It depends a lot on the power company in question. Ours is well north
of 50% wind and almost entirely coal-free. You can tell which
companies have large coal plants because most of their wind turbines
sit idle.
As to the blighting of the landscape, yawn. This is Iowa, where 98% of
the landscape has been altered. Everywhere you look is row crop and
the infrastructure to support it. BTW, 27% of the nation's ethanol
comes from Iowa, which is the #1 producer of corn/beans. There is
almost no natural landscape here.
--
Ken Norton
ken@xxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.zone-10.com
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