If wind is so low cost, why does it need to be subsidized?
“In my report, I analyzed four years’ of hourly production and load data and found that wind generation followed an uneconomic pattern, producing the most electricity when least needed and the least electricity when demand and market prices were highest.” [The Foundry]
“Producing most electricity when least needed”. It’s midnight and you are in bed, all of the lights are turned out, all of the appliances are turned off or unplugged. The furnace is turned down and the water heater is on idle. Outside, the wind is howling, pruning your trees and removing those defective shingles from your roof. It’s tipped over your garbage can and is gleefully distributing all of the contents to your needy neighbors.
It’s dawn and you jump out of bed, turn all the lights on, turn the furnace up. You shower and shave and prepare breakfast while you watch the TV for the weather forecast and traffic report. Outside the wind is—–dead calm, nothing!
You turn all the lights off, turn all the appliances off, turn the furnace down and to go to work. As you pull into the parking lot at work, guess what? The wind is coming back up.
Unfortunately, the above information is not in the Energy Department’s computer models.
Latin proverb: Si ventum non serviunt remis ducere.