Country Cannot Count On Wind Energy Solution
The answer, it turns out, may not be blowing in the wind, after all.
That's what a new report from the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Drew Thornley reveals. "Who knew a 'free' source of energy could be so expensive?" Thornley asks.
Oh, the wind part is free and abundant, especially in parts of the state. But it's more complicated than that.
"The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) recently estimated that billions of dollars in investment will be needed to transmit wind-generated electricity from the areas of Texas most suitable for wind generation - West Texas and the Panhandle - to the areas of the state that need energy the most - the I-35 corridor and the upper Gulf Coast," Thornley says. "These costs will be borne by Texas ratepayers. How did we get here?"
Through renewable energy mandates and ill-conceived subsidies. And more are on the way.
"Robust wind power expansion is expected, as Texas producers are required to generate 5,880 megawatts of renewable energy by 2015 and face a 10,000-megawatt target for 2025," Thornley reports. "To this end, $700 million went into new wind Texas farms in January." But it's a dubious investment, he adds.
"Wind energy proponents extol wind as free, safe, and clean, but these characterizations miss the point," Thornley says. "Energy users expect reliability, and challenges dot the path from wind to the electric grid to energy consumer."
Reliability is vital.
"For wind turbines to produce power, the wind must blow," Thornley reasons. "Because the wind does not blow constantly, wind turbines produce a fraction of their potential generating capacities. Furthermore, winds blows the least during the summer months when power is needed the most. ERCOT relies on just 8.7 percent of wind power's capacity when determining available power during peak summer hours. Also, due to wind's intermittency, wind farms must rely on conventional power sources to back up their supply."
"For wind turbines to produce power, the wind must blow," Thornley reasons. "Because the wind does not blow constantly, wind turbines produce a fraction of their potential generating capacities. Furthermore, winds blows the least during the summer months when power is needed the most. ERCOT relies on just 8.7 percent of wind power's capacity when determining available power during peak summer hours. Also, due to wind's intermittency, wind farms must rely on conventional power sources to back up their supply."
Not only has wind energy proven - at least thus far - unreliable, it's also expensive.
"Besides generous federal subsidies and tax incentives, Texas entices wind developers with tax exemptions and deductions; yet wind power remains more expensive per kilowatt-hour than conventional energy sources," Thornley reports. "ERCOT's estimates for transmitting West Texas wind energy, under four different scenarios, range from $3.78 billion to $6.28 billion. ERCOT estimated costs by using straight-line lengths for transmission cables. Thus, transmission costs were estimated using a best-case-scenario approach and, as such, should be considered minimums. Add to this ERCOT's estimates of $410 million to $1.03 billion for connecting wind generation to the new collection substations."
Nor has wind energy proven to be quite as green as advertised.
"Wind energy also comes with legitimate environmental concerns," Thornley says. "Wind farms require vast tracts of land, disrupting farming acreage and animal habitats; and turbine blades kill thousands of birds each year, including protected species."
Certainly, wind energy should continue to be explored and developed, but it can't be seen as the answer to the state's increasing needs.
"ERCOT estimates Texas' electricity demand will rise 20 percent by 2015 and 43 percent by 2025," Thornley says. "Texas must remain focused on providing its residents with affordable, reliable energy and not turn its back on fossil fuels, which can meet our needs and are cleaner than ever before. Wind alone cannot meet the increasing demand we face. Rather, wind is one stick in a bundle of larger sticks, all of which can and should contribute to meeting energy demands. Wind should be part of a diversified portfolio of energy resources, anchored by the traditional energy sources that have the capacity to meet Texas' burgeoning energy needs."
