Can I suggest that you listen to this radio item that was broadcast on RNZ this morning if you wish to be better informed.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/pr...nd-power-south
SNOOPY
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Can I suggest that you listen to this radio item that was broadcast on RNZ this morning if you wish to be better informed.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/pr...nd-power-south
SNOOPY
Rankine units still working at capacity. Just now (see Transpower live data) they are producing 440 MW. All the wind turbines across the country combined are producing...33 MW.
Anyone who thinks wind is the answer to our energy needs may wish to to think again.
Early days my friend.. wind only accounts for about 5% of total NZ installed capacity.
Not sure if there's much benefit in comparing base load and peaking generation anyway.. they each have their role to play.
Today is just GNE's time in the sun..
:)
....and growing! Cheers for the clarification.
Main point was regarding base load/ peaking - It's not like it's either all.
Anyway wind looks like it has a strong future in places where older gas/coal stations - like the rankine units - are used as base load. Think Australia?
At the EUG conference in Vienna this year, it was noted that Europe, with its widely interconnected grid system is starting to notice similar issues to what we have been seeing in New Zealand for some time around mixing wind with other forms of generatiom. Wind does not mix well with thermal or other base load plant, but is a good mix with hydro and fast start GT plant. Europe is considering introducing load shifting, similar to NZ's ripple control, to reduce demand when the wind isn't blowing. Many at the conference were surprised to learn that we have been doing that for decades for load control rather than load shift.
Without further fast start plant Europe is almost at the stage of experiencing grid instability due to excess installed wind capacity, just like South Australia already has on a couple of occassions. We still have a bit of room to move in this regard, but if NZ wishes to go fully renewable then we will need to look at alternatives such as pumped storage hydro. Every MW of installed pumped storage allows for more than 2 MW of additional wind capacity.