My biggest question about what will happen if we had 20% or more of solar/wind power is what do you do when the wind isn't blowing and it is night time? You are still going to need as much traditional generating power as we have now but it will have to sit idle while the "free" stuff is working but be ready to fire up at a moment's notice when a big cloud comes over or when the wind dies down. That is going to be an expensive plant to maintain and not as much revenue to maintain it. The thing that sets the US apart from the 3d world is the reliability of our power infrastructure and I think that will go away.

I really believe when they feathered the windmill in Minot it was to deal with a drop in demand.


Greg Fretwell