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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (45732)	9/8/2010 11:21:58 PM
From: DuckTapeSunroof	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

Re: "I haven't been invoking partisan points, or making statements like "wind power is bad" So what do you call these statements of yours'? wind simply can't be counted on to produce when you need it. Either the wind is going to replace nothing, in which case it does little good, or its going to replace coal.... (I still can't make any sense out of that one! <g>) It's generally an expensive way. Wind power can not cost effectively be one of the major players for the foreseeable future. ALL asserted without benefit of any supporting calculations.... (And I replied that 'Generally' only counts in horseshoes and in hand grenades, but doesn't have all that much applicability here because, as with real estate, a controlling and dominant factor for wind power is 'location, location, location'. Some locations have high quality wind resources, and ready grid access, associated other beneficial cost structures, etc., and can be economically viable or even preferable over all other energy generation options, and some DON'T. In some locations it could even be the cheapest option included in the power mix.... Same way (as with all economic calculations necessary to access the potential viability and net-present-value of any investment option in energy) that estimates for the FUTURE COST of fuels (over the expected life of the project) must be factored-into any calculation of technology options. As I said (several times!), fuel cost projections and wind resource measurements and grid abilities are ALL part of a proper comparison analysis. Re: "Which is why I say wind power doesn't work well as a major source of electricity." All technologies have strengths and weaknesses. If COST is your highest valued criteria then nuclear doesn't look very good at all. If night time production is what you are interested in then solar is out of the running (not looking so viable at extreme latitudes either :-) If being non-susceptible to supply flow interruptions (that wars might bring) is of importance to you then heavy reliance upon foreign sources of oil or coal or gas is probably ill advised. (So thought Japan and Germany prior to WW II, and so thinks China right now. :-) If fuel supply is not able to expand with population growth or economic demands any longer then serious diversification planning is probably wise.... If you have no water resources (same with no choice wind resources) then hydroelectric is out of the running. Unsuitable geology and geothermal (otherwise perhaps a good baseline power generation choice) is not realistic.... Etc. As in many human areas... appropriate diversification is often prudent. And what is CHOICEST in one place may be totally unsuited for another.