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This position paper examines the profile of wind power, its impact on the network, security of supply and the quality of the energy delivered. It further deals with the reasons to establish certain technical requirements for the connection of wind power generation to the network.
Editor's Note: This is a worthwhile read in its entirety (attached pdf file). Selected extracts appear below.
It is concluded that the total extra cost to the electricity consumer of installing enough wind to provide 10% of electricity consumption may be around €0.7/MWh, but much depends on timing (as wind costs are falling rapidly), and the mix between onshore and offshore wind. The need for market mechanisms to be cost-reflective and promote technical efficiency in electricity networks is emphasised, recognizing the advantages of integrated electricity systems. It is noted that this is not in conflict with the requirements for efficient assimilation of wind energy.
They decribe three problems that mitigate the benefits of wind power:
-large amount of extra energy required to start up thermal generators that would otherwise not have been turned off
-mechanical stresses of more frequent ramping of production levels up and down
-increased prices of energy necessary to pay for any lower usage of thermal plants.
They notice that there is very little possibility of closig any non-wind facilities, because their capacity would still be needed to respond to periods of peak demand. Wind plants add more capacity (requiring more infrastructure) with almost no reduction on non-wind capacity, the latter of which must be used more inefficiently than otherwise.
As for carbon dioxide reduction-one of the primary arguments for wind-generated power- the study concludes that the cost of carbon dioxide abatement arising from using large levels of wind energy appears high relative to other alternatives.
"The Valencian windpower plan ("Plan Eólico") was approved July 26th, 2001. It calls for the implantation of 2700 wind turbines in the Comunidad Valenciana, many of them in the mountains of the Costa Blanca.
After two years of negotiations behind closed doors, the pieces of the subsidized pie have been allocated. Soon the bulldozers will start destroying the ultimate asset of this region: its unspoiled interior. See the narrow valleys, smell the orange blossom, marvel at the olive groves: they will never be the same. Neither will the craggy mountains, warm shades of amber in the winter sun. All of this will go, marred by industrial structures. The almond trees will bloom under ugly pylons, and we´ll view the cherry blossoms against a backdrop of rotors and power lines."
"Since the start of the operation of a 30MW, 17 turbine wind park, residents living 500m and more from the park have reacted strongly to the noise; residents up to 1900m distance expressed annoyance. To assess actual sound immission, long term measurements (a total of over 400 night hours in 4 months) have been performed at 400 and 1500m from the park. In the original sound assessment a fixed relation between wind speed at reference height (10 m) and hub height (98 m) had been used. However, measurements show that the wind speed at hub height at night is up to 2.6 times higher than expected, causing a higher rotational speed of the wind turbines and consequentially up to 15 dB higher sound levels, relative to the same reference wind speed in daytime. Moreover, especially at high rotational speeds the turbines produce a ‘thumping’, impulsive sound, increasing annoyance further. It is concluded that prediction of noise immission at night from (tall) wind turbines is underestimated when measurement data are used (implicitly) assuming a wind profile valid in daytime."
Stockholm, August 2003
SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5308
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