Cost and Quantity of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided by Wind Generation
Author:
Wind power is intermittent, so either energy storage or constantly, instantly available back-up generation is required to provide constant power.
This paper contains a simple analysis of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions avoided by wind power and the cost per tonne of emissions avoided. It puts these figures in context by comparing them with some other ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.
The conclusion: wind farms connected to the National Grid provide low value energy at high cost, and avoid little greenhouse gas emissions:
1. Wind power does not avoid significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Wind power is a very high cost way to avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Wind power, even with high capacity penetration, can not make a significant
contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
