Review of Wind Power Results in Ontario: May to October 2006
Author:
From Energy Probe, “a consumer and environmental research team, active in the fight against nuclear power, and dedicated to resource conservation, economic efficiency, and effective utility regulation.” Energy Probe is part of Energy Probe Research Foundation, one of Canada’s largest independent think tanks, which strives “to eliminate tragedies of the commons.”
“The study presents results from a synchronized database of actual wind production and consumer demand. Recognizing that the production experience to date covers a relatively short period of seven months, this study makes the following observations:
- Capacity factor so far is 22.3% (not including results from a wind farm apparently experiencing start-up problems);
- Periods of very low or no production were particularly common during high-demand periods;
- High but highly variable wind production during low demand periods was common; and
- The hourly production pattern in most months demonstrated a declining average output during the 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. period ““ a period when consumer power usage consistently increases.
“The study finds that two previous forecasts of wind power’s contribution to reliable Ontario generation capacity during the summer significantly over-estimated the value of wind power relative to the experience during 2006. Energy Probe is concerned that a clean and promising generating technology is being burdened with unrealistic forecasts of reliable production at times of high electricity demand that are not consistent with the actual production experience.”
Review of Wind Power Results in Ontario: May to October 2006
