September 15, 2016
Letters, New York

Power grid data takes the wind out of Apex’s sails

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal | Sep 15, 2016 | www.lockportjournal.com

You are reading it here first: The Apex Lighthouse Wind Project should and likely will be denied.

Facts regarding existing dismal megawatts-per-hour wind output, unreliability, the need for reliable backup, and the outrageous cost to construct a 200 megawatt project, then collect and motivate the electrons to move easterly 400 miles, will become so overwhelming that even in New York state, common sense and indisputable facts will eventually prevail.

With a New York total wind nameplate of approximately 1750 megawatts available, why does wind contribute so little now? Adding more wind mega wattage won’t improve the results. The 1,750 MW is scattered all over the state. This fact makes it difficult to feed into the grid on a consistent basis.

A properly located 1,750 MW power generating facility with a dependable fuel source positioned on a few acres would feed directly into the grid.

I believe a contributing factor to the downfall of the Apex project will be the lack of a suitable transmission path to New York City.

Data from New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) shows anemic wind MW output throughout this year. Compared with 1,750 MW available, actual output at particular times was: 26 MW on Jan. 22; 1,141 MW on Jan. 26; 464 MW on March 27; 117 MW on April 18; 401 MW on May 31; 855 MW on June 20; 68 MW on Aug. 11 and 616 MW on Aug. 12 (according to NYISO, two possible peak load days); 36 MW on Aug. 27; 118 MW on Sept. 1; 9 MW on Sept. 2; and 0 MW on Sept. 4. Zero.

Adding more wind MW scattered around New York state without new and upgraded low- and high-voltage transmission lines will exacerbate transmission constraints and accelerate the demise of Big Wind.

Gregory G. Woodrich
Williamsville

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/09/15/power-grid-data-takes-the-wind-out-of-apexs-sails/