Wind turbines generate little power, don’t provide consistent energy

Editor:

Apex Lighthouse Wind Project Application should be denied, with objectors compensated for this farce.

Scarce taxpayer funds in local governments are being wasted opposing a scheme that is becoming more impossible to implement on each passing day.

Facts on table below are from NYISO studies and actual wind speeds scattered across NYS:

2015 Wind “Capacity Factor” was 26%  (That means for 74% of 2015 in NYS turbines sat idle)

2015 Hydro “Capacity Factor” was 68%  (Transmission constraints restrict Niagara Hydro Power)

2015 Nuclear “Capacity Factor” was 94%  (Extremely reliable and economical)

Table below reflects on a high wind weather pattern that developed in NYS around November 20. Readers can see with average wind speeds 13-20 MPH there is still way too much idle MW. When average wind speeds drop to 6-8MPH idle MW becomes overwhelming unproductive.

NYS Real     NYS Wind       Wind            Wind               Low       Avg.       High

Time Load     Available      Generating       Idle               Wind     Wind       Wind

MW               MW              MW              MW               MPH    MPH       MPH

17,622            1754                1420              334                3            18            33              2 PM Sun Nov. 20

19,938            1754                1537              217                7            19            30               6 PM Sun Nov. 20

15,086            1754                1308              446                6             18           25             6AM Mon Nov.21

20,088            1754                1429              325                8             20           31              4 PM Mon Nov 21

16,044            1754                 1184             570                7             15          28               6 AM Tue Nov 22

20,524            1754                  794              960                5             13          25                5 PM Tue Nov 22

15,744             1754                 165              1589              3               8          17              6 AM Wed Nov 23

20,416             1754                   90              1664              3               6          12              6 PM Wed Nov 23

14,192             1754                  483              1271             3               7          14              6 AM Thu Nov 24

16,800             1754                  228              1526             3               6          10               6 PM Thu Nov 24

13,862             1754                  130              1624             3               6          10                6 AM Fri Nov 25

18,410             1754                  179              1575             3               6          13                7 PM Fri Nov 25

13,616             1754                  151              1603             3               6            9               6 AM Sat Nov 26

18,354             1754                  149              1605             3               7          20                 6 PM Sat Nov 26

Smart people at the PSC already know that generating power from wind cannot succeed no matter how many towers are erected and how many thousands of square miles they occupy. APEX and wind has no sustainable and reliable future in NY’s energy supply picture.

Gregory G. Woodrich

Williamsville