Wind power output hits 1,000 MW in New York

[jpak]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/behindTheScenes/idUKTRE51P5UZ20090226

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wind power in New York for the first time reached 1,000 megawatts last week, the New York Independent System Operator said on Thursday.

On February 19, the wind output reached 1,000 MW, providing close to 5 percent of the 21,000 MW of total system demand at about 6 p.m. EST, the grid operator said in a release.

<snip>

At the start of 2008, the total installed wind capacity was just 424 MW in January and the top combined total output reached was 375 MW.

New York now has 1,274 MW of wind capacity and that number is expected to explode in the future.

<more>

[dkf]

1. That is wonderful!

Yay for NY!

[TomClash]

2. Thanks for posting this!

That's 2-3% of the total output and growing. Good news.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Great news! I hope everyone understands that that figure was for a moment in time.

Or for a short period of time.

Many people compare that 1,000 MW figure to gas, coal, or nuclear MW figures and it leads to so much misunderstanding about generation capacities for different energy sources.

For anyone unfamiliar, 1,000 MW nuke or coal plant is generating that power 24/7, while the same capacity wind farm would only produce that under idea wind conditions.

I'm increasingly fascinated by the energy storage question, which is what wind generation, especially, needs to answer to be most useful.

Whether through hydrogen production, flywheels, hydro, or new as-yet unrealized technologies, energy storage seems to be one of the most important factors in the future of green power production and management.

:patriot: