Some developers tried to make us believe that turbines could work
at maximum output all of the time
They then used a capacity or load factor of 30% from the BWEA
– the wind industry
trade body
Local load factors are nearer to 20% because Northamptonshire
is not a “windy county”
Original claims for offsets assumed that wind would exclusively replace coal
– that generated twice as much CO2 as the average mix
Overnight we have mainly nuclear that generates no CO2 – no carbon
savings then. Denmark gives away over 80% of its overnight wind
to Sweden because they can not use it.
Wind is highly variable & unpredictable so fossil fuel power stations have to
be kept on spinning reserve. That is very inefficient & has a high carbon cost.
Power stations have a carbon cost to build (embodied energy) if they are idle,
then that carbon cost is being wasted
The carbon cost to build a windfarm is substantial – about 2½ to 3 years worth
of output in our area. Offshore or on the coast where the turbine would
generate nearly twice as much electricity this would be much shorter
(Back to report on Public Meeting)