How many times must a man look up Before he can see the sky?
August 27th, 2008 by brianS
The answer may be blowing in the wind, but the Power Grid ain't up to it.
The U.S. electrical grid is Not In Good Shape. And it's gonna take billions to fix it.
The grid’s limitations are putting a damper on such projects already. Gabriel Alonso, chief development officer of Horizon Wind Energy, the company that operates Maple Ridge, said that in parts of Wyoming, a turbine could make 50 percent more electricity than the identical model built in New York or Texas.
“The windiest sites have not been built, because there is no way to move that electricity from there to the load centers,” he said.
The basic problem is that many transmission lines, and the connections between them, are simply too small for the amount of power companies would like to squeeze through them. ....
The power grid is balkanized, with about 200,000 miles of power lines divided among 500 owners. Big transmission upgrades often involve multiple companies, many state governments and numerous permits. Every addition to the grid provokes fights with property owners.
These barriers mean that electrical generation is growing four times faster than transmission, according to federal figures.
This entry was posted by brianS on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 12:21 pm and is filed under WGOM Headlines. It is one of 528 entries by the author. We are no longer accepting Letters to the Editor on this post.
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SBG replied on August 27, 2008 at 1:34:34 pm
Don't I know it.
$60 billion to upgrade the power grid? What are we waiting for? We spend that about every couple of months in Iraq!
Andrew replied on August 27, 2008 at 2:01:33 pm
I'm always surprised at how unwilling governments - federal on down to city - are to spend money on infrastructure. Roads, transportation, sewers, power grid - none of them are in the shape they should be. Short-sightedness I believe is a big problem because of the nature of elected government. Politicians are hesitant to spend that $60B today to save 10x that over the long run because people don't get re-elected for thinking long term.
brianS replied on August 27, 2008 at 2:38:19 pm
Don't underestimate (a) NIMBY syndrome and (b) little-state fears that "their" resources will be exported on the cheap to big states.
Nobody wants ugly, noisy high-voltage power transmission lines and towers in his/her back yard, front yard or site lines. Nonetheless, according to the Repository,
(I assume that refers to the variable costs of transmission, ignoring the amortized costs of the lines themselves?)
Jeff A replied on August 27, 2008 at 3:17:20 pm
At least where I used to live, there was no problem with the people not wanting towers. The Wessington Springs area has been promised wind tower projects for several years. One, on a much smaller scale than originally proposed, is finally going in now. But transmission lines were the problem then, and they are the problem now. It's not that the people don't want it. It's that nobody wants to pay for it.
SBG replied on August 27, 2008 at 3:05:10 pm
little-state fears that "their" resources will be exported on the cheap to big states.
As opposed to being unexploited and generating no revenue?
brianS replied on August 27, 2008 at 3:12:46 pm
GAH! What next, Boss? Opining that trade with the U.S. is good for Latin American workers?
Rhubarb_Runner replied on August 27, 2008 at 3:19:19 pm
I don't see why NoDak'ers, for example, can't be collecting a yearly wind energy check in the same manner that Alaskans share in their oil profits.
Yickit replied on August 27, 2008 at 3:30:33 pm
I'm ready for my check! Make it happen RR