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Wind power
First, a few basic facts.
- 1999 was the best year ever for
the wind industry in the United States. Approximately 1,500 wind
turbines were put into operation and new equipment worth $700
million was installed. Even though these are miniscule figures in
the overall electric generation picture, they translate into a 40
percent increase in wind generation capacity.
- The U.S. Department of Energy's
"Wind Powering America" initiative aims to boost
wind-generating capacity more than 30-fold by 2020. At that level,
wind-generated power will be capable of providing for the
electricity use of about 10 million households.
- Public demand for green power
programs-in which utility customers can volunteer to pay a premium
price for electricity from clean resources like wind-remains very
small, but is growing.
On first thought, and in light of the
above facts, it's nearly impossible to argue against the idea of wind
power. After all, the wind is free, plentiful, and renewable. And when
it blows, wind-generated electricity is capable of generating
electricity cleanly and at fairly reasonable cost.
Of course, the key phrases in that
last sentence are "when it blows" and "fairly
reasonable cost." North Dakotans expect the steam generated
electricity provided by the three investor-owned utilities that serve
the state to be available at all times and at the instant they need
it. And they've also become accustomed to receiving it at remarkably
low cost. But because the wind does not always blow, wind power is not
available at all times nor has a way been found to generate
electricity as economically as with coal.
This does not mean there is no place
in the generation mix for wind power. Nor does it mean that USND is
opposed to further research and development. It means only that
several problems inherent in wind powered electric generation must be
resolved before too much dependence is placed in its ability to serve
our energy needs.
Let's look at some of those problems.
In order to ensure reliable electric
service, electric companies must either own or have under firm
contract electric generation capacity to meet the expected demands of
any particular day and hour. In North Dakota, all that required
generation capacity-and the distribution system needed to deliver
it-already exists, is under construction, or has been planned. That's
important to remember when decisions must be made regarding the
expenditure of hundreds of millions-if not several billions-of
additional dollars for wind-powered generation.
And if some state or federal
government agency required utilities to make that investment-despite
its exorbitant cost and apparent redundancy-who should pay for it?
Only those customers in the area
affected? All of the nation's taxpayers? Or perhaps only those who
have invested in the utility company?
USND's stand is that the decision to
add wind-powered generation to a utility company's system must not be
mandated. Rather, it should be a decision made by company management
for the overall benefit of the consumers, the investors, and the
company.
Another concern is a provision of
PURPA (The Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act) that requires
investor-owned electric utilities to purchase-despite its higher cost
and unpredictable nature-excess electricity from wind generators
located in its service area. This requirement may or may not be
economically and environmentally justified. Either way, USND's concern
is the fact that rural electric cooperatives and municipal operations
are exempt from this requirement. This raises again the necessity for
a level playing field, in which all participants in a competitive
market are required to operate under the same regulations.
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