I refer to the article ‘Winds of Change’ in PE 27 January 2010 ‘Some of the pitfalls facing renewable energy’ that are detailed make interesting reading. Whilst appreciating the design, operation and predictive maintenance need to be well engineered to achieve high utilisation, minimise spinning reserve, and O & M costs, there would appear to be much more serious problems, such as: power transmission from sea to land, transmission over land, sub stations, load control centres, protection etc. (unless existing facilities can be utilised!) Also, the load demand curves need to be met. With base load from nuclear, renewables would need to replicate the flexibility gas and oil power generation. Unless the storage referred to would also be flexibile enough to meet the changes in demand! And all this by 2020! Removal of digits would appear to be in order.
David Turner, Hove, East Sussex
© PE Publishing, February 2010
