Home natural-gas car fueling? Not anytime soon.

wth does that mean and why are they worried about a 20 yr term? Sounds like one could get really stiffed (i.e. locked in as technology shifts and perhaps unable to realistically sell one’s house). Unless they are looking for a long term monopoly, seems they should have a clear buy out provision going in. No doubt it’s also an investment on their part, but 20yr total lock on a res property??

The Cambridge Energy Research Associates study has never been vetted by experienced wind researchers, as far as I know. Wind energy may not always blow on the power system’s peak, but it blows pretty regularly and smoothly if the wind turbines and wind projects are distributed over a large area. Studies by General Electric Company for New York State, the Minnesota Department of Commerce for the entire state, and the California Public Utility Commission, to cite a few, show that large amounts of wind power, say 20 to 30%, of electric generation on an annual basis can be readily achieved.

The host power system is used to dealing with fluctuating sources, only they are called loads. The addition of small amounts of wind is barely noticed on most systems. As penetration of wind increases, addition of small amounts of flexible capacity will be desirable and can be added.

Recently, the Department of Energy has completed a study showing that 20 percent of total annual electric energy could be supplied by wind power for the lower 48 States for a minimum cost. This study was performed using last year’s conventional energy prices and the economics would look better today.

Check that study out at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wi…..41869.pdf.

It’s true that wind does not always blow when we need it, but on a statistical basis it blows steady enough to displace a lot of fossil fuels that would otherwise produce greenhouse gasses. Not only does wind power displace greenhouse gasses, but it generates jobs and revenues for landowners and state, local and the Federal government(s).

But do not take the word of a 25 year wind researcher retired (me), check out Jerome A Paris on DailyKos who finances European wind projects, the US-based Utility Wind Integration Group who reflect electric utility interest in wind power at http://www.uwig.org, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wind Program at http://www.nrel.gov/wind or the American Wind Energy Association (www.awea.org).

Plug-in hybrids, as the FDL article states, are likely much better for transportation than a natural gas infrastructure.

Wind Power is not the answer to our climate problems, but it is part of the solution.

JackNVA