Washington state
got a taste of
very unreliable
wind power.
During eight days
in early November
(October 31 through November 7)
there was virtually no wind
across the states served
by the Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA),
leaving hydro, nuclear,
and fossil fuels
to cover the gap:
During those eight
consecutive days,
wind provided only 0.35%
of the region’s energy,
with brief peaks of 2%
reached twice, near
the middle of the night,
when electricity demand
is the lowest.
Without energy from dams
in the region, natural gas
would have been
the likely replacement.
On Halloween,
the supply of
hydroelectricity
was doubled
in a few hours,
responding to
increased demand,
and the
lack of wind power.
Wind in Washington state
blows mainly in the middle
of the night, when electricity
demand is lowest.
During the peak hours
of demand, in the early
evening, there is often
no wind energy.
Solar power
provides
only 0.08%
of Washington’s
electricity.
Burning wood
generates 16 times
as much electricity
as solar.
The Northwest
is a poor place
to generate
solar energy.
Western
Washington
state is the
worst place in the
lower 48 states
for solar power.
Also, the sun
is about to set,
or has already set,
when electricity
demand peaks
around 7 pm.
Thanks to back up
hydro power, the week
without wind energy
was not a catastrophe.