Initially, almost all major power plants were amazingly expensive, and many did use government help to get things going. Or at least they got big tax write-offs, nothing makes some utilities happier than to bitch about taxes in public and then accepting tax breaks under the table.
Also, what they always fail to mention, is that a wind turbine plant needs the full (100% uptime) backup of a traditional (fossil driven) powerplant. Because with a calm, wind turbines do not generate electricity, and the gap needs to be closed by a support plant. In order to be operative at demand, the plant needs to be up 100%, because starting up and closing down a plant takes too much time.
http://www.theenergycollective...
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Initially, almost all major power plants were amazingly expensive, and many did use government help to get things going. Or at least they got big tax write-offs, nothing makes some utilities happier than to bitch about taxes in public and then accepting tax breaks under the table.
Also, what they always fail to mention, is that a wind turbine plant needs the full (100% uptime) backup of a traditional (fossil driven) powerplant. Because with a calm, wind turbines do not generate electricity, and the gap needs to be closed by a support plant. In order to be operative at demand, the plant needs to be up 100%, because starting up and closing down a plant takes too much time. http://www.theenergycollective...