Controlling wind power could save Ontario consumers $225 million

Posted on 05/30/2012 by

John Spears, The Star
Controlling the flow of wind power onto Ontario’s electricity grid could save consumers up to $225 million a year, says the province’s electricity system operator. And it warns that with thousands of megawatts of new wind power due to flow onto the grid over the next few years, the problem will only more acute if rules are changed.

On windy days, Ontario is sometimes stuck with surplus power, as supply exceeds demand. And that’s a problem the “simply must be tackled,” David Butters, the head of the Association of Power Producers of Ontario, agrees.

The figure for the potential cost of surplus wind power is contained in a presentation by the Independent Electricity System Operator. Surplus power builds up when “baseload” power — power that runs all the time, or power that can’t be controlled — exceeds demand.

Baseload power is the output from nuclear power plants and big hydro stations that are designed to run all day, every day. It’s technically difficult, or very expensive, to reduce the output from these plants. At the same time, Ontario is rapidly building wind farms, whose output flows onto the system whenever the wind blows. Read article

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13 Responses to Controlling wind power could save Ontario consumers $225 million

  1. Margaret says:
    05/30/2012 at 11:31

    By 2017, potential US customers for Ontario’s surplus wind power (such as Ohio) may have their own surpluses. Assuming some regionality in wind conditions, it may get even more expensive to convince others to take surplus wind power.

  2. madasabat says:
    05/30/2012 at 11:42

    Are this morons just starting to
    figure this out now?

  4. Mc Greedy says:
    05/30/2012 at 13:39

    Too bad you cannot shut the wind turbines down when we don’t need them.Much the same as water at the dams,and don’t pay them.Only pay when you need power and they can deliver it.If I don’t need gas for my car every day of the year,and,I don’t keep filling it up every day.Think,only buy it when you need it.

  5. barbara says:
    05/30/2012 at 18:11

    Bloomberg, May 30,2012
    “Spain Ejects Clean-Power Industry With Europe Precedent: Energy”
    Spanish renewable companies are deserting the country pushing developers and equipment makers abroad or perish.
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-29/spanin-ejects-clean-power-industry-with-europe-precedent-energy.html

  7. barbara says:
    05/31/2012 at 23:30

    uSwitch.com, UK, May 30,2012
    “Household energy bills ‘unaffordable’ in less than three years”
    The UK energy bill breakpoint/cost is L1,500/year where almost 60% of households will likely
    go without adequate heat and almost 40% will switch their heat off.
    http://www.uswitch.com/news/utilites/household-energy-bills-unaffordable-in-less-than-three-years-90000775

  8. barbara says:
    06/03/2012 at 18:13

    Project Finance Magazine, http://www.projectfinancemagazine.com
    Has information on Ontario IWT financing.Use search > enter,company,name,project name,location,etc.
    Enter Chatham for example and there is information on who financed the Kruger Energy IWT project. Named are: Deutsche,Rabobank,SMBC and CIBC.

  9. thebiggreenlie says:
    06/03/2012 at 23:32

    It’s rather strange that “Financial People” don’t find any of this criminal theft of hard earned $$$$ from citizens of this country “deplorable”!
    But then I guess “money making has no conscience”. Until some type of “humanity” is introduced into this Industry we will all suffer the consequences!

    • barbara says:
      06/04/2012 at 10:20

      The climate change cover and all it is supposed to involve provides enough justification for them to make money.

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