A stillness at the wind patch--Wind farms out of wind

ROCHDALE, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 16: The t...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Telegraph:

According to government figures, 13 of the past 16 months have been calmer than normal - while 2010 was the “stillest” year of the past decade.

Meteorologists believe that changes to the Atlantic jet stream could alter the pattern of winds over the next 40 years and leave much of the nation’s growing army of power-generating turbines becalmed.

The Coalition has drawn up plans to open more wind farms in an effort to meet Britain’s European Union target of providing 15 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.More than 3,600 turbines are expected to be installed in offshore wind farms over the next nine years.

But statistics suggest that the winds that sweep across the British Isles may be weakening. Last year, wind speeds over the UK averaged 7.8 knots (8.9mph), a fall of 20 per cent on 2008, and well below the mean for this century, which stands at 9.1 knots (10.5mph).

...

Meteorologists have found that the position of the jet stream has been influenced by the lower levels of activity on the Sun. This decline in sun-spot activity is expected to continue for the next 40 years, with potentially serious consequences for the viability of wind farms.

...
There is more.

The inefficiency of wind power within the UK is becoming more obvious. It would be a mistake to rely on it to meet reductions in CO2 standards, because they are going to have to fire up conventional generators just to keep the lights on, otherwise they will look like North Korea at night.

They have really wasted a lot of money on inefficient energy.

I like this headline from the Scotsman:

Blow to green energy plans as wind speeds forecast to drop for 40 years

Some blow and some suck, but the turbines do not turn enough.
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