I wrote:
1 FEG produces 20 MW, so that's 12 GW per group and 516 GW total.
That's about right.
Actually, total U.S. generator nameplate capacity is 1,067 GW, with
1,015 GW net winter capacity, but many generators are too expensive
to run except for brief periods during during peak demand, whereas
the wind generators would all be the same low cost. For example there
are 63 GW of petroleum powered plants but nobody runs them
continuously. So 516 GW is close enough for government work.
There are about 105 nukes with 102 GW net winter capacity, and they
are usually accounted as 20% of U.S. capacity, so that's ~510 GW.
See:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat2p2.html
This depressing table shows that next year, utilities plan to add 15
GW of coal generators:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat2p4.html#_ftn4
Compare this to the 1 GW per year of wind (actual, not nameplate)
this year and for the next several years in the U.S. At this rate
wind will never catch up until Florida is submerged.
- Jed
