I wrote:
> Needless to say, with present day transmission technology there would be > no point to constructing 770 GW of wind generation in North Dakota! > ND has 6 GW of summertime power generation capacity. See: http://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/northdakota/pdf/north_dakota.pdf I am confident they could produce 20% of that with wind even if there are interference problems, as described by this author. No one in the U.S. can produce more than ~20% with wind because of transmission and network limitations, and intermittency. If this author is right, wind may be limited pretty much the why hydroelectric power is. Hydro produces ~6% of electricity in the U.S. It is maxed out already. There are no major rivers left to dam. Hydro is limited but important. No one would say we should abandon it because it is only 6%. Wind will 6% before long. It will be important enough to sustain even if it turns out to be limited the way this author suggests. - Jed
