New Wind Power Record in Spain: 40.8% of Total Demand!
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 03.31.08
Last year we wrote about Spain's wind power production record, which was 27% at the time. That seemed like a lot, but a week ago, Spain's wind turbines produced 40.8% of total demand, or 9,862 megawatts of power.
There's a catch, though. The previous record was 10,032 megawatts, but that was 28% of total consumption because it happened during a week day and demand was higher. So this new record is a relative record, while the previous one stands as the absolute best in electricity produced. Still, it's impressive and we hope that others will pay attention and realize that it can be done.
Spain, which along with Germany and Denmark, is among the three biggest producers of wind power in the European Union, is aiming to triple the amount of energy it derives from renewable sources by 2020.
Spain's wind power industry currently enjoys a 30% annual growth rate.
In July the government approved legislation to allow offshore wind parks to be set up along the nation's vast coastline to take advantage of stronger, steadier coastal winds.
::Spain’s wind power at full force , ::Spain's Wind Power Reached 41 Percent Over The Weekend, via ::New Record: Wind Powers 40% Of Spain
See also: ::Wind Power Is Spain's Top Energy Source This Week, ::Spain Proves Wind Power Works, ::Spain: Renewable Energy Powerhouse
At what point can you no longer add more wind power, as you have to have a base load for the times when the wind doesn't blow?
Also, how inter tied are the power transmission of the EU, as in can Spain get power on windless days from France for example, and on days with excess power, can France get power from Spain's wind energy?
Yes, most of europe have interconnects which allow electricity to flow between borders (though you pay for the tranmission).
France is a net exporter of power because of their nuclear capability.
I forget the size of the interconnects, but they are not 'large' enough to support a country entirely via an external source.
The connection between France and Spain is pretty small actually - Spain only imports around 3% of its power from France (there's very little capacity on the connection). It exports more - to France, Morocco and Portugal - so it there was a problem with a windless day, it's more likely that exports would be curtailed than imports dramatically increased.
So, as we rapidly approach the moment when building industial-scale renewable power generation is no longer more expensive than fossil fuels (woohoo!), how do we deal with the problem of intermittent power? I can't imagine a world in which we don't want to have a couple of days or weeks worth of energy on hand in case problems occur.
I get confused very, very easily.
Matt said, "France is a net exporter of power because of their nuclear capability."
Bridget said, "Spain only imports around 3% of its power from France" but then said, "It exports more - to France,..."
As I said I get confused very easily.
If a point is reached that excess wind energy is being produced, the excess could be used to produce hydrogen which could be stored and burned to generate electricity when there is not enough wind
I think there is a current method to store unused electricity (if you have hydro-power installations) - you use the electricity to pump water back up to the reservoirs.