A recent market alert from BENTEK Energy titled, ‘the Wind Power Paradox,’ refutes the claim that the production of wind generated electricity brings down the carbon dioxide emission levels.
It based its claims after analyzing the wind energy production levels, transfer modes, utility grids and individual utility companies. Its findings demonstrate that the levels of carbon reductions are exaggerated and the benefits are trivial and costly to use.
The research performed by BENTEK methodically assessed the carbon emission lessening feat of wind turbines by calculating hourly power production emission levels. It points out that the federal and state incentives given in support of wind power generation to cut down carbon emission levels did not produce the desired results in emission savings, instead lead to increased level of costs to utility companies and in turn to tax payers.
It explains that when the regional power grids are readied to receive the wind generated power they are subjected to run at a less efficient level resulting in striking emission loss and increased expenditure on maintenance. The research points out that increased level of emission savings can be achieved by substituting the coal fuel powered plants with natural gas fuel using plants.
The Wind Power Paradox modeling arranged in concurrence with Dr. Daniel Kaffine from the Colorado School of Mines analyzes the dealings between natural gas, coal and wind power generation within every region and checked the changes in emission levels sequence to wind power generation.
The study used details from 300,000 data points of gas, coal and wind generation and discharge levels for three years from 2008 to 2010 and used the data collected straight from the Environmental Protection Agency and collected the wind power data from the regional power areas. The details also include export of wind to other locations and changes incorporated in the power plants for the sake of wind power generation.