RELIABILITY
THE RHETORIC: Because wind is intermittent it threatens the reliability of the electric grid.
THE REALITY: Grid operators in America and worldwide already rely on wind power and successfully integrate it in large amounts.
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Wind power is even more predictable than the ever-changing electricity supply and demand that utility system operators deal with every day. Most changes in wind energy output are cancelled out by opposite changes in electricity demand or other sources of supply.
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A large power plant can shut down abruptly at any time, forcing operators to keep enough power for a large city on hot standby 24/7—ready at a moment’s notice. Wind changes tend to be gradual and predictable, making them far less costly to accommodate with alternate sources kept in cold shutdown.
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When wind turbines are spread over large areas, their output becomes far more constant and even easier for the grid to accommodate.
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Twice in 2011, wind energy helped keep the lights on in Texas when fossil-fired power plants failed, during a heat wave and a cold snap.1
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As of 2012, wind realibly provides more than 20% of the electricity in South Dakota and Iowa, and more than 10% of the electricity needs in 9 states.
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Xcel Energy's Colorado power system has obtained more than 55% of its electricity at a time from wind energy.