Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinner
So if it's not windy the train won't work? Or do they have big batteries to store the "special'" wind power?
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I'm sure you know the answer to this but the train consumes a certain KWh total in a year, which is contracted to be supplied to the grid and then to the City from wind farms.
That supply is not consistent (i.e. KW inputs change from day to day) but the total annual supply is predictable so on days when the wind isn't blowing, more of the supply comes from other sources, including coal. The converse is also true though, when it's a windy day and there is a surplus of wind-supply, it displaces the need for other grid users to consume electricity from other sources.
The City is paying a little more to pay for more wind supply to the grid. The more customers demand clean electricity, the more will be supplied - up to a limit because wind is inconsistent and always needs to be paired with variable output generators like gas, coal or to a lesser extent, hydro-electric.