Quote:
Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington
No, these monstrosities are very inefficient at providing energy. The wind doesn't always blow...and when it does it may be either too strong or too weak for the turbines to be active......
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How are you defining and calculating efficiency? If you are talking in the same way as gas/coal fired it would be energy put in compared to energy coming out of the power station. We only care about the efficiency because the fuel costs money and the exhaust waste is polluting to the atmosphere. Don't forget about how the fuel is transported to the power station - train, truck, pipeline etc all of which use energy to transport.
With wind turbines the fuel is wind and is free, clean and non polluting. Does there efficiency matter however it's calculated?
Yes they don't run all the time but when they do they are preventing coal/gas being burnt so that must be good or do you not agree that burning less fossil fuel is a good thing?