By Joe Okeeffe

Britain pays lb155/MWh wholesale for offshore wind power. That's about EUR185, a figure which Irish developers no doubt had in mind when proposing the export projects. In comparison a MWh of power produced in a mix of existing British coal/gas/nuclear power plants costs on average less than lb60 and the new Hinkley point nuclear plant will receive lb92, and onshore wind lb95. However caution is needed as not all MWhs are created equal; power from power plants is available on demand, and maintenance outages are planned for times of year when demand is low. In comparison wind power, even offshore, is undependable, there is no guarantee whatsoever that any power will be available when needed most on a freezing, still winter's evening. The cost of stabilising a grid where a significant percentage of wind power is present can add up to 20% to the end cost of electricity to the consumer, and that is on top of the higher wholesale price. And all those new pylons have to be paid for also! Now do you understand why the British were not falling over themselves to pay for an Irish bog full of wind turbines.

Origin: www.garvindirect.com