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University of Maine fails data test
Credit: Posted by Long Islander, Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine, www.windtaskforce.org 14 February 2012 ~~
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The $2 million University of Maine wind turbine experiment, the state’s only wind experiment that actually measures electricity, continues to fail the data test, not to mention the viability test.
When this grossly wasteful and expensive experiment began, great promises were made by the University about openly sharing data on electricity production and how much in supposed cost savings (ha!) could be truthfully attributed to the turbine.
It’s been about a YEAR since real live data has been reported as promised.
The University continues to post the tired snippet below about fixing the data reporting. Ha!
But what is new is a reference to having produced 164,808 KWH over the past three months. If we assume this figure to be accurate, a straight line projection (12 months / 3 months x 164,808 KWH) results in an annual projection of 659,232.
Except for one thing – that the last three months are some of the windiest of the year in Maine and during large stretched of the year there is hardly a breeze? So what is the actual projection – 500,000 KWH annually at best?
And what about the inevitable long periods of future breakdowns?
If 500,000 annual KWH is about right, that would equate to about a 10% capacity factor, give or take. MISERABLE. No other word for it.
So when will the University share the true learning, painfully experienced first hand – that wind power absolutely, positively doesn’t work as promised? As the Kool-aid soaked era of Baldacci administration wind boosting recedes into the past, it is high time that the University announces the real lesson learned about doing one’s homework and not blindly following feel good dogma du jour with the same fervor that went into promoting this future pile of rusting junk.
From: http://www.umpi.edu/wind/live
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