That's some "sustainable" power, right there

We all know that one of the problems with wind power is that sometimes the wind doesn't blow. No wind, no power, so you need to build roughly three times as many windmills as you think to cover the calm periods. Other than the obvious expense of a 3x overcapacity build-out, there's a fly in the ointment.

UK power companies are going to be paid not to generate power when the wind blows:

Energy firms will receive thousands of pounds a day per wind farm to turn off their turbines because the National Grid cannot use the power they are producing.

...

The National Grid fears that on breezy summer nights, wind farms could actually cause a surge in the electricity supply which is not met by demand from businesses and households.

The electricity cannot be stored, so one solution – known as the 'balancing mechanism' – is to switch off or reduce the power supplied.

Good grief. Will every "Green" energy booster who thinks that Sarah Palin is a ditz please just STFU right now? You're making actual ditzes embarrassed for you.

In other shocking news, Joe Lieberman says there aren't enough votes for Cap-and-Trade. Gosh, wonder why? Unreliable, intermittent power at three times the cost of the alternatives, that won't make one rat's behind of difference to the climate even if you accept the whole CO2 scaremongering, because China and India are running flat out building more coal plants.

Boy, it's a good thing we don't have an idiotic Texas cowboy in the White House anymore, but have enlightened and smart Ivy League types instead ...

(via)