Electricity in Alberta today

[Hamloc]

So it is nice sunny day in central Alberta today, -21*C, 14 kwh wind so I thought I would look at where my electricity was being generated today. Alberta was using 10855 megawatts when I looked at 12:55 pm. We were importing 477 MW from B.C. And Montana. We now have 1781 MW of wind generation capacity up from just under 1500 MW a few months ago. All the wind farms were producing a whopping 74 mw, which means they were producing at 4% capacity. i looked midday because I thought this would be the best time of day for solar production, Brooks solar farm was producing 2 MW out of a potential 15 mw, producing at 13% efficiency. 91.2% of our power was coming from coal and natural gas. So nothing has really changed in a year. How many windmills would it take to supply Alberta's power when they are running at 4% efficiency? How many batteries could the wind and solar power being generated actually charge? I really think reality is much different than computer models. Enjoy your day.

[rumrocks]

You're using logic, if you continue to behave in this manner you will be asked leave your wallet at the front of room and wait in the hall.

[chuckChuck]

Funny you always bring this up in winter on one particular day and then forget about the other 364 days! To see how much electricity is produced you need to look at the whole year not just one day that makes renewables look really bad.

Granted they may still not be significant producers in Alberta, but at least try to present a less obviously biased argument based on selecting the lowest production parts of the year.

[chuckChuck]

December and January are some the worst months for solar because of the suns angle and short days. But when the sun starts to move north the production goes up significantly on sunny days and snow free solar panels put out near their capacity for 4-5 hours per day in March. Cold panels are more efficient and the snow will reflect more energy onto the panels.

[TASFarms]

December and January are some the worst months for solar because of the suns angle and short days. But when the sun starts to move north the production goes up significantly on sunny days and snow free solar panels put out near their capacity for 4-5 hours per day in March. Cold panels are more efficient and the snow will reflect more energy onto the panels.

What about October November and February. Hmmm

[chuckChuck]

What about October November and February. Hmmm

Better but not great. Cloud cover etc. But Hamloc chose today and we are only 20 days away from the shortest day of the year! LOL

[SASKFARMER]

Expensive junk science that doesn't work.

[TSIPP]

The solar output was still very low in the noon hour in Brooks, I keep kicking around the idea of purchasing an
80 thousand dollar solar setup but I’d really like to see the real world numbers and whenever I see the numbers there never great.

On Facebook I see a lot of ads referring to solar energy but never see the real numbers, I’m thinking there’s a reason it’s a secret.

[jazz]

It doesnt matter what the solar and wind is doing the other 364 days of the year, it MUST be backed up by FF for that one day. So add the cost of its own construction and its backup and its NOT FEASIBLE.

This was Saskatoon last night. I bet that plume just triggers the SJW. Thank god we had FF last 3 days of -30 blizzard.

[Hamloc]

Better but not great. Cloud cover etc. But Hamloc chose today and we are only 20 days away from the shortest day of the year! LOL

First off Chuck I chose the time of day when the sun is highest. Secondly does the hours of sunlight during the day affect the efficiency of windmills? As I pointed out but you did not address that the windmills were producing at 4% efficiency. You quite often bring up how cheap wind generated electricity is and that Saskatchewan wants to produce 50% of it electricity with wind. So at 4% efficiency how many windmills would it take to produce 50% of Saskatchewan's needs? Wind and solar are defined as intermittent power sources, do you understand what intermittent means?!

[chuckChuck]

First off Chuck I chose the time of day when the sun is highest. Secondly does the hours of sunlight during the day affect the efficiency of windmills? As I pointed out but you did not address that the windmills were producing at 4% efficiency. You quite often bring up how cheap wind generated electricity is and that Saskatchewan wants to produce 50% of it electricity with wind. So at 4% efficiency how many windmills would it take to produce 50% of Saskatchewan's needs? Wind and solar are defined as intermittent power sources, do you understand what intermittent means?!

What’s the wind resource Like today in Alberta? Light winds? Strong winds? Sakpower is saying 50 % renewables by 2030 which includes hydro and hydro imports. Not 50% wind! The goal is to get rid of coal and reduce. carbon emissions.

[flea beetle]

December and January are some the worst months for solar because of the suns angle and short days. But when the sun starts to move north the production goes up significantly on sunny days and snow free solar panels put out near their capacity for 4-5 hours per day in March. Cold panels are more efficient and the snow will reflect more energy onto the panels.

December and January happen to be two of the most important months that I can not be without power. This also rings true for every resident of Canada. No power, no furnace. No furnace, no heat. No heat, frozen pipes. Frozen pipes, well you catch my drift. Solar and wind may work near the equator, but they don't work here.

[flea beetle]

What’s the wind resource Like today in Alberta? Light winds? Strong winds? Sakpower is saying 50 % renewables by 2030 which includes hydro and hydro imports. Not 50% wind! The goal is to get rid of coal and reduce. carbon emissions.

Is hydro any better for the environment? Maybe it is for carbon emissions, but what about the wildlife habitats that are ruined? In my mind that is worse than the unproven possibility that carbon emissions are warming the earth. It is known that hydro dams ruin ecosystems. But you can't tax that...

[Crestliner]

December and January are some the worst months for solar because of the suns angle and short days. But when the sun starts to move north the production goes up significantly on sunny days and snow free solar panels put out near their capacity for 4-5 hours per day in March. Cold panels are more efficient and the snow will reflect more energy onto the panels.

Yah....whatever....keep talking yourself into a totally unsustainable or tenable energy source.

Long live King Natural Gas, King Coal and King Hydro!!! I’m going to turn up my gas fireplace and celebrate tonight my warm house.

Bye bye Suzuki and Greta....biggest jokes from the last decade.

[TASFarms]

Ontario is a good example of what not to do with renewables. I mean wind and solar. When I see sask power bringing in more wind power and solar I get a sick feeling. This is going to cost me more. Carbon capture is costing every sask power customer $100 a year for the foreseeable future. These wind mills are an 100% expense