As wind power becomes more common, its unpredictability becomes more of a problem. Sudden drops in wind speed can send grid operators scrambling to cover the shortfall and even cause blackouts; unexpected surges can leave conventional power plants idling, incurring costs and spewing pollution to no purpose. Full Story »
Posted by Kaizar Campwala
As wind turbines are spread over larger grid connected areas, the unpredictability of wind becomes a little less important. Fronts travel through areas and activate one wind farm after the other. As solar electric uptake increases, solar will to some extent balance wind since the sun often shines when the wind doesn't blow. However, when renewables begin to dominate the grids, the possibility of demand balancing becomes a reality. Think water heating, electric car charging etc. Then when the water is hot and the car is charged demand is reduced when generation is low.
