WORLD RECORD FOR WIND

Xcel sets world record for wind power generation
Mark Jaffe, November 15, 2011 (Denver Post)

"Early on the morning of Oct. 6, Xcel Energy set a world record for electricity from wind power…Between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on that day, 55.6 percent of the electricity consumed by Xcel's 1 million customers, or at least those that were awake, came from the wind farms dotting the state…The previous high - 53 percent - was recorded in 2009 in Spain…

"There is an on-going debate among utility executives and engineers about how much wind can be put in the electrical grid and its dependability…Improved wind forecasting, energy trading and grid operating improvements are allowing more wind power to be used, Xcel executives said…"

click to enlarge

"Xcel is appearing before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission Nov. 21 seeking to add another 200 megawatts of wind from NextEra Energy...The proposed wind farm… would have the lowest wind costs Xcel has ever paid…The charge…will start at $27.50 a megawatt-hour [and increase over 25 years by about 2 percent]. Xcel's average purchase cost for wind since 2007 has been $42.16, according to the company…

"The proposed deal has been challenged before PUC by the Climax Molybdenum Co., one of Xcel's largest customers…Climax contends…the extra wind is not needed to meet the Colorado renewable energy standard, which requires 30 percent of Xcel's power to come from renewable sources…nor is it needed to meet demand."