[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: RE: New Xcel Energy video about wind power!

[kohls at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Wilson, Ken

Craig,

I wanted to thank you for sharing this video on Xcel wind energy.  It was very informative.  I was particularly impressed that Xcel is getting a 50% capacity factor on some of its wind farms.  That is almost double the capacity factor of small turbines just five years ago.  Capacity factor is a major limitation for renewables.  For those who don't know what this is, the capacity factor of a generation facility is the actual energy produced in a year divided by the maximum energy that could be produced by the generation facility in a year if it ran at 100% of nameplate capacity for the entire year.  The capacity factor for coal plants is generally around 90%.  The capacity factor for solar power in the Boulder area is about 17%, while solar in the San Louis Valley is around 23%.  Solar is lower because there is no production during the night or on cloudy days and little production for several hours at dawn and dusk.  Of course, the good thing about wind and solar is that there is no fuel cost.  A coal plant running at 90% capacity factor is burning allot of coal.

I hope all those interested in wind power will watch the video on the link below.

Ken Wilson

________________________________
From: Eicher, Craig L [Craig.L.Eicher at xcelenergy.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 10:16 AM
To: Eicher, Craig L
Subject: New Xcel Energy video about wind power!

Hello,

Xcel Energy has produced a new video about our leadership in wind energy resource development, which I think you will find interesting. Though you’ve probably heard me say it a number of times already, the American Wind Energy Association has named our company the nation’s number-one wind energy provider six years in a row.

Thanks for watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doEV9q3Amzk


Craig Eicher
Xcel Energy | Responsible By Nature
Area Manager, Boulder Region
2655 N 63rd St   Boulder, CO 80301
P: 303-245-2254    C: 303-827-4943    F: 303-245-2292
E: craig.l.eicher at xcelenergy.com<mailto:craig.l.eicher at xcelenergy.com>
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