Several reports indicate that 20% of US power needs will be wind powered by 2030. That's the same percentage of nuclear power in the US today. So yes it's all tied into the same grid, but more wind power means less coal burning. I think the calculation in the government report made it equivalent to taking something like 100 million cars off the road. 20% is pretty significant.
Wait until you get your electric bill when this happens. You would be amazed at how many people will be quick to jump off their soapboxes when they see a 100+ percent increase in their cost per kw/hour. Not to mention the fact that in order to generate that much power from wind alone, we would see wind farms from coast to coast, everywhere you look. It sounds nice on paper, but when you start calculating the costs of construction, restructuring the transmission and distribution systems, development, research, land purchases, permits, and materials - not to mention who wants to live in an area surrounded by 100-300 foot tall wind turbines (the whole, 'sounds great but not in my backyard' concept), it all just kind of starts falling apart at the seams. Solar? Forget it - as inefficent as wind energy is at solving our energy needs, solar ranks a good several notches below even that.
As a Field Manager for a Consulting firm working directly with all areas of the Commercial Power industry, I have a ton of insight on what will work and what will not.
My company has several teams of commissioning personnel currently out working at various coal-fired facilities installing "Scrubber" units, more officially known as FGD's (Flue Gas Desulfurization) units, which remove nearly 100% of the SO2 from the emmissions of coal plants. SO2 (Sulfur dioxide for those unfamiliar) is a leading contributor to acid rain. Furthermore, we have worked with dozens of utilities and EPC's putting in SCR's (Selective Catalytic Reduction) units, which removes NOx emissions from both coal fired units and natural gas combustion turbine plants. On the horizon - Carbon capture technology which is going to remove the big evil in everyone's mind... CO2 - at which point, emissions from coal fired plants will be about as harmless as the water vapor from the spout of your tea kettle. I will maintain and attest to the fact that we as mankind are not the great evils so many people are making us out to be, and our impact pales in comparison to most natural events that we have control over. Still, they want to put scrubbers and Carbon Capture units in place - fine, we'll carry our voices silently all the way to the bank, the more the EPA orders further units to be built and put in place. In our business, as much as we disagree with the concept behind it all, I have no problem getting behind it from a business standpoint.
This will take years to implement of course (CC tech), but is far more cost effective in the long run, and will extend the time we have to research more viable options of renewable sources, as coal (and even nuclear eventually) are a finite resource. Nuclear will be around for a very long time, like it or not, and it will only increaes in capacity, even as safety measures continue to be refined, waste disposal and handling becomes more efficient and secure, and (most impact on all) costs are kept in check and within reason (which most directly affects you - the customer).
Enough said for now - good topic (right up my alley), and good discussion.
