Energy answer: Blowing in the wind?
When the federal government approved the Cape Wind project in April, allowing 130 power-generating turbines to be placed in the waters off Cape Cod, it gave a significant boost to the prospects of wind energy. The comparatively high costs of wind power, however, remain a problem. But in a study, MIT researchers have concluded that some of the price problems associated with wind power can be remedied right now, given a couple of changes to the electricity grid. “Everyone knows advances in technology are critical for more widespread use of clean energy, but effective operations are also vital for profitability and can help us take advantage of current opportunities,” says Jarrod Goentzel, director of the MEng in Logistics (MLOG) program at MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL), who helped direct the study. “Obviously without good technology we won’t get there, but we will get there sooner by operating...