Storing the Breeze: New Battery Might Make Wind Power More Reliable
Monday, December 22, 2008 - 15:22
in Physics & Chemistry
Winter winds howl off the Dakota prairie through Minnesota, turning the 1,100 megawatts worth of wind turbines in Xcel Energy's system in that state. By 2020, the utility expects to more than triple that amount in a bid to avoid more polluting energy sources. But the wind doesn't always blow and, even worse, it often blows strongest when people aren't using much electricity, like late at night. [More]