Expensive wind projects approved i Norway

[speedy]

Four new wind projects in central Norway was approved on thursday.

They are (with installed power, estimated annual production and area):
Remmafjellet: 130MW, 350GWh, 12.6km²
Frøya: 60MW, 160GWh, 6.6km²
Svarthammaren and Pållifjellet: 150MW, 405GWh, 20km²
Geitfjellet: 170MW, 460GWh, 25km²

Total: 510MW, 1465GWh, 64km²

IMO the annual number is a bit too high, since it's based on data from 2011 which was a good year for wind in Norway. The estimated capacity factor is 2700 full power hours per year, or about 31%.

The total price for these projects is ~8GNOK (1.06G€ or 1.34G$ at todays rates), which makes Olkiluoto 3 seem like a bargain (see blow). Additionally a transmission line priced at 2.5GNOK is need to connect these wind parks to the grid.

Norway's electricity production is >95% hydro, so integrating intermittent wind power in the grid is relatively easy compared to other countries. Wind will however do nothing towards satisfying peak demand which occurs during the coldest winter day which usually have very low wind.

The annual output of these four wind parks is about 1/9 of an EPR (assuming 90% capacity), and even Olkiluoto 3 doesn't come close to 9G€. I'm not directly opposed to wind power, but at these prices we should look elsewhere for our clean electricity. I'm strongly in favor of nuclear power in Norway, but sadly it's not even debated currently.

Futher information (Norwegian only) here:
www.nve.no/no/Nyhetsarkiv-/Pressemeldinger/Konsesjoner-til-vindkraft-og-kraftledninger-i-Snillfjordomradet/

[proteos]

In fact, this looks like the German scenarios: the idea is to preserve the energy stock in dam lakes by using wind power. Dam lakes are very useful, but their use is constrained by the energy content of the lake. Thus they may provide a lot of power very rapidely, but not generally during a lot of time. Consequently they have lower load factors than baseload conventionnal power plants.

Of course, when you are in a country with relatively few people and a lot of mountains, you can build a lot of dams to ease the problem of the energy content. If there is still room for this, the best investment in Norway would probably to build other dams: they last a very long time and cost relatively little to operate. They do not need any fuel other than what the nature easily provides. They can also offer peak power to neighbors who do not have the same geographic luck.

[speedy]

Hydro is probably still the cheapest, but not without environmental issues, and most unrealized potential is quite far from major population centers.

The hydroelectricity potential in Norway as of 1.1.2012 is shown here:
www.nve.no/PageFiles/3909/Vannkraftpotensial%202012.pdf

Of a total potential of 214,2TWh average annual production:
130TWh is already developed (blue)
50,4TWh protected/construction permit declined (green)
6,9TWh new production >10MW, including upgrades to existing plants (yellow)
15,8TWh new production <10MW, including upgrades to existing plants (light yellow)
7,4TWh application for development received (orange)
2,6TWh permit granted (red)
1,1TWh under construction (light blue)