2017: Number of US Nuclear Plants that Produced More Energy than All the Wind Turbines In Denmark.

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13. Wind capacity factor

According to the US EIA, Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report," wind in New York (my home state) had a 25.6% capacity factor in 2016.

Clearly that is less than one-third that of nuclear, which was 87.7% in the same year. But it's not nothing.

Wind currently produces about 3% of New York's electricity. This could be much higher, as Gov. Cuomo has called for 2,400 MW of offshore wind (which has a higher capacity factor than land-based wind).

Rather than fighting amongst ourselves for which non-fossil fuel source is "best" shouldn't we work together to build the utility grid that we need to accomodate 100% non-fossil fuel power? More transmisssion to bring renewable power to urban centers, more demand response so the grid can "flex" with intermittent sources, more storage including vehicle-to-grid, and more efficiency and conservation?

Our three Upstate nuclear facilities currently get around $700 million in subsidies per year in New York just to keep them open. This will continue for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, distributed solar will get $900 million through 2023 and the subsidies are declining.

Do you blame renewable energy and "stupid" people for the difficulties faced by nuclear?