The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand

Boof,
"Some kind of energy storage breakthrough will be needed if windpower is ever to make the aluminium for new towers"

We don't need an energy storage breakthrough, aluminium is being produced in Australia using NG and coal generated electricity. Wind-power generated on Australian S-East Coast and West Coast of Tasmania can be backed-up by the relatively large hydro capacity and thus save most of the coal used now, with additional NG for residential daily peak power. On the few days each year when there is very little wind along the east coast,and NG powerplants are at capacity,and hydro is in danger of being depleted, idle coal fired plants could be started. This takes 12-24 hr but would have lots of warning that hydro was starting to run down. Another alternative would be to have all coal fired plants capable of duel coal/NG as is done in WA, and only use them as wind back-up. Whats missing now is;1) additional wind capacity 2) additional pumps for pump storage 3) an improved grid from Hunter valley to Brisbane, and probably increased capacity of Bass Straight connection, allowing Gladstone to be linked to Tasmania.