Now, all we need is enough wind, or maybe not.[sic] Slide 11 ...now we get to the Don Quixote part

A Capacity Factor is number that is applied to identify the “on site” productivity of the turbine or installation of turbines. The number is expressed as a ratio of energy produced (over time) divided by the “Name Plate Capacity” (over the same amount of time).


Invenergy, LLC provided a “35% capacity factor” to the Dean of the Department of Green Engineering at Virginia Tech. which he used to establish projections of providing electrical needs to 10,000 Roanoke Valley Homes annually. He also postulated that 98,000 tons of CO2 emissions would be curtailed as a result of using the 35% capacity factor.


To achieve this measure of efficiency, the wind must operate these turbines on Poor Mountain at a constant speed of 6.75 m/s (15.1 mph), 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. This alone makes claims of producing electricity needs for 10,000 homes (at an AEP rate of 14,400 KWH/home in Roanoke) exaggerated by over 500%!!!