Our free, green energy will be embarrassed by intermittent wind

AN ORGANISATION nobody knows has just blown a hole in the future of wind energy in this country.

The organisation is a chunk of the former ESB, split off because of de-regulation, called ESB National Grid, or ESB NG. This new acronym operates the national electricity system. They don't catch electricity out of the Shannon or cook it up from Bord na Móna peat in power stations. They just own the pipes. Or the flexes. Or whatever the hell is the conduit electricity travels in order to get to our homes and factories. And they have just come out with a report about wind energy.

"This report," says its introduction, "quantifies the operational and economic impact of large levels of wind generation on Ireland's generation system. It finds that the potential fuel and emissions savings are tempered by the inherent intermittence of wind."