But the turbines on Vinalhaven already operate that way after 7 p.m., and George Baker, the chief executive of Fox Island Wind -- a for-profit arm of the island's electricity co-operative -- said that turning the turbines down came at an economic cost.
"You have to shut them (turbines) down.
With 160 horsepower, it will pull away from a stoplight like a muscle car, its muffler emitting an engine note that goes from a civilized turbine whine down low to a banshee-with-a-toothache screech by 6,000 r.p.m.
So power companies have an incentive to buy the cheapest wind turbines available, so as to increase their renewable energy capacity — even if the turbines break down frequently and do not produce that much electricity.
A Senate inquiry into turbines handed down its report in August.
Too light a breeze means no power; too strong a gale and the turbines shut down to prevent damage.
But some officials recently complained that the turbines bring down wholesale electricity prices because their fuel — wind — is free, and the production tax credit reduces the price further, so sometimes it is even negative.
According to Tables 1 and 2, as CGT keeps rising, the power outputs of gas turbines go down when their marginal cost exceeds that of one of the coal-fired generators.
On the 27 May one of her turbines broke down, while helping to transfer the 9th Naval Infantry Brigade from Batumi to Sevastopol, and required repairs lasting until 24 July 1942.
This offers the possibility to implement temporary turbine shut downs in order to minimize potential negative effects, for example, during departure of migratory birds or high bat activity in autumn between sunset and sunrise.
