Note that in the US case, the analysis of the DoE "20% Wind by 2030" report was that rather than storage being required, the presence of the wind would shift the scheduling of dispatchable dammed hydro.

And in terms of political economy, once it is 20% of total US electricity supply, it will be a grown up industry with its own Congressmen and Senators on the payroll to look after the regulatory and infrastructure support needed to expand its share further.


I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.