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How many
homes can one megawatt of wind energy supply?
An
average U.S. household uses about 10,655 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity
each year. One megawatt of wind energy can generate from 2.4 to more than 3
million kWh annually. Therefore, a megawatt of wind generates about as much
electricity as 225 to 300 households use. It is important to note that since
the wind does not blow all of the time, it cannot be the only power source
for that many households without some form of storage system. The "number of
homes served" is just a convenient way to translate a quantity of
electricity into a familiar term that people can understand. (Typically,
storage is not needed, because wind generators are only part of the power
plants on a utility system, and other fuel sources are used when the wind is
not blowing. According to the U.S. Department of Energy , "When wind is
added to a utility system, no new backup is required to maintain system
reliability." Wind Energy Myths, Wind Powering America Fact Sheet
Series,
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/37657.pdf
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