Do we use energy wind in connecticut?

Question

Do we use energy wind in connecticut?

Answer 1

Wind is simple air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun. Since the earth’s surface is made of very different types of land and water, it absorbs the sun’s heat at different rates.

During the day, the air above the land heats up more quickly than the air over water. The warm air over the land expands and rises, and the heavier, cooler air rushes in to take its place, creating winds. At night, the winds are reversed because the air cools more rapidly over land than over water.

In the same way, the large atmospheric winds that circle the earth are created because the land near the earth's equator is heated more by the sun than the land near the North and South Poles.

Today, wind energy is mainly used to generate electricity. Wind is called a renewable energy source because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines.

As part of its 1998 Electric Restructuring Public Act 98-28, the Connecticut Legislature requires all investor-owned utilities to provide net metering to residential customers who own electrical generators using Class I renewable resources, including wind power.

Net metering provisions in utility tariffs approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) established the maximum system size limit for net-metered renewables at 100 kW. There is no limit on the total net-metered capacity.

Although distribution companies are required to offer net metering only to residential customers, Connecticut Light & Power Company (CL&P) and the United Illuminating Company (UI) do make it available for businesses under specific conditions.

Net excess generation is purchased at the spot market energy rate, which is essentially the short-term avoided cost (less than retail).

As of 2003, only net-metered customers with systems greater than 10 kW can be charged for the competitive transition assessment and the systems benefits charge. These charges are based on the amount of energy consumed by the customer from the facilities of the electric distribution company without netting any electricity produced by the customer