… the entire province of Alberta was powered for 16 hours on Sunday.
You see, when wind does okay, never mind great, NO ONE GETS PAID. And the problem with no one making money is no one is making money. That doesn’t last very long.
Also, on the topic of reliable power:
Energy Minister visits Steel Reef Viewfield, sees implementation of gas-fired power generation
Does Alberta have the equivalent of the Global Adjustment fee, to stick it to ratepayers like the poorly run Ontario electrical system?
What do you mean “no one gets paid”. Transmission and distirbution companies get paid for bringing electricity to homes, businesses, institutions and government buildings.
That includes the cost of building new lines running from renewable energy installations. The utilities don’t eat those costs, the consumer pays for them.
And some entity or entities get paid for first needlessly mothballing and then dismantling reliably functioning coal and gas plants that the renewable energy installations are supposed to replace.
Those entities don’t eat those costs either, they are paid by the consumer and/or taxpayer one way or another.
Right, those transmission companies get paid, but the generators across the board, who are getting the pool price, get zip.
Doesn’t work out very well, does it? As the new saying goes, “The math doesn’t math.”
What about government subsidies for renewables that are factored into electricity bills? Just asking.
That’s how it’s done where I live. The subsidy isn’t given up front, it’s a promise that it will be paid over the life of the installation with a special fee added onto the monthly electricity bill.
We have to break the grid to gain control of the grid. Wind power breaks the grid. That’s why they have wind power
When “no one gets paid” that means you aren’t paying anyone so I’m not sure what your point is.
Let’s say you’re McDonalds. For 16 hours on Sunday, every McDonalds in Alberta gave away Big Macs, fries and cokes to all who passed through your doors. Sure, on some days you make an enormously high amount on those items. But on this day, you’re giving it away for free, because that’s the price.
How long are you going to keep doing that before you realize this is bovine feces?
And yet it is an increasingly frequent occurence in the Alberta power market.
Name one product, anywhere, made by anyone, where a zero price would be considered acceptable at any time?
You do realize that commodity markets in general do drop to extremely low prices from time to time? For example the natural gas spot market is practically free these days. Hog farmers have had to subsidize their production just to move it in the past. So this phenomenon is not new to electricity markets. Yes the wind turbines are destabilizing and their construction needs to be stopped nonetheless.
I understand Alberta regularly sells nat gas at zero just to get rid of it. But regardless, I can’t wrap my mind around your McDonalds give away analogy.
In another world, imagine McDonalds giving away prizes to attract customers. Seems like a fair plan.
An Object Lesson in Renewable Energy.
Germany’s economy is crashing irretrievably…but they have LOTS OF WIND TURBINES.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/09/the_german_machinery_industry_braces_for_a_catastrophic_year.html
The Imaginary Green Energy Transition is crashing down on Democrats in the Mid-Atlantic.
https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/pa-gov-shapiro-demands-pjm-reform-mid-atlantic-democrats-face-power-bill-crisis
As a rate payer in Alberta I’m sure Fortis is going to pass along the savings on my electricity bill for that 16hours.
as an ATCO rate payer in Sask, I second that thought.