Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Brian Zinchuk of PipelineOnline.ca was keeping an eye on wind output in Alberta as the New Year began and he wrote an article about it. He granted Michelle Stirling permission to read the article on camera. As climate activists advocate for more and more wind power for Canada, with "Green Energy Futures" Episode 423, reporting that "A new Canadian market outlook report projects 10 to 15 times growth in wind and solar energy, respectively and billions in investment in the coming years," it is ever more important that citizens understand the consequences of having significant intermittent wind/solar resources on the power grid. While claimed to be low-cost and 'free' - these resources are not reliable or 'dispatchable' (i.e. on-demand response). When the wind/solar weather-dependent forms of power generation fail due to nightfall or a drop off in wind, there must be sufficient conventional power generation (natural gas, coal, nuclear, hydro) to rapidly ramp up and fill the gap, or blackouts are inevitable. That means taxpayers are paying for parallel systems - one of which is a destabilizing, expensive parasite on the conventional dispatchable power grid. In his article, Zinchuk explores the dramatic swings in wind generation in Alberta on Jan. 2, 2026, and in Saskatchewan on Boxing Day. Find out more about energy and power generation on our website: friendsofscience.org
Brian Zinchuk of PipelineOnline.ca was keeping an eye on wind output in Alberta as the New Year began and he wrote an article about it. He granted Michelle Stirling permission to read the article on camera. As climate activists advocate for more and more wind power for Canada, with "Green Energy Futures" Episode 423, reporting that "A new Canadian market outlook report projects 10 to 15 times growth in wind and solar energy, respectively and billions in investment in the coming years," it is ever more important that citizens understand the consequences of having significant intermittent wind/solar resources on the power grid. While claimed to be low-cost and 'free' - these resources are not reliable or 'dispatchable' (i.e. on-demand response). When the wind/solar weather-dependent forms of power generation fail due to nightfall or a drop off in wind, there must be sufficient conventional power generation (natural gas, coal, nuclear, hydro) to rapidly ramp up and fill the gap, or blackouts are inevitable. That means taxpayers are paying for parallel systems - one of which is a destabilizing, expensive parasite on the conventional dispatchable power grid. In his article, Zinchuk explores the dramatic swings in wind generation in Alberta on Jan. 2, 2026, and in Saskatchewan on Boxing Day. Find out more about energy and power generation on our website: friendsofscience.org
