Dead Calm

No, not the Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman movie! The state of the wind in the Altamont pass Monday morning. What you might be able to barely make out in the photo (I apologize for not zooming in better! I was only doing seventy something the legal speed limit in the fast lane, and just tried for a few quick snaps!) are the hundreds of windmills visible from the highway.

Typically, this time of year, it's not unusual to see 90% of the windmills at a stand still, while the other 10% turn slowly in the breeze. This last Monday, not a single windmill was moving. At all.

We sometimes debate the value or efficacy of wind power on this blog. Since it's a slow news day, I thought you might like a first hand observation of the need for backup capacity for when the wind is not blowing at all!

And here I thought with a Pineapple Express passing through town, a lot of hot air would be generated in the Bay Area this week! Heh.

Cross posted at Say Anything