I received the comments below from Jack Yates. Jack said I could share them. Wally Taylor -----Original Message----- From: Jack Yates <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Cc: Carole Yates <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Fri, Jun 3, 2011 10:36 am Subject: power without base load Wally, I just read your op ed in the CR Gazette and I'm glad to see this information published in a widely read newspaper. My wife Carole (I believe you know her) and I just finished leading a UNI class of students in Spain. One of our goals was to observe their use of renewables and hear presentations on the Spanish system of renewables from university researchers here. Last week we attended a presentation by Prof. David Pozo of the University of Jaén, a physicist. His concluding point was that a renewable power system is feasible without base load coal or nuclear (there would need to be some gas for the near term). He has investigated the exact requirements of such a system, and the major requirement is a stronger grid. However, the grid in Spain is already much more integrated than the one in the US, so power without base load will soon be a possibility here. A mix of wind and solar would be especially helpful here because they tend to be complementary. I happen to know the same is true in Iowa! At the end of the presentation I asked if a similar solution were possible in the US. His answer was an unequivocal yes, and in fact some US researchers have already shown the feasibility of an east coast wind power grid without base load. This is because strong winds travel up the coast in a predictable pattern. To us this was an exciting answer to the question. So everyone needs to keep refuting the myths and spreading the word. Jack Yates Dr. Jack Yates Professor of Psychology University of Northern Iowa [log in to unmask] 319 273-2051 = - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp