20% electricity from wind power: Benefits, impacts and policy-related issues

This paper describes about the 20% Electricity from Wind scenario and it was examined not just for its feasibility but also for its benefits, costs and impacts on the energy sector, the economy, and environmental and climate change goals. This paper summarizes the principal results of these analyses, conducted primarily at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL).The studies also examined the impacts of 20% wind on natural gas use and prices. It found that high levels of wind will likely displace significant amounts of natural gas used for electricity generation.The study also quantified the savings in water use, reduction in air emissions, and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to a No New Wind scenario.