Decreasing midwest winds may undercut wind-energy farms

[steven johnson]

Unexpected effects of global warming may be significant in unpleasant ways.

US wind farm energy is up in the air over climate change, says a new study.
Measurements from wind towers across the midwest show average and peak winds may have been slowing since 1973.
A study, due to be published in August in the peer-reviewed Journal of Geophysical Research, suggests that average and peak winds may have been slowing across the midwest and eastern states since 1973.
But a 10% fall in peak winds could translate into a 27% reduction in energy, Takle said. "On moderately windy days when wind turbines are struggling to get as much as they can out of the wind available and they are not letting any extra power go through that could make a big difference."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/11/windpower-renewable-climate-change -