One of the most enduring criticisms of wind power is the inherent variability of the generation source and its accompanying requirements for ancillary services and backup power. Hydro has long been viewed as the perfect match for wind, providing the necessary balancing and reserves in an all-renewable package. Wind and hydro both vary, but on opposite timescales. Wind varies minute to minute but is highly predictable over the long term while hydro is precisely controllable at any given moment but varies from season to season.
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