The arguments about why Texas is suffering as it is, is a case in point.
The extreme Left wants to eliminate fossil fuels 100%. I know this for a fact because I work for a natural gas utility and we hear it from the activists during rates negotiations with the city. We have a conservation program where we give discounts to those who buy natural gas appliances. The activists want the program eliminated because it creates incentives to buy fossil fuels. They are ugly, mean and vile to our representatives. THIS IS A FACT.
Now... if the grid were 100% renewable (I've heard we only rely on wind 10% or so during the winter and much more in the summer) what would have happened? They ignore this question. They are only making sure we all know the failures of fossil fuels. Well, the failure is one of cost-value decision making. We hear this is a once very ten years or more situation. So do you spend money to mitigate WORST CASE SCENARIOS? Other than airlines and maybe nuclear plants, most people don't do that. In the case of Texas gas providers, who is going to pay them to winterize? The people. That discussion is going to take place again.
Now... we hear that wind turbines don't freeze in extreme cold conditions. But that's because extreme cold that last a long time time (months) creates the value to invest in heaters and other winterization ON EACH TURBINE. Who is paying for this? In Texas, CLEARLY the decision was made to not winterize because we're not Swedon or Alberta. So now we have to retrofit or should we instead winterize the natural gas providers?
This is what a rational discussion should look like.
But the extreme Left (AOC IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE MAINSTREAM) want to destroy fossil fuels and as a card carrying cynic I'm telling you now, THEY WON'T CARE when it is proven that renewables are much less reliable as a 100% solution than what we currently have in the diversified portfolio of energy generation. And diversification is not what they want. They want 100% renewables and you are an evil monster if you don't agree.
I have nothing but contempt for that mind-set.
Last thing... can someone tell me what will happen to the weather, the jet stream and the amount CO2 in the atmosphere if we eliminated all fossil fuels and coal TOMORROW?
And the answer is not, "We won't know if we don't try SOMETHING."
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Last edited: Feb 19, 2021