Electric grid operators in Texas and California are again urging residents to conserve power amid a sweltering heatwave to avoid blackouts. Keeping your thermostat at 78 degrees during the summer may be the green new normal.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot) warned this week that a large number of unexpected power plant outages combined with surging demand is straining the grid.
Meantime, California’s Independent System Operator forecast that electricity demand might exceed supply several days this week. For residents in both states, this must feel like deja vu.
Last August Californians experienced rolling blackouts amid a heatwave that engulfed the Southwest.
California generates half of its electricity from solar during summer afternoons, but it didn’t have enough power in the evenings when the sun faded. It also relies heavily on imports, but other states didn’t have the power to spare.
Now the problem is reoccurring while a severe drought also limits hydropower. In a few years, the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant (pictured) is scheduled to retire. The plant provides nearly 10% of the state’s power and backs up intermittent renewables.
But green groups want the grid to run completely on solar, wind, and batteries. Blackouts could soon become as common as wildfires.
Californians who have moved to Texas are discovering that electric power is as green and flaky there too.
Texas has drawn scores of wind developers cashing in on the federal renewable electricity production tax credit, which pays them for each unit of power they generate regardless of whether it’s needed.
In March, wind made up a larger share of Texas’s power generation than gas. Ercot expects wind capacity could increase by more than a third this year.
Nuclear and fossil fuel-powered plants are struggling to compete with wind, which can make money even when wholesale prices go negative. Many have shut down or are skimping on maintenance.
Millions of Texans lost power in February amid an Arctic blast that froze power plant equipment including wind turbines.
Climate activists blamed fossil-fuel plants for not rescuing the state though they supplied power that more than compensated for the ebbing wind power. Texas was also berated for not “weatherizing” power plants to operate in frigid conditions.
But heatwaves are common in Texas. So what’s the excuse now? Ercot says unexpected power plant outages eliminated 12,000 megawatts of capacity—enough to power about two million homes—about 80% of which was coal, nuclear, or gas.
Yet according to Energy Information Administration data, wind energy plunged by two-thirds since late last week while gas-power generation has increased by more than half. Coal and nuclear have held steady.
In sum, some gas plants had problems, but most were operating as expected but still couldn’t compensate for the huge reduction in wind power.
A big problem is that subsidies and mandates have spurred an over-development of renewables, which has resulted in gas plants operating at lower levels or even idle much of the time.
Keeping standby units in top condition is hugely expensive. So when plants are required to run all out to meet surging demand or back up renewables, problems crop up—as they did this week.
This is the fossil-fuel-free future that folks in the other 48 states have to look forward to under Democratic climate plans. Pro survival tip: Buy a diesel generator—while you still can.
Read more at WSJ ($)
Renewables were never meant to be reliable — and Chuck Schumer knows this …
Let’s not forget the untimely decommissioning of San Onofre nuclear power station in 2013 after it was decided not to repair some faulty steam tubes which did experience a radioactive leak in 2011 – which was well below environmental limits for danger. Mitsubishi corp wanted to replace 3000 steel tubes that were found defective, but TPTB decided it was a better opportunity to totally shut the reactors in 2012 during investigation and they never restarted again. Would that SONGS was still operating during these past several years, we wouldn’t have been beholden to transmitting solar power across thousands of miles of wilderness to the coast where it is needed, sparking the occasional wildfire. Now, every time there is a heat wave, PG&E and SocalEdison proactively plan to de-energize long distance transmission lines to prevent fires. So we sit in sweltering darkness for fear of starting fires. Worse than Medieval Times.
Hard to believe, right Rhee? As they learn that the so-called renewable energy sources cannot run a modern society the left refuses to see the light (guess it must be out since the wind turbines and solar panels are out. Also the idea that batteries could bail them out is even more ludicrous. None of them seem to understand the vast numbers of batteries that would be needed to keep the power grid working for even a few hours.
“Pro survival tip: Buy a diesel generator—while you still can.” With power lines going through miles of forest and windstorms common, power outages are also common where we live. Everyone here has a generator. However, buying a generator isn’t like buying a car or a TV. If you don’t have the knowledge yourself you need to consult with someone who does. There are many potential dangers and other factors to consider. One thing to consider is that many people are bothered by diesel exhaust so a gasoline generator might be better. Most electric items in the US run on 120 volts. We have a well that is typical of most well pumps that needs 240 volts, so our generator has both. I would recommend an electric start using a battery. Even if you are normally strong and healthy you could be sick when you need the generator so a pull start could be a problem. Where will you store the fuel? The generator needs to run outside due to the carbon monoxide exhaust but needs to be protected from the weather. Most important, be sure that someone who is fully qualified oversees the electrical hook up.
Sage advice. The best you can do for yourself is have several options. And know how to use them before you need them. That really helps in the dark.
After living where power outages are common for 21 years we have certainly learned about “have several options.” Generators don’t always start. We have a thousand watt inverter that can run off of the electrical system of an idling car. It provides limited ability but at least the food in refrigerators and freezers don’t spoil. It takes a while for us to convert to the generator. So we have uninterruptible power supplies to keep some things going until we see if the power outage will be long enough to justify converting to the generator. Often times it isn’t.
The request to set air conditioning units to 78 degrees must contradict public health advice about ideal temperatures inside the home. I can’t imagine any doctor recommending that babies are put to bed at such high temperatures. This only shows that greens don’t give a damn about human health and well being.
Dr Tim Ball – Historical Climatologist
http://www.generalistjournal.com
Book: ‘The Deliberate Corruption of Climate Science’
Book: ‘Human Caused Global Warming, the Biggest Deception in History’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0o8Hhjes_0
https://www.technocracy.news/dr-tim-ball-on-climate-lies-wrapped-in-deception-smothered-with-delusion/