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When Wind Power Freezes: Texas’s disastrous experience is a cautionary tale for the northeast.
City Journal ^ | February 16, 2021 | Jonathan A. Lesser

Posted on 02/17/2021 8:00:32 AM PST by karpov

Texas is a long way from New York and New England, but the Lone Star State’s experience with wind turbines is a cautionary tale for the northeast, where state political leaders are moving ahead with plans to construct thousands of megawatts of wind power off the Atlantic coast.

Texas relies on wind turbines for one-fourth of its electric power. A brutal winter storm and record cold temperatures had plunged the state into darkness. The problem? Half of the state’s wind turbines were unable to generate electricity because of ice on their blades. Millions of Texans were left without power as the state’s electricity authority ordered rolling blackouts because there wasn’t enough electricity to go around. Anyone who has experienced an old-fashioned nor’easter knows just how unpleasant conditions can be.

And yet, the northeast intends to become heavily reliant on offshore wind. New York governor Andrew Cuomo has issued an executive order for at least 9,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2035. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy is calling for 7,500 MW by that same year. Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island have all proclaimed their goal of 100 percent emissions-free electricity as soon as 2030.

But placing one’s electric eggs in an offshore wind (and solar) basket will be a prescription for a wintry disaster. Besides snow and ice, a nor’easter can produce gale-force winds. (The turbines shut down once winds reach a prescribed level, usually 55 mph.) At sea, cold and high winds combine to form ice from salt spray.

Imagine that, during a nor’easter, most of those planned offshore turbines are shut down. Solar panels won’t be generating power either; even if they did, solar power is limited in winter because there isn’t much daylight to work with.

(Excerpt) Read more at city-journal.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: New York; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: energy; fantasymeetsreality; fmr
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1 posted on 02/17/2021 8:00:32 AM PST by karpov
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To: karpov

“Texas relies on wind turbines for one-fourth of its electric power. “

Oh, Texas, how could you allow morons to govern you?


2 posted on 02/17/2021 8:04:38 AM PST by dsc (Evil doesn’t have a day job.)
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To: dsc

They didn’t. They went cheap and didn’t get winterized wind turbines. Idiots. This won’t happen in the northeast.


3 posted on 02/17/2021 8:10:11 AM PST by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016 )
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To: karpov

It’s far more complicated than wind turbines. Max capacity on the Texas stand-alone power grid is geared towards summertime and the high A/C demand that comes with it. Many generation facilities are shut down during the winter with little or no winterization done. So those facilities were unable to come up when needed, despite several days of warning that this cold snap was coming.

Pathetic planning on the part of ERCOT and the utility companies in question. The frozen turbines further compounded the issue and turned it into a crisis. ERCOT has to demand far more redundancy in the way of gas generators to match at least half the wind capacity if needed. Redundancy costs money but saves lives.


4 posted on 02/17/2021 8:10:59 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: dsc
“Texas relies on wind turbines for one-fourth of its electric power. “

Oh, Texas, how could you allow morons to govern you?

Pretty sure we didn't get to vote for it. Damn things are a freaking eyesore on the land.....

5 posted on 02/17/2021 8:11:51 AM PST by Envisioning (Carry safe, always carry, everyday, everywhere.)
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To: karpov

New Jersey has the 2nd largest Nuclear Complex in the country, the Salem/Hope Creek facility produces about 3,572 Megawatts over 3 reactors

The facility produces about half the state’s power needs


6 posted on 02/17/2021 8:12:54 AM PST by Trump.Deplorable
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To: karpov

Any reports about the electric vehicle situation in Texas and the mid-west. So far I have seen nothing but I can assume that there were a lot of dead vehicles trapped on the highways do to dead batteries.


7 posted on 02/17/2021 8:13:21 AM PST by puppypusher (The world is going to the dogs.)
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To: napscoordinator

Yes, it will... take a look at what’s happening in Germany for your “brilliant northeast” version of wind turbines and solar panel “energy” generation.


8 posted on 02/17/2021 8:16:28 AM PST by Common Sense 101
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To: dsc

Not to worry.

Soon, snow will be a thing of the past. Future generations will never be able see or play in it.

/algore


9 posted on 02/17/2021 8:19:19 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
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To: Common Sense 101

I don’t give a crap about Germany. That’s the problem with “one world” types like you. Had we not gotten involved in other countries, we’d be better off. But people like you for some stupid reason love to nosey around the world.


10 posted on 02/17/2021 8:19:26 AM PST by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016 )
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To: karpov

Should be a stark lesson for all green energy is the way to go advocates


11 posted on 02/17/2021 8:19:35 AM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: dirtboy

what the need to do is to determine what the maximum power demanded during a crisis was and make sure going forward that we have enough power plants to cover that need NOT counting ONE FREAKING windmill! The windmills should be EXTRA, over and beyond what we would need in a crisis.


12 posted on 02/17/2021 8:20:52 AM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: Envisioning

“Pretty sure we didn’t get to vote for it.”

It’s likely you did vote for it and just didn’t realize it at the time. As usual in the political world, Follow The Money (FTM) is the basic root cause analysis tool. The money in those unsightly wind turbines is that they don’t make money without the associated tax breaks. Since you’re on FR, I’m sure you know the source of those tax breaks is Congress. Those Congressional representatives get there in 2 ways: votes and $$$$. See the connections now???


13 posted on 02/17/2021 8:21:36 AM PST by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: dirtboy

So those facilities were unable to come up when needed, despite several days of warning that this cold snap was coming.”

how long does it take to get a facility up and running? just curious. like a week or two? Or...?


14 posted on 02/17/2021 8:21:59 AM PST by ConservativeDude
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To: karpov

They won’t have this problem in the northeast because Massachusetts sucks and New York blows.


15 posted on 02/17/2021 8:22:12 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer”)
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To: karpov

Texas did not buy the more expensive winterized units with special lubricants. They fuarked up thinking it would never get cold.
Do not blame this on wind turbines. I just drove through the mountains of W.Va and it is cold tha their turbines are still moving.

Same as with frozen gas pumps. The pumps in my marcellus shale region are are working just fine because they were winterized.

Sick and tired of blow hard texans telling how great they are.


16 posted on 02/17/2021 8:22:37 AM PST by setter
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To: karpov

“And yet, the northeast intends to become heavily reliant on offshore wind.”

Curious. I wonder how they’re going to get this past the uber-wealthy NIMBY Celebutards who live off the East Coast?


17 posted on 02/17/2021 8:23:32 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: dsc

Gov Abbott is finished in Texas, he wanted to be Mr Wind Power. How is that working out for you Gov Abbott.


18 posted on 02/17/2021 8:24:45 AM PST by jpsb
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To: napscoordinator

“They went cheap and didn’t get winterized wind turbines.”

New info there - was not aware of that so I hope we get to read more on that as the TX situation unwinds in coming weeks. Lots of finger-pointing exercises to come & somebody is going to be left standing without a chair when the music stops.


19 posted on 02/17/2021 8:26:22 AM PST by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: ConservativeDude

I have no idea. Just came across that article today.

It could be they simply cannot run in such cold weather. Or that they are managed by idiots. Or both.

There seldom is a single point of failure in such a catastrophe.


20 posted on 02/17/2021 8:27:34 AM PST by dirtboy
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