American Thinker:
Solar power and wind power are the dominant methods of generating electricity that are acceptable to the extreme left. The left calls its acceptable methods of generating electricity “renewable energy.” The definition of renewable energy, enshrined in renewable portfolio laws in many states, tells us what the left likes and doesn’t like. It is very arbitrary. The general idea of renewable energy is that it doesn’t use fuel that could run out and it doesn’t emit CO2. But the left breaks its own rules as is convenient.
For example, nuclear power doesn’t emit CO2 and running out of fuel is strictly theoretical. Nuclear is also reliable with steady delivery of electricity. The prospects for new technology in the nuclear universe are very bright. Yet, nuclear is arbitrarily banned in renewable portfolio laws. Incredibly, most renewable portfolio laws effectively ban hydroelectric power too, because the environmental left does not like dams.
Geothermal power, utilizing hot rocks underground as a source of energy, is accepted as renewable, even though the “fuel” can and does run out as the rocks cool under the pressure of removing the heat to make electricity. Geothermal only works if rare good sites are found.
Solar power and wind power are loved by the left, but have the serious problem of erratic delivery of power. Wind dominates solar except in places with poor wind and good sunshine, such as Nevada, where I live. In states where a lot of solar has been installed, such as California and Nevada, solar is running into a wall that is related to the time delivery of solar power versus when the electrical grid’s need for power.
Nevada has a renewable portfolio law that demands that by 2030 half the electricity come from renewable sources. The promoters of green power are even trying to put the renewable power quota into the Nevada Constitution. As a practical matter that quota requires greatly increasing solar electricity. Nevada does have fairly good geothermal resources, but those are expensive and slow to develop.
As more solar is added to the electrical grid a point is reached when midday generation is too high, particularly in the spring when sun is strong, but air conditioning load is not yet peaking. As a practical matter solar can’t go beyond 50% of the electricity generated at any time because it creates instability in the grid and complicates the transition to fossil fuel power as the solar quits for the night. This problem has been given the name the “duck curve” problem because the graph of the daily accessory fossil fuel power looks like the back of a duck. more here
Reality never interfered with their ideology with anything else, why would this?
“Solar power and wind power are the dominant methods of generating electricity that are acceptable to the extreme left. ”
Yeah, as long as we keep the mining for the essential scarce elements needed to make them is some other country where we can’t see it.
But don’t even think hard about bringing it here. They’ll go mad dog insane over it if you do.
My poor Nevada. I want to perform an intervention but don’t know how.
BEG, I can sympathize with you. I live in a state nearby, with a gender-confused governor that wants to destroy us. Oregon is never going to be great again.
Fool’s Parade.
Ignorance pretending to be “science.”
Policy based on nothing more than wishful ignorance, closing on insanity.
Where do those solar panels come from?
What are they made of?
How do they work?
Does the actual impingement of photons degenerate them?
As electrons are driven out of the substrate, is there no mechanical “fatigue?”
What’s the manufacturing process?
How much “energy” is used to make them?
What are those forms of “energy?”
Are they “renewable?”
Do we use solar-powered processes to produce solar-powered devices?
There’s a chain from accretion disk to super-nova that no amount of wishful thinking can break.
izlamo delenda est …
I did a science fair project on solar power — then I grew up.
If solar were that great a deal, why do I get daily calls from desperate telemarketers trying to sell me this shit?
I tell them my neighbor down the street has them, and I don’t want the ugly-ass things on my nice new roof.
Pretty much precludes any argument, but unfortunately doesn’t stop the calls.
Dueling progressive agendas may form a kind of circular firing squad on this issue. Have you seen the numbers of birds killed by wind farms and the huge solar fields have been known to roast whole flocks of bids as they fly over. A real choice challenge to their one track minds.
The key here is not just the Duck Bill curve, but the overall amount of electricity that can be produced. Wind and solar despite heavy investment create only a tiny portion of our energy. You would have to blanket the nation with solar and wind farms to meet our needs.
Dont be negative about your ability to effect change. The conservatives will rise again out West. Just dont partner with the GOP, or you’ll be sabotaged.
160 Watts per Square Meter (on Average).
Do the math.
Can’t get something from nothing – no matter how hard you believe – or wish.
Can’t make Tinker Bell come back to life by wishing.
Another reason that education has been turned into indoctrination.
izlamo delenda est …