brenthutch 444 #1 Posted February 19, 2021 (edited) If Texas was 100% wind and solar with battery backup (not pretend backup) how many people would have frozen to death by now? Keep in mind we are in the second week of frozen wind turbines and ice/snow covered solar panels and below freezing temperatures. No diesel generators, no fossil fuel based de-icers. Edited February 19, 2021 by brenthutch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 2,720 #2 February 19, 2021 2 minutes ago, brenthutch said: If Texas was 100% wind and solar with battery backup (not pretend backup) how many people would have frozen to death by now? Keep in mind we are in the second week of frozen wind turbines and ice/snow covered solar panels and below freezing temperatures. If you put your kids outside tonight with two snot rags each and a copy of Rush Limbaugh's autobiography which one would survive the night? Keep in mind we are playing stupid fucking mind games, of course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brenthutch 444 #3 February 19, 2021 (edited) 8 minutes ago, JoeWeber said: If you put your kids outside tonight with two snot rags each and a copy of Rush Limbaugh's autobiography which one would survive the night? Keep in mind we are playing stupid fucking mind games, of course. I’m being serious. If I put my kids outside for the night in the winter it would look like this, and we would be sharing a sleeping bag Edited February 19, 2021 by brenthutch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 2,720 #4 February 19, 2021 1 minute ago, brenthutch said: I’m being serious. If I put my kids outside for the night in the winter it would look like this Actually, you are losing out on any of us who thought there was a scintilla of seriousness about you. I suggest you stop posting here for a few months until the most gullible forget. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brenthutch 444 #5 February 19, 2021 (edited) I really want to know what BillV’s thoughts are on this. If this can happen in Texas it can happen in many other states that are much less conducive to wind and solar than Texas is. Edited February 19, 2021 by brenthutch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #6 February 19, 2021 Someone needs to 'splain to New Zealand and Australia that you can't run wind turbines in cold weather...in Antarctica, for example: https://www.power-technology.com/projects/rossislandwindfarm/ https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/stations/amenities-and-operations/renewable-energy/wind-power Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 2,720 #7 February 19, 2021 7 minutes ago, brenthutch said: I really watch know what BillV’s thoughts are on this. If this can happen in Texas it can happen in many other states that are much less conducive to wind and solar than Texas is. You really "watch" to know? And that after you edited? Not very impressive unless you are shit faced, of course. Seriously, as it has been pointed out on these pages by others, you often aren't too quick on the uptake. Let me make it simpler, the next time the urge strikes, instead of us, jerk yourself off. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brenthutch 444 #8 February 19, 2021 (edited) 22 minutes ago, ryoder said: Someone needs to 'splain to New Zealand and Australia that you can't run wind turbines in cold weather...in Antarctica, for example: https://www.power-technology.com/projects/rossislandwindfarm/ https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/stations/amenities-and-operations/renewable-energy/wind-power Currently the wind speed in central Texas is six mph. The non-frozen wind turbines are still useless. According to your link “the most powerful winds in the world” are only contributing 40% of the stations energy needs, the rest are from fossil fuel. Edited February 19, 2021 by brenthutch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewGuy2005 53 #9 February 19, 2021 1 hour ago, brenthutch said: If Texas was 100% wind and solar with battery backup..... Has anyone ever suggested that 100% wind and solar would be viable? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,990 #10 February 19, 2021 2 hours ago, brenthutch said: If Texas was 100% wind and solar with battery backup (not pretend backup) how many people would have frozen to death by now? Zero. (Or more accurately, no more than would have died during any other snowstorm where you don't lose power.) Having 2kwhr a day (to run your gas fired heater for a while, pump your water, run a light at night) is about a thousand times better than having 0kwhr a day. In many ways the ideal scenario for a resilient, reliable grid is a central grid with all consumers having a DER/battery system. Remember those hybrids you hate? Check this out: (story about how people are using hybrids to power their homes in Texas) https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/18/some-texans-use-2021-ford-f-150-hybrids-to-power-homes-amid-winter-storm.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
olofscience 480 #11 February 19, 2021 7 hours ago, billvon said: Zero. (Or more accurately, no more than would have died during any other snowstorm where you don't lose power.) Having 2kwhr a day (to run your gas fired heater for a while, pump your water, run a light at night) is about a thousand times better than having 0kwhr a day. In many ways the ideal scenario for a resilient, reliable grid is a central grid with all consumers having a DER/battery system. Remember those hybrids you hate? Check this out: (story about how people are using hybrids to power their homes in Texas) https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/18/some-texans-use-2021-ford-f-150-hybrids-to-power-homes-amid-winter-storm.html Exactly this. People will realise electrics can act as massive battery storage for their home. It will also help meet power demand spikes (like Australia's massive Tesla grid battery). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brenthutch 444 #12 February 19, 2021 7 hours ago, billvon said: Having 2kwhr a day (to run your gas fired heater Gas fired heater? Not exactly 100% wind solar and battery. Try again this time leave fossil fuels out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfzombie13 324 #13 February 19, 2021 1 hour ago, olofscience said: Exactly this. People will realise electrics can act as massive battery storage for their home. It will also help meet power demand spikes (like Australia's massive Tesla grid battery). they used a train in canada once... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,307 #14 February 19, 2021 11 hours ago, brenthutch said: If Texas was 100% wind The real issue is why didn't Texas after the 2011 ice storm pick up the phone and call Canada that has wind turbines operating at -30F that don't freeze and ask, "Hey, how you Canadians doing that?" 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 1,149 #15 February 19, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, BIGUN said: The real issue is why didn't Texas after the 2011 ice storm pick up the phone and call Canada that has wind turbines operating at -30F that don't freeze and ask, "Hey, how you Canadians doing that?" They need to get in contact with Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui.. A lengthy article about the use of diesel power generation in Canada's north. How wind power is replacing diesel that sometimes has to be flown in. Edited February 19, 2021 by Phil1111 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lippy 918 #16 February 19, 2021 12 hours ago, brenthutch said: If Texas was 100% wind and solar with battery backup (not pretend backup) how many people would have frozen to death by now? Keep in mind we are in the second week of frozen wind turbines and ice/snow covered solar panels and below freezing temperatures. No diesel generators, no fossil fuel based de-icers. What the fuck is the point you think you're trying to make here? I spent Monday and Tuesday night freezing my ass off, had great fun trying to find warm shelter for my wife's 80-year great old aunt who went the night in a 40 degree house before she gave up 'not wanting to be a bother' and called for help. We're much luckier than most in that the only casualty seems to be a 12-year old washing machine out in the garage. The Texan death toll will likely be in the dozens when the dust settles. The root cause is an infrastructure not able to keep up in the cold, with wind and solar accounting for a very small percentage of the lost capacity. A person has to jump through a whole lot of logical hoops to get to a point where your post makes any kind of fucking sense...Are we in this hypothetical Fox world where people are suggesting that we drop 100% of fossil fuels today? Were the TX blackouts caused entirely by frozen turbines and not gas/coal production facilities that couldn't handle the cold? Ken's got the right idea with putting you on the block list. I've wasted too much time reading your bullshit. With millions of people suffering right now, kudos for trying to twist this into some contorted attempt to score some political point while ignoring the facts that don't support your very weak argument. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,190 #17 February 19, 2021 11 minutes ago, lippy said: A person has to jump through a whole lot of logical hoops to get to a point where your post makes any kind of fucking sense.. Good practice for competing in mental gymnastics. 12 minutes ago, lippy said: Ken's got the right idea with putting you on the block list. Fortunately I still see the most prized excerpts of his wisdom without having to read all of it because you and others selectively quote the highlights (meaning lowlights) of his trolls when wasting your time replying to it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brenthutch 444 #18 February 19, 2021 1 hour ago, lippy said: What the fuck is the point you think you're trying to make here? I spent Monday and Tuesday night freezing my ass off, had great fun trying to find warm shelter for my wife's 80-year great old aunt who went the night in a 40 degree house before she gave up 'not wanting to be a bother' and called for help. We're much luckier than most in that the only casualty seems to be a 12-year old washing machine out in the garage. The Texan death toll will likely be in the dozens when the dust settles. The root cause is an infrastructure not able to keep up in the cold, with wind and solar accounting for a very small percentage of the lost capacity. Wind supplies about a quarter of electricity in TX in the winter. They lost about 50% of that. Thermal generated power accounts for the rest and only fell by 25%. IOW renewables were half as reliable as traditional sources. I’m sorry about your aunt and washing machine. But let it a cautionary lesson on the over reliance on renewables. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #19 February 19, 2021 (edited) 6 hours ago, BIGUN said: The real issue is why didn't Texas after the 2011 ice storm pick up the phone and call Canada that has wind turbines operating at -30F that don't freeze and ask, "Hey, how you Canadians doing that?" 'Cuz Texas doesn't ever see -30. Seriously, spending a ton of money to outfit the wind turbines (or the natural gas lines or the coal conveyors or any of the other equipment that was really to blame) for conditions that Texas sees once every 50 years would be silly. And wasteful. However, if Texas joined the national power grid, then places that weren't frozen solid, or were equipped to handle the cold could have transferred power to Texas. Maybe not enough to keep everyone running all the time (rolling blackouts), but enough to prevent this kind of shit from happening. But (and it's a BIG "but"), the oil industry decided it wanted cheap electricity to run it's refineries. So they bought up politicians and got control of the utilities and created the ERCOT. So you get what we've got. And because the politicians in Texas are 'anti socialist' and hardcore Republicans, you get this:Tim Boyd, the mayor of Colorado City, Texas, put on Facebook: “The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout!... If you are sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are sitting there waiting for someone to come rescue you because your lazy is direct result of your raising! [sic]…. This is sadly a product of a socialist government where they feed people to believe that the FEW will work and others will become dependent for handouts…. I’ll be damned if I’m going to provide for anyone that is capable of doing it themselves!... Bottom line quit crying and looking for a handout! Get off your ass and take care of your own family!” “Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish [sic],” Edit to add link to quote from Heather Cox Richardson:https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/posts/2606591706151546 Edited February 19, 2021 by wolfriverjoe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,444 #20 February 19, 2021 Well, to be fair, he is now the former mayor of Colorado City Wendy P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,307 #21 February 19, 2021 39 minutes ago, wolfriverjoe said: So you get what we've got. And because the politicians in Texas are 'anti socialist' and hardcore Republicans, you get this: Well then, Texas probably ought to tear up that emergency declaration for federal funding, huh? Sorry, but Texas has TDEM and their whole reason to exist is to work with government, the public, businesses, etc. to develop scenarios of impending disasters and ways to mitigate those disasters. It's called the National Response Framework for a reason. To be prepared and ready to execute a plan for a myriad of disaster scenarios - in advance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,465 #22 February 19, 2021 5 hours ago, brenthutch said: Wind supplies about a quarter of electricity in TX in the winter. They lost about 50% of that. Is that a problem with wind or a problem with Texas? Seems like wind turbines are able to operate in cold climates in other parts of the world? Same as natural gas works pretty well in cold climates, if properly prepared. Texas decided not to learn any lessons from 2011 and prior incidences of cold weather impacting the power grid, resulting in history repeating itself. Looks like the issue isn't how the power is generated, but to what standard the network is maintained. You want all the cheapness, but then whine when it turns out cheapness has a price. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #23 February 19, 2021 16 minutes ago, BIGUN said: Well then, Texas probably ought to tear up that emergency declaration for federal funding, huh? Sorry, but Texas has TDEM and their whole reason to exist is to work with government, the public, businesses, etc. to develop scenarios of impending disasters and ways to mitigate those disasters. It's called the National Response Framework for a reason. To be prepared and ready to execute a plan for a myriad of disaster scenarios - in advance. Right. But the power grid independence is a purely profit-driven issue. Yet former governor (and energy secretary) Rick Perry declared that Texas must remain free from any federal oversight or regulation of it's power supply. He also blamed wind power for the situation right now. Which is a blatant lie. https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/rick-perry-says-texans-would-rather-be-without-power-for-days-than-have-more-fed-oversight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 2,190 #24 February 19, 2021 5 minutes ago, SkyDekker said: Seems like wind turbines are able to operate in cold climates in other parts of the world? TX will have the same thing happen the next time it gets cold. Because TX is a poverty stricken part of the USA that can't afford to take care of itself. It's so sad that there are no resources available to them to prepare and that they are completely at the mercy of the kindness of strangers in other places to hold their hands and keep them warm. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 1,149 #25 February 19, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, brenthutch said: Wind supplies about a quarter of electricity in TX in the winter. They lost about 50% of that. Thermal generated power accounts for the rest and only fell by 25%. IOW renewables were half as reliable as traditional sources. I’m sorry about your aunt and washing machine. But let it a cautionary lesson on the over reliance on renewables. 47 minutes ago, SkyDekker said: Is that a problem with wind or a problem with Texas? Seems like wind turbines are able to operate in cold climates in other parts of the world? Why respond to lies or outright misinformation? "Efforts to pin the ongoing crisis on renewable energy gained steam in recent days. Fox News host Tucker Carlson devoted an entire segment to the claim Monday night, which didn't mention gas failures but did blame Texas' expansion into wind energy for deaths in the state. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott described the troubles processing and delivering natural gas in such extreme cold in an interview Tuesday with the local Dallas station WFAA. But when Abbott went on Fox News to talk about the disaster, he zeroed in on the Green New Deal, a progressive plan that proposes massive investment in renewable energy. Without mentioning any troubles with natural gas, he said that "our wind and our solar got shut down LIE and they were collectively more than 10 percent of our power grid,TRUE" and "that thrust Texas into a situation where it was lacking power.LIE" According to The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, "About 56 percent of Texas' energy comes from natural gas, just under 24 percent comes from wind, 19 percent from coal, and almost 9 percent from nuclear energy.." Never quote Brent w/o fact checking because he lives at FOX and aspires to be adopted by Rupert Murdoch. Edited February 19, 2021 by Phil1111 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites