Things that made you laugh today (Political Version)

[Solkern]

cAlIfOrNiA iS oN fIrE bEcAuSe Of TrUmP!!!!!!!!!

Aren’t the republicans blaming the democrats for the Texas situation? I read in the media, Biden is to blame! This is because of the wind turbines! This is what the green new deal will do! Etc etc

[Candor]

Aren’t the republicans blaming the democrats for the Texas situation? I read in the media, Biden is to blame! This is because of the wind turbines! This is what the green new deal will do! Etc etc

As is often the case, the facts are somewhere in the middle.

According to an ERCOT official, renewable energy failures accounted for approximately 16 gigawatts of the unavailable power - lack of thermal energy accounted for approximately 30 gigawatts. So yeah, frozen wind turbines without question contributed to the problem, but thermal energy problems were a bigger issue.

[Seran]

As is often the case, the facts are somewhere in the middle.

According to an ERCOT official, renewable energy failures accounted for approximately 16 gigawatts of the unavailable power - lack of thermal energy accounted for approximately 30 gigawatts. So yeah, frozen wind turbines without question contributed to the problem, but thermal energy problems were a bigger issue.

Yeah, they didn't winterize those either. Amazing how wind farms in climates frozen half the year have no issues operating, whereas Texas ignored their own recommended findings.

[Solkern]

As is often the case, the facts are somewhere in the middle.

According to an ERCOT official, renewable energy failures accounted for approximately 16 gigawatts of the unavailable power - lack of thermal energy accounted for approximately 30 gigawatts. So yeah, frozen wind turbines without question contributed to the problem, but thermal energy problems were a bigger issue.

Isn’t just 25% of Texas’s energy, from renewable?

[Tgo01]

Amazing how wind farms in climates frozen half the year have no issues operating

Except they do.

Wind energy across the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s northern region, stretching from Minnesota to Iowa, peaked that morning between 9 and 10 a.m. at 11,445 megawatts.

By the evening of Jan. 30, there was less than 550 MW on the MISO North grid

In case you're having trouble understanding that, the windfarm was producing 11,445 megawatts before the cold weather set in, and only 550 megawatts after the cold weather hit.

But even equipped with so-called cold weather packages, turbines can operate up to minus 22 F

Yes that's even WITH "cold weather packages" wind turbines can't operate in -22F weather. Guess how cold it got in some parts of Texas? That's right, almost -20, throw in windchill and it was colder than -20, toss in some icy rain on top of that and it means bad news for wind turbines.

Texas experienced sustained cold weather it hasn't seen ever in recorded history. The average temperatures for the week were over 30 degrees colder than usual. You're pissed at politicians in Texas (because they're a red state of course) for not anticipating a natural event the state has never seen and most likely won't see again for at least a couple of decades.

Here's something that might shock you; most of California doesn't insulate their water pipes or prepare for this kind of cold weather either, and if something like this ever happened to California I feel safe betting money that you wouldn't dare blame a single politician (well you might find a Republican who said something you don't like and blame them) for not preparing for something that no one could have possibly saw coming.

[Methais]

Aren’t the republicans blaming the democrats for the Texas situation? I read in the media, Biden is to blame! This is because of the wind turbines! This is what the green new deal will do! Etc etc

No idea, I haven't kept up with any of that.

I'm sure it's somehow Trump's fault though. Bush too.

[Shaps]

I'm still trying to figure out - a water shortage with snow on the ground. Have we as modern folk lost all survival instincts?

Texas leadership did mess up their response though. I'm still on the fence about the winterization of infrastructure given the weather patterns of Texas - as on one hand, I get it.. normal Texas climate there is no need for it - but on the other hand.. I believe when you build something, it should be built with worse case scenarios in mind.

So hate the politicians response, but am 50/50 on the historical construction decisions - I'd need to do more research to educate myself better on a project as large as that.

Any links from people with knowledge in that field I'm down to read through.

[Gelston]

I'm still trying to figure out - a water shortage with snow on the ground. Have we as modern folk lost all survival instincts?

Texas leadership did mess up their response though. I'm still on the fence about the winterization of infrastructure given the weather patterns of Texas - as on one hand, I get it.. normal Texas climate there is no need for it - but on the other hand.. I believe when you build something, it should be built with worse case scenarios in mind.

So hate the politicians response, but am 50/50 on the historical construction decisions - I'd need to do more research to educate myself better on a project as large as that.

Any links from people with knowledge in that field I'm down to read through.

The water shortage is because the pipes froze and burst. Also because electricity was cut to pumping stations so there was less pressure. When pressure is low, the water becomes non-potable (you can't drink it) because it sits more, so people without burst pipes still had to boil it first anyways. Low pressure is also bad for fighting fires, they have to bring out an additional tank truck because the hydrants have little flow. It isn't about a literal lack of water.

[Orthin]

Yeah a friend in Texas was taking snow and boiling it for drinking water which is fine while it is cold and you have snow, when it warms up and the snow melts though you are left without your source of water, piled on top of all the things Gelston said

[Seran]

Except they do.





In case you're having trouble understanding that, the windfarm was producing 11,445 megawatts before the cold weather set in, and only 550 megawatts after the cold weather hit.



Yes that's even WITH "cold weather packages" wind turbines can't operate in -22F weather. Guess how cold it got in some parts of Texas? That's right, almost -20, throw in windchill and it was colder than -20, toss in some icy rain on top of that and it means bad news for wind turbines.

Texas experienced sustained cold weather it hasn't seen ever in recorded history. The average temperatures for the week were over 30 degrees colder than usual. You're pissed at politicians in Texas (because they're a red state of course) for not anticipating a natural event the state has never seen and most likely won't see again for at least a couple of decades.

Here's something that might shock you; most of California doesn't insulate their water pipes or prepare for this kind of cold weather either, and if something like this ever happened to California I feel safe betting money that you wouldn't dare blame a single politician (well you might find a Republican who said something you don't like and blame them) for not preparing for something that no one could have possibly saw coming.

“Historically, the really cold weather comes with a decline in wind speeds,” he said. “When you get that low, you don’t get that much wind, normally.”

The wind sometimes doesn't blow, so you reach the conclusion that wind turbines are overall a failure. Dude, seriously did you even read the entire article? The author pointed out this central fact and even touted the necessity of large interconnected grids which ferry power from one operation area to another as generating conditions slacken. Renewable are cheap, good for the environment and beyond construction, not dependent on dwindling fuel stock. You may think coal and natural gas will run forever, but even the major oil producers in the US are shifting into renewables.