Over the next few months, I’ll use this column to talk about some serious stuff that’s happening in our industry. Things that are making matters worse, when it comes to our goal of providing affordable and reliable electricity. Most of these things are coming at us from state or national political leaders, regulatory agencies, or environmental activists. They are complicated subjects with many different arguments, and even spreading it out over a few months won’t do it justice. "But it’s my job to try to communicate this to you. And it’s your job, as an owner of your electric cooperative, to be informed and involved."
A closer look at the grid: Balancing supply and demand
Power supply and demand are a balancing act; if demand exceeds supply, it would lead to damaging dips in voltage, brownouts, or blackouts.
American coal is not the enemy
Despite what you hear in the media, electric power generation in America is not a major cause of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Not even close. Take a look at this chart. Yet the affordability and reliability of electricity is under serious attack under the guise of reducing CO2 emissions from coal power plants.
Carbon is a benefit to humanity
Electrification has a huge impact on quality of life, from raising literacy rates in 3rd-world countries to reducing child mortality. Burning fossil fuels is needed to lift citizens out of poverty.
CEO series part 4: Renewables and land use
Perhaps the biggest obstacle to eliminating nuclear power and fossil fuels is simple: there’s just not enough land for the massive quantities of wind turbines and solar panels that would be needed to meet such a goal.
CEO series part 5: The problem with BATTERY STORAGE
Four factors are preventing renewables like wind and solar from supplying the world’s energy needs: cost, storage, scale, and land use. This month, let’s look at the problem with battery storage.
Part 6: The “all-renewable” delusion
Germany has spent more than $222 billion on renewable energy subsidies as part of its efforts to slash its greenhouse gas emission. Despite the massive costs, in 2017, Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions were at roughly the same level as they were in 2009.
PART 7: PROBLEMS WITH SOLAR
We all know solar power doesn’t work every day. And on the days it does work, it works for less than half the day. People, however, want and need electricity all day every day. Can anything be done about the problems with solar?
PART 8: THE TERAWATT CHALLENGE
The need for electricity generation is growing. Global electricity use will double requiring 6 additional terawatts by the late 2030s. Adding 6 terawatts globally will be a huge challenge.
PART 9: AVERTING A FORCED CRISIS
Rolling Blackouts will become an inconceivable but real risk for consumers if the demand of electricity outpaces the available supply. There are ways to avoid this forced crisis with using fuel sources like natural gas, coal, or nuclear. However, government policy is forcing the closure of reliable and affordable power sources.
