So I see where politically AOC is saying if Texas had invested in green energy, then none of the issues they are dealing with right now would have happened. All this is a reason for green new deal. So my question is, it seems everything went bad when solar panels and wind turbines froze up, literally. Are those not considered renewable sources of energy and therefore “green” energy? If so doesn’t that make her argument completely idiotic? Not trying to get a political issue going but correct me please if I am wrong about wind turbines and solar panels being green sources of energy. Maybe I am wrong there. I don’t truly follow that type of stuff all to closely.
Honest question here about Texas and green energy
- Thread starter CCUIrmo
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First off don't listen to bartenders about politics.
It was a snow storm they werent ready for as typical in southern states. Nothing more and no need to politicize it (AOC).
Nuclear is the best way to supply the grid. Just imagine if you have a wave of electric cars that need charging every day. Wind and solar are not consistent power sources. No wind, no sun or a freeze up and you're out of luck.
I trust a fart more than anything AOC spews out of her pie hole.
I am more than surprised that those wind turbines were not properly winterized. We have them all over Maine and I am not aware of any significant number of them that are not working now.
Even Prop Planes have had de-icing on their props forever. I know that because I flew them in the Old Navy. Just a trickle of the Electricity they generate could be used to de-ice their blades.
What am I missing here?
EDIT: Just saw a blip just now on TV showing a Wind Farm Of these babies saying that Red China just bought land in Texas to put in a giant wind farm. Looks like we are subsidizing our enemies. Wonder if old HS Biden and his family have bought up all the rights?
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not something that happens often in TX is my guess. caught with their pants down
Everything didn't go bad because wind turbines went bad - everything went bad when natural gas lines froze because they weren't properly winterized. Turbines kept up capacity better than the other methods of power. That and the fact that the Texas power grid is mostly within the state itself due to deregulation. They had nowhere else to turn for additional power.
USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
Probably for the same reason that the cables on the Ravenel Bridge weren't winterized to avoid freezing when we had the bad ice storms in 2012 or 2014, and ice was falling on cars. All the transplanted Yankees were saying we were stupid not to have done so when we built the bridge. However, why spend extra millions on something you may need once or twice every 60 years or more, and that probably wouldn't work when needed because of lack of use.
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Wind was 25% of their grid and you can't afford to lose that in a peak situation. With overhead lines down, it wouldn't make any difference what the distribution was. If you think the grid can be run by 100% renewals, you got a lot of rethinking to do.
It was a combination of failure of gas and wind.
What's wrong with her having been a bartender? Did she not achieve the American dream by putting herself through school, working hard, and having a job to help her survive until she accomplished her dream? Why would a previous job make her unqualified to talk about politics when it's her career?
She was picked. She has handlers. She doesn't represent her constituents.
This is true however certain individuals seem to focus on the items that present less than 25% of the power that failed as opposed to the source of 56% of their power which also failed. This is intentional for two reasons:
1) It doesn’t fit their narrative
2) They know their base won’t put any effort into finding out the truth and if they somehow stumble across the facts they’ll dismiss them because they don’t fit the narrative.
Just to be clear, the only reason AOC got involved in this discussion at all was because Rep. Governor Abbott said some idiotic BS about the green new deal being responsible for the blackouts. She waded in to point out that Texas still produces something like 80-90% of their energy from oil and natural gas, so what he said was simply a lie. IOW- it was the Republican gov of Texas who politicized it, not AOC. I am no staunch defender of or fan the woman, but nothing either of you said is even close to an accurate portrayal of causation for the blackouts nor is any of this an accurate portrayal of the political tussle arising from it.
This was her comment- clearly coming in response to Abbott who is the one who politicized it by making stuff up to denigrate renewable energy.
There is a clear time line and clear cause and effect in play here. The outages are caused by numerous reasons- antiquated infrastructure, inability to transport materials and crews due to iced roads and not enough of the proper equipment to clear the roads... and a thousand other factors we encounter in the South any time we have abnormally severe snow storms... It had absolutely nothing to do with a few frozen wind turbines. Texas produces more power than any state- typically supplies power to other states as they usually have a huge surplus and most of it is produced through fossil fuels. If they lost every wind turbine and solar array in the state at the same time there would not even be a brown out.
Might not have been her job but anyone who says the unemployment rate is low because people have more than one job clearly dosen't need to be in her position. For you that will clap back, I hope I don't have to explain how the unemployment rate works.
Wind was responsible for 25% of the grid, not 10% like she said. Ask California if their brownouts come from frozen wind turbines or fossil fuels.
And yet even at that 25% Abbott is still lying.
At least Ted Cruz stayed close to home to make sure all of his constituents were taken care of.
Definitely not a good look, but don't know whole story.
I wasn’t saying she was wrong, I am just asking if wind turbines and solar panels are green energy? If so then Texas was doing some of that at least. If she is saying they need to go green and those are not green, then what is it she sees as green? Not trying to go political but trying to understand where she is coming from. Admittedly I can’t stand her but of all the “squad “ members at least she tries to do something. The others sit and complain about everything and do nothing. Just trying to understand what “green” is to her.
The primary reason for the failure of gas is that when electric went out there was no power to pump the gas out of the ground and no power to pump the gas through the lines. In effect it was all due to electric.
To be a good dad, one must take his 10 and 12 year old daughters to Cancun when it snows in Texas. Cancun is famously known as a playground for children that age. Also one must act as if he never intended to stay, was just escorting the kids because he is such a good dad.
The gas plants supply their own electricity through pumping the natural gas. When the gas wells and lines froze they couldn’t produce the energy to run their pumps so it was still the frozen gas lines that caused the issue.
Actually Abbott was the one that said it was only 10% and then went on to talk about the wonders of natural gas. He obviously correctly figured out that people wouldn’t ask where the other 90% came from that also failed.
Nothing inherently wrong with wind energy and cold weather. Texas just chose not to prepare by winterizing seemingly all of their energy sources, which is of course still primarily fossil fuel delivered. This is a story of poor governance, not green energy vs. fossil fuel energy.
And as previously said, AOC was drawn into this debate by the incompetent and untruthful Texas governor. Not surprising as so many are obsessed with her and apparently mentioning her name gets good ratings for propaganda “news” outlets.
And as previously said, AOC was drawn into this debate by the incompetent and untruthful Texas governor. Not surprising as so many are obsessed with her and apparently mentioning her name gets good ratings for propaganda “news” outlets.
. I'm just holding out for that one day when we get to see her tatas.
I believe her primary issue was the fact that it was the poor management and maintenance as opposed to the sources that was actually the problem.
Like you I agree with very little of what she says and proposes but I do believe she is the only person in Washington who actually believes what she says.
No doubt AOC is the smartest representative in Congress. She throws her wisdom daily on her internet feed. ( Sarcasm intended ). Talk about truthful.
She may want folks to have good healthcare and working people to earn a living wage with dignity (scandalous, radical stuff), but she has nothing to do with Texas’s lack of ability to provide basic services like electricity and water to its citizens.
Sorry, this whole discussion is embarrassing. The governor tried to place blame and looked like an idiot. The culture wars play well, better than good governing. It seems like the rugged individualists in Texas made a terrible calculation. There was almost catostrophic failure. You need a diverse portfolio of energy sources. It seems like Texas has that but did not plan for cold temperatures. It has turned political. There are idiots on both "sides". I do find the response from this to be gross. Rick Perry said Texans would be willing to put up with this to be on their own grid. Just stubborn. And Cruz is a cartoon.
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