“I Know a Lot about Wind,” Trump Says. Well, Maybe Not
Anyone could have predicted how Donald Trump might address the subject of wind power. He’d start by falsely claiming that he “knows a lot” about the topic, then, in an effort to denigrate clean energy, he’d prove the precise opposite by making assertions critical of the wind industry that are 100% incorrect.
From this article:
President Donald Trump has repeatedly mocked wind energy this week for reasons that are dismissed by “frequently asked questions” guidance published by the U.S. Department of Energy. On Wednesday Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that wind energy was unreliable because the wind “only blows sometimes.” He repeated a similar criticism at a Thursday night rally in Michigan, suggesting that users would experience power outages when the wind doesn’t blow. “If it doesn’t blow, you can forget about television for that night,” Trump said in Michigan, adding, “I know a lot about wind.”
However, the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy says that the power grid is capable of handling the variation that comes with wind energy. In response to the frequently-asked-question, “What happens to the electricity supply when the wind isn’t blowing?” the agency cites studies that say the power grid can handle a large amount of “variable renewable power without sacrificing reliability.”
It’s almost as if Trump has little interest in the truth, and even less respect for the intelligence of his supporters.
I’m old enough to remember a time when some command of the facts and an attempt to deal with them honestly were requirements to be taken seriously. Sorry to say, but those days are behind us.
Craig,
Hmmm…..let’s see, you claim the President is “ignorant” and “lying” when he says ” the wind only blows sometimes” ?
You also claim the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy refutes this claim ?!
If I understand you correctly, you claim the DOE states the “grid” (unspecified) cab handle ““variable renewable power without sacrificing reliability”.
Now, I’m curious and eager to learn how a power grid receiving only renewable energy at night, is able to supply power on a calm still night ?
Do you have a magical source of “enlightened moon beam power” or “Karma wave generation from special crystals” able to illuminate your Ivory Tower, we are too ignorant to comprehend ?
)kaaay,,……down here under our bridge that crosses the river ‘Deplorable’, we just can’t seem to understand how you “enlightened ones” generate power from the nothing.
Of course, another explanation comes to mind. Maybe, just maybe, you are so eager to disparage the President, you may have resorted to a little duplicity yourselves, eh ?
The USA lacks a unified National power grid, as such. The Continental US has eight separate basically incompatible major power grids,(made compatible and loosely connected by a complex set of arrangements).
The US has than 350 smaller separate “power grids” all operating with varying standards, degrees of efficiency, maintenance and equipment specifications depending on the requirements and investment by more than 500 operating utilities.
The DOE information sheet was written to encourage Wind and renewable power sources during the Obama Era, and is currently being revised.
While the President’s remarks are a little simplistic, they contain a degree of truth and accuracy lacking in the propaganda disseminated by the taxpayer-funded Wind Industry and its more irresponsible advocates.
In truth Wind power is a new technology that may prove to be a valuable component in some locations to a broad spectrum of power generation sources.
It’s not, and never will be, a ‘cure all panacea’ to mass industrial “power on demand” energy generation.
President Trump is correct in his skepticism. The industry is only now old enough to attract accurate performance surveys and studies on a global basis. Early surveys results are already producing some alarmingly disturbing and pessimistic conclusions.
Time will tell.
As for the grid happily accepting wide variations in power supply as desirable, or without without consequence, who ever wrote that advice has no knowledge of how energy is transmitted, or is simply a hack PR propagandist employed during the Obama era. (such creatures infested federal employment in large numbers during that era).
Variable power, or fluctuations, are the largest source of maintenance failures and costs to power transmission, as any householder unfortunate enough to not install fuses or voltage protectors will attest. (that’s why it’s compulsory in most jurisdictions).
Warren Buffet (doyen and one of the chief billionaire backers of Democrat Politicians) is probably the largest US investor in Wind power.
However, ol’ Warren is honest enough to admit he really invests in
Wind power solely for government subsidies and Tax credits as he revealed in a speech to shareholders recently Omaha, Nebraska;
“I will do anything that is basically not prohibited by law to reduce Berkshire’s tax rate,” Buffet announced.
“For example, on wind energy, we get massive subsidies and generous tax credits if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason to build them. They don’t make sense without the tax credit and heavy subsidies!”
To give ‘ol Warren credit, he then went on to reveal how President Trump’s promises to build pipelines, revive coal, reduce government subsidies, and bring industry back to America and employ US workers, would severely hamper Berkshire profits and his own interests.
He went on to urge his shareholders to accept the wisdom of his massive donations to Democrat candidates, as being necessary if Berkshire could continue to profit from Chinese globalized expansion and Berkshire US was to continue exploiting the US taxpayer support.
While everyone should admire his candour, (me included), to those who a not Buffet’s shareholders, it surely must cast some doubt on the claims made by “true believers” from the Wind industry, and make the President’s remarks appear more than reasonable.
Of course, “haters will hate” ! It appears ‘bolted on’ advocate for renewable energy, will display “any command of the facts or attempt to deal with them honestly”.
As I said, here under our bridge, we toil away trying to mine the facts, separate the hyperbole, and see both sides (all sides) of every issue. We like Wind technology in principle, we just remain objective.
But then, we’re “deplorably” old fashioned,……