February 20, 2021
Letters, Virginia

When wind power fails, back-up system needed

Letter to the Editor, Feb. 20, 2021: When wind power fails, back-up system needed | Richmond Times-Dispatch | February 19, 2021 | richmond.com

It is terrible to read about the misery being endured by more than 2 million households and businesses in Texas with freezing weather and no electricity. The electricity shortage is due to the fact that Texas legislators made a quick move away from fossil fuels and the state now generates more than 20% of its electricity from wind power. However, the turbines called on to generate that power froze and simply failed. There is a serious reliability issue.

It reminds me of this past summer when California had rolling blackouts because of a shortage of reliable electricity production. California’s problem was that the politicians – in their desire to go with green energy – closed a large portion of its natural gas electrical generation at the stroke of a pen. California has shuttered enough natural gas production of electricity to power more than 5 million homes. Obviously, the citizens of California still need some of that shuttered electrical generation.

Now, here we are in Virginia with elected officials passing legislation with a 2050 deadline to be 100% renewable? It is a great concept but is it actually attainable, and furthermore, is it affordable? Has anybody in the world been able to accomplish such a feat? Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t think so. So to our elected officials, I say please tell all of us: What is Virginia’s plan for those days when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow?

Lawmakers were sent to Richmond not just to pass laws, but to lead – do not lead Virginians into a future of energy insecurity.

We need a common-sense approach that embraces renewable energy with its inherent limitations, but we still need electricity that is reliable and affordable. We still need base-load power that will provide Virginians with the confidence that electricity will be there when we need it.

Melvin Richardson.

Roanoke.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/02/20/when-wind-power-fails-back-up-system-needed/