As we move into an ‘age of renewable energy” the voices of the petroleum and nuclear industries have attempted to use the solar eclipse of the last week as a means of inducing fear about blackouts to the general population. This article shows what small effect the eclipse had on Germany, which is the country currently using the most solar power in the developed world. Their ability to fall back on existing hyrdopower, as well as restart some idle coal and gas power plants show that we can get through this ok with renewables. I have no doubt that we can keep coal and gas powered plants around for some decades in idle modes, for just such emergencies, without significant harm to the environment. But there seems no reason not to continue to push forward with renewables, especially given the worsening climate situation, as massive storms such as once again have hit the South Pacific, (stronger than Katrina), the ongoing drought that threatens the most important state in the US, California, and the deteriorating condition of the Pacific Ocean off our coast. Recently, in addition to thousands of dying birds, hundreds of sea lions have been washing up dead from starvation off California’s coast. We are witnessing something quite extraordinary and moving towards ending our reliance on fossil fuel is more important than ever.
BERLIN — Power prices in Germany fluttered as the first eclipse of the emerging solar age passed and utility operators worked overtime to keep the grid supplied.
The phenomena highlighted the variable flows of electricity coming from such renewables as solar and wind. Coping with that intermittency has risen as an issue for grid operators as Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed for cleaner forms of energy to replace nuclear reactors.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound, solar energy |
