California is rich in natural resources which once powered the state: natural gas deposits in the Monterey Shale formation; geothermal energy, abundant rivers and waterways such as the San Joaquin River Delta and hydroelectric dams; the Pacific coastline; 85 million acres of wildlands with 17 million of those used as commercial timberland; mines and mineral resources, vast farming and agricultural lands, and hunting and fishing.
But California politicians and appointed agency officials, under pressure from radical environmental organizations and lobbyists, decided to ignore the energy producing natural resources, and instead move to an all-electric grid, and the only approved “renewable energy:” solar and wind energy.
A meteorologist friend, Anthony Watts, said Tuesday, “we are on the cusp of a massive failure of the electricity grid in California.” Anthony Watts is a senior fellow for environment and climate at The Heartland Institute, and has been in the weather business both in front of, and behind the camera as an on-air television meteorologist since 1978, and currently does daily radio forecasts. Watts is also proprietor of the award-winning website, Watts Up With That?
Apparently the California Independent System Operator agrees with Watts’ assessment:
Watts explained the difference between California’s imposed rolling blackouts in 2000 and 2001, and the rolling blackouts and power outages today:
The 2000-01 blackouts “occurred when California had a shortage of electricity supply caused by electricity market manipulations. A demand-supply gap was created, mainly by Enron, to create an artificial shortage so speculators could benefit from an 800 percent increase in wholesale electricity prices. As a result, California suffered from multiple large-scale blackouts. Now an electricity shortage coupled with rolling blackouts is happening again, but for a different reason.”
He warned:
“This is going to make Enron rolling blackouts in 2000/2001 look puny. The reason? Solar power – actually the lack of it. Solar power has this thorny problem; it disappears after sunset, and California’s electric grid is highly dependent on it now thanks to the political mandate known as the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32). AB32 specifically required that 50 percent of California’s electricity to be powered by “green energy,” aka wind and solar, by 2025 and 60 percent by 2030, ending in 100% “carbon free” energy by 2045. Now, California is paying the price for abandoning reliable energy sources in favor of green energy sources such as wind and solar power, which don’t work when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. During heat waves like California is experiencing now, there’s typically plenty of sunshine, but winds are often stagnant.”
Yesterday former California Governor Jerry Brown came out of his Colusa County bunker to condescend to sweltering California ratepayers suffering under 110 degree temperatures:
Remember when in 2015 Jerry went off on California citizens for using water?
“At a press conference last week announcing the need for a 25 percent cut in water consumption, Brown said, ‘People should realize we are in a new era. The idea of your nice little green lawn getting watered every day, those days are past.’”
Gov. Gavin Newsom is also calling for residents to conserve energy:
Michael Shellenberger, best-selling author of “Apocalypse Never,” Tweeted: “California’s bet on renewables, & its shunning of natural gas & nuclear, is directly responsible for the state’s blackouts and high electricity prices,” and warned about the Biden-Harris plan.
Watts provided a chart showing California’s growing power outages between 2008 and 2017:
Watts explained the power shortages:
It gets worse. On August 17, during the CAISO Board of Governors Meeting CAISO President Steve Berber let loose with this bit of reality. From transcript:
“You are trading the loss of 3000 megawatts for the collapse of the entire system of California and perhaps the entire West. … When you’re at the very edge and you have a contingency and you have no operating reserves, you risk entire system collapse.”
What a sobering thought.
California has traded energy security to kneel before the false prophet of green energy. Instead of using reliable and affordable nuclear and coal plants, they are using intermittent and unreliable wind and solar power. And the people of California, and perhaps the West in general, may pay the price for that homage if the power grid collapses during the ongoing heat wave.
If that happens, such an event will dwarf what happened at the hand of market manipulators like Enron in 2000/2001, and will be the most expensive and devastating green energy lesson ever in history.
It gets even worse.
As California Globe reported last year, and has been covering since 2011:
- In 2011, California passed the Renewables Portfolio Standard setting the mandate at 33 percent renewable energy by 2020.
- When it became clear that California was nearly there, in 2015, the Legislature moved the bar again and passed SB 350 the “Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015.” SB 350 by Sen. President pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), requires the state to procure 50 percent of electricity from renewable energy and double energy efficiency savings by 2030.
- In 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 100, setting a 100 percent clean electricity goal for the state, and issued an executive order establishing a new target to achieve carbon neutrality – both by 2045.
Power outages and rolling blackouts are coming more frequently as California has taken nuclear power plants offline, and hydroelectric dams offline, while increasing renewables mandates for wind and solar. Nuclear power, as is hydroelectric, is clean and reliable; wind and solar power, while clean, are unreliable and significantly more expensive.
Even the President weighed in on California’s rolling blackouts:
…and touted his energy independence policies:
Meanwhile at his noon press conference Wednesday, Gov. Newsom, who blames California’s wildfires and triple digit heat on climate change, said “the way to deal with the ravages of climate change is to not let the climate change.”
Our thanks to Anthony Watts who provided California Globe his essay, “Thanks to Green Energy Mandates, California’s Electric Grid Is Near Collapse,” and it was also published at RedState.
View Comments (83)
Except that the current heatwave is par for the course
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2020/08/19/is-californias-heatwave-really-so-hot/
My question is are there foriegn countries financially profiting from the Green New Deal
My question is, are there forgein countries profiting from California going green? I have not seen any articles on that.
Absolutely. China is the main beneficiary of increasing US energy costs making their manufacturing far less expensive. Follow the money!
How did these politicians and greenys become so delusional? Do they honestly think they can change the climate?? Are they really that mentally ill? This kind of delusion has become an epidemic
It's a God complex that comes from arrogance, that, ironically, comes from not having an understanding of God.
When you think you're God you think you can change the climate, which of course seems absurd to most people.
It's called the Cult of Global Warming/Climate Change.
No where else but Cali.
90% of solar is produced in china
I recall that in 1980 in Wichita, KS, we had more than 30 days in a row of 100 degree plus heat. Parts of Texas had over 40 days in a row. Heat waves are nothing new.
They are for Colorado mountains!
Elect joe and the hoe and America will experience this EVERY year!!
lol! Recall Newsom That Goooof!
TRUMP 2020
Thank you for posting this. It's the same thing with every storm or heatwave, a huge headline to cause fear, panic and blame but no mention of historical data that shows it's not so uncommon. Back in the 20's and 30's life was a lot different, yet there were still similar heat waves and storms...
Back in the 70's there was a saying that hippies can go freeze in the dark. Well the hippies won and now they are forcing everyone to freeze (or sweat) in the dark. What a Brave New World!
Gov. Newsom, who blames California’s wildfires and triple digit heat on climate change, said “the way to deal with the ravages of climate change is to not let the climate change.”
King Canute aint got nothing on Emperor Newsome.
"Dont let the climate change". Does he think he is God almighty? This is what happens when you put liberals in charge. I left CA 12 years ago and havent looked back.
I know you were being rhetorical, Golfer Gal, but yes, he DOES think he is God almighty.
Of course he is not alone in that. There are plenty of other examples within easy reach.
Arrogant Gruesome is useful for something, anyway --- and that is to show us what the sin of Pride looks like, which can sometimes be a slippery and confusing concept.
Newsom and his ilk think they are wiser than God.
CW, I think you're right about that!
Thank you Katy for giving us the truth and what is going on (or off). It's just like Dennis Prager says: "the left destroys everything it touches".
The Right exploits everything it touches, including humans. Way to go deflecting the worst in you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
Or, the Democrat playbook and mindset...
And we're surrounded by these caring, feeling dumbscheits...
Also a real Californian, I don't agree with your statement but I'd rather exploit than destroy. Specifically, I'd love to exploit Hydro, Nuke ad NG power so I can continue to live in the modern world.
Besides, blackouts result in a lot of folks and businesses running generators as backup power and they pollute more than a large NG plant.
And-It's been well known for a while that the increasing demand from charging EVs would put significant stress the CA Grid.
Excellent point ????
Also, how much carbon based fuels are expended mining, manufacturing and transporting solar and wind turbine components to their final destination?
Where's the mention of solar panels needing to be replaced every 15 years?
What about the wind turbine problems with burn out?
You're dumber than Leon spinks
Real Californian: Please don’t move to Texas!
Ummm... you're wrong first of all, thats a baseless statement. Second, can you post some facts, I mean actual facts with links, that show the people posting here a wrong about the mismanagement of CA by democrats? The extreme leftist have ruined CA, just look at the state of affairs in our state. We have a power grid that's about to collapse, with power outages people are not safe, the elderly and children will suffer the most, this is where we are today, this is true abuse. Also being a Californian myself, I see that we live with the sad consequences of our leaders poor judgement every day on many fronts, but I do it because I remember what my state used to be like before Jerry Brown. It sucks that the rational minded hardworking people are leaving and it's only getting worse. Not giving up though and will continue to fight and try and vote these crazy radicals out!
California is like all other democrat run state's. They turned a great place into a big shit hole. I love the green new deal. Arrest these morons.
The left does nothing but exploit the people they claim to help.
Conservationism vs environmentalism. Conservatism vs extremism.
Charity vs welfare.
Exploitation vs destruction.
I'm tired of "Big Brother" telling us we can't have our toys if we don't share.
Makes you wonder what Brown and Newsom keep their thermostats at. Just goes to show that you cannot run a state on dreams and unicorn farts. Those darn laws of thermodynamics just have to rear their collective ugly heads and ruin everything!
40 years in the energy industry, mostly in Nuclear Plant Engineering, Services and Modifications. In the 70s and 80s we used to say that the very people who are protesting nuclear power today will be the first ones screaming when the lights go out. California's solution: shut down Diablo Canyon, the last commercial nuclear generating station in the state. When politicians and bankers replace engineers in technology, this is your result.
It was pointed out to me many years ago that we used to have engineers on water boards, because, DUH, we needed that level of expertise to make decisions about water complexities. No more.... now even water boards are used as stepping stones for leftists with NO knowledge who then infiltrate higher offices. This has happened virtually unseen by the public. After all, who pays attention to who is on their local water board?
Way to leave it Jay. Well said.
Nice hit job. How much were you paid by Steve Bannon?
Oh wait, he's arrested...
Only time for you quacks.
It's people like you, who have NOTHING of value to add to the discussion, that is making me hate my home state and the failed policies of virtue signalers that appeal to "Real Californians"....
What...?
Liberal ideas have always failed. while claiming to be the smartest people on earth they're actually, in practice, and reality the stupidest.
I worked in the power industry for many years and I learn from your explanations of the timing of outages. There is another point that wind and solar fall short. and that is the ability to raise and lower the voltage on a particular system.
It is also my understanding that the unreliable nature of renewables such as wind and solar --- the fact that they surge, then stop, then surge, then stop ---- wreak havoc on transmission lines, damaging them much more and much faster than do other sources of energy. Can you confirm this or do you agree that this could be happening?
DWP class of 733?
Comrades
That will do it.....no ice for Margaritas......