RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:The vulnerability of wind powerEgg all over their face? Because they still rely on Russian fossil fuels for most of their power? I guess that's true.
Wind and solar are locally generated, so they provide independence. Also, they don't aggravate climate change. You acknowledge climate change, but you seem to minimize its cost. While that cost is hard to define, it is definitely real. It is the impetus behind the transition to renewables, and I'm still waiting for the disasters that naysayers assured us would happen because of the transition. The eagerness to see their dark omens realized leads them to jump at nothings, as OldNagger just did. And finally, renewables provide cheaper energy in many instances than even coal.
20 years ago we were told that green energy could never be a significant part of a country's energy mix. 20 years ago, we were told that renewable energy would simply be too expensive. Had we listened to the naysayers then, the technology would never even have gotten off the ground. So I don't dismiss your concerns about renewables entirely. I know renewables have their warts (such as basline production). But I think it's fair to say that what you feel is reasonable and logical as a time frame for the transition to renewables is different than what I think. And while I'm not so arrogant as to believe I can't be wrong, I also know that history has often proven many of the industry's naysayers wrong. The renewables technologies have been improving by leaps and bounds and there's no reason to think that will stop any time soon.
And fossil fuels have their own warts beyond the climate issue, not the least of which being that their deposits are mostly controlled by despots. Beyond Canada, the US, Norway, and Scotland, there aren't many major oil producers that are democracies.
So I'm not a green energy fanatic, but it bothers me when people discredit the industry baselessly as OldNagger just did, or mischaracterize a situation to blame it on green energy as Abbott did when the deregulated Texas power grid failed.
Pandora wrote: ygdrasil wrote: Yes, we should all be concerned by Europe's dependancy on Russian fossil fuels. Of course, there should be no doubt that Russia was behind the attempt to destabilize one of Europe's alternatives to Russian energy. The weakness here is not green energy but (Russian) fossil fuels. Germany has indeed recognized this, reconsidering its promises to close down coal plants and nuclear plants, which do not rely on Russian materials.
So if you want to frame this attack as a need for Europe to turn away from Russian energy imports. I'm on board. But if you're trying to frame this as a weakness of green energy, you're being disingenuous or ignorant. Green energy is part of the solution for Europe and the world.
This isn't an event that proves the transition towards green energy has been too quick.
Oldnagger wrote: As an engineer, I have done reliability work for critical systems (Heavy Water Plants )
A vast power net work on which many other critical systems depends is of prime importance for the sake of reliability. Already we know that individual small networks of wind turbines are especially unreliable providers of power. That hackers were able to penetrate the larger network should be cause for great concern for everyone. The fact there was a back up system is a relief for now. Given the fact that distibuted systems with many different reliable power sources are inherently sturdier than a massive system joining many unreliable sources (wind power or solar) , we should all be concerned about the vulnerability that has been demonstrated !! Particularly knowing that the go forward plan of the Germans is to remove reliable componets such as Nuclear and Coal.
Only in the last month have some Europeans come to the realization that they will need to retain Nuclear and Gas. It is particularly concerning that this was not recognized long ago !!
"Green energy is part of the solution for Europe and the world."
As long as you define it as a whole lot more than wind and solar and guild it in a time frame and cost that can be sensible and within reason. If they continue to push the scare tactics and fear mongering and a real narrow focus then don't ask me to defend or support your agenda.
I am not opposed to change because I know that fossil fuels are not an unending supply but what I hate is stupidity and no common sense or logic. The Germans went that way - where are they now? Egg all over their face and at a great cost to their consumers.