According to environmentalists the world over, fossil fuels are the bane of our existence. So why, then, are they continually being used to bail out green energies?
The latest case comes to us from Scotland, where a particularly cold winter storm hit during the month of December.
According to Glasgow’s Daily Record, it was so cold that 71 of the nation’s supposedly sustainable and green wind turbines froze to a halt. But seeing as how this is how a good portion of the country gets their electricity and heat, officials just couldn’t wait for warmer temperatures to return.
And so, diesel-powered generators were brought in to keep the turbines warm and to operate until the frigidity waned.
It’s laughable, I know – at least on a surface level. In reality, it was a major problem. and not just because it gave green energies another black eye.
According to the outlet, who was able to speak to an anonymous whistleblower from electricity provider Scottish Power, the frozen turbines were actually using more energy than they were creating, as well as polluting the surrounding waterways and countryside.
The worker explained that the Scottish Government had decided to invest in wind power to make the nation a bit more attractive to foreign investors. After all, about 40 percent of winds travel throughout Europe across Scotland. It would only make sense to take advantage of that, right?
However, there is one major problem. Namely, wind, like most green energies, isn’t really all that sustainable, at least not in the way it was imagined. Sure, the technology is a good idea and one that might prove quite useful one day in the future.
But according to numerous sources, we are not there yet.
For starters, the whistleblower noted that this is not the first time these turbines have had problems. In fact, they said that a number of the turbines always seem to be down or in some process of maintenance.
“Turbines are regularly offline due to faults where they are taking energy from the grid rather than producing it and also left operating on half power for long periods due to parts which haven’t been replaced.”
And as with the last major instance of failure, cracks in certain mechanisms cause “dirty hydraulic oil” to be regularly “sprayed out across the Scottish countryside.”
I can’t imagine that’s very environmentally friendly. No wonder we are just hearing about this instance now, months after the fact.
It was only thanks to the use of diesel generators that the situation was salvaged, and the power kept on for millions.
The same cannot be said of a similar green energy failure in Texas in 2021. If you remember, that winter saw nearly unheard-of temperatures, as well as ice and snow, hit the Lone Star State, which is also a major producer of wind power. as with Scotland, these turbines froze, leaving millions without power or heat.
More than 200 people froze to death in their homes.
And all because green energy was the only source. Had a little common sense, some backup fossil fuel generators or something been used, that could have all been prevented.
Now, again, I’m not saying that green energies such as wind or solar shouldn’t be used. However, they should not be pushed as the only source available. And fossil fuels should not be banned to make way for those greener sources.
Both of these examples prove that it’s just not worth it or working. Plus, you can’t sit there and hate on fossil fuels, and then, when times get tough, give in and use them to save your butt. That would be like using a gas-powered generator to charge your electric car, which apparently is something some ridiculously hypocritical people have been caught doing.
It’s ok to admit that fossil fuels work and that, for right now, they are the most sustainable. It doesn’t mean we have to give up on greener energies. But it does mean that we shouldn’t be relying on them just yet.
