{"id":29403,"date":"2022-07-17T12:08:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-17T16:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/?p=29403"},"modified":"2022-07-17T12:08:02","modified_gmt":"2022-07-17T16:08:02","slug":"california-to-pivot-to-fossil-fuels-to-avoid-blackouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2022\/07\/17\/california-to-pivot-to-fossil-fuels-to-avoid-blackouts\/","title":{"rendered":"California to Pivot to Fossil Fuels to Avoid Blackouts"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In May, The Wall Street Journal<\/a><\/em> reported<\/a> that energy grid operators across the US were bracing for rolling blackouts heading into the summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am concerned about it,\u201d MISO CEO John Bear told the newspaper, noting that green energy sources were struggling to produce enough supply to meet rising demand. \u201cAs we move forward, we need to know that when you put a solar panel or a wind turbine up, it\u2019s not the same as a thermal resource.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly two months later, it\u2019s clear that grid operators were not crying wolf.<\/p>\n

On Friday, the Associated Press reported<\/a> that California\u2014a state desperately trying to \u201cquit\u201d fossil fuels\u2014is seeking to tap fossil fuel to avoid blackouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cA sweeping energy proposal Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Thursday puts the state in the business of buying power to ensure there\u2019s enough to go around during heat waves that strain the grid. But some critics say the method of getting there is at odds with the state\u2019s broader climate goals, because it paves the way for the state to tap aging gas-fired power plants and add backup generators fueled by diesel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike most states, California gets most of its electricity\u2014nearly 60 percent<\/a>\u2014from renewable sources. But the AP notes the state lacks the storage capacity to dispatch sufficient energy when intermittent energy sources are not producing, something Newsom\u2019s proposal seeks to address.<\/p>\n

The governor\u2019s proposal would help \u201ckeep the lights on in California,\u201d The Los Angeles Times<\/em> notes<\/a>, \u201cmaking it easier for solar and wind farm developers to sidestep local government opposition, and limiting environmental reviews for all kinds of energy projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proposal would also likely serve as a lifeline to beachfront gas plants, as well as the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant<\/a>, the Golden State\u2019s largest power plant and only operating nuclear facility.<\/p>\n