We are often told that we can completely replace fossil fuels with wind and solar energy and maybe a sprinkle of Greta Thunberg’s magical pixie dust. But is that true? Well for the places that have tried it so far, the outcomes have been nothing short of disastrous.
Germany and California: Cautionary Examples For Solar and Wind Energy Advocates
Germany has invested more in solar and wind energy than any other nation in the world. Unfortunately, for German citizens, this experiment has proved to be a catastrophe. Even before the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany had among the highest electricity prices in the world.
Due to the unreliability of wind and solar, Germany grew reliant on Russian natural gas to meet its energy demands. But Germany’s situation has further worsened as a result of the sanctions against Russia and the instability generated by the conflict with Ukraine. The price of energy in Germany has increased by almost 300% with no end in sight. The nation is currently experiencing a severe energy crisis. It is also more reliant on coal than ever before and is even considering restricting citizens’ access to hot water.
In the United States, California has gone the furthest in implementing renewables such as solar and wind. However, California serves as another cautionary tale. California’s energy costs are two times higher than the national average. Furthermore, since embarking on this green energy experiment, energy costs in the Golden State have risen five times faster than in the rest of the country. Yet, despite paying the most for energy, Californians suffer more power disruptions than residents of any other state.
Solar And Wind Energy Limitations
We are told constantly by the legacy media and Democratic politicians that wind and solar can supply low-cost, reliable energy. But this narrative is completely false. The truth is that solar and wind energy have a couple of significant limitations that prevent them from supplying the majority of our energy needs.
1) Solar and Wind Are Unreliable
Obviously, wind and solar energy can only be produced when the wind blows and the sun shines. But that only occurs about 10% to 40% of the year. This is insufficient because we require energy 24/7.
The Green New Deal types, however, say this is not a big deal. They assert that we can overcome this issue by storing wind and solar energy in batteries and using it when there is no wind or sun. However, this is not a serious idea because we are decades (or possibly a century) away from having batteries that are remotely economical and capable of storing our energy demands.
As noted by energy expert, Alex Epstein, using the best batteries available (which are made by Tesla), it would cost around $400 trillion to store three days’ worth of the world’s energy as a backup. For reference, the entire global GDP is approximately $87 trillion.
Moreover, if you truly care about the environment, you can’t be a fan of these batteries, as their production will require a thousandfold (or more) rise in the mining and refining of several elements, including cobalt, lithium, copper, and nickel. The process of mining and refining these elements requires moving millions of tons of earth, damaging natural surroundings, and placing oneself at the mercy of the world’s most anti-environmental, human rights-abusing regimes, such as China, Russia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
2) The Solar And Wind Diluteness Problem
Yet there are numerous other obstacles that plague solar and wind energy. One of the biggest problems with solar and wind energy is that they are dilute and non-concentrated forms of energy. Therefore, in order to harness their energy, you need an ample amount of land.
3) Solar and Wind’s Environmental Impact
Wind and solar farms require 300 to 400 times more land than nuclear or natural gas power plants to produce the same amount of energy. In essence, just to get a minimal amount of unreliable and highly costly energy, we will need to clear away huge swaths of ground-dwelling wildlife, damage local ecosystems, and build turbines that kill millions of birds annually (including the most endangered species such as hawks, eagles, and owls).
In addition, there are enormous environmental expenses associated with the actual production of the solar and wind materials.
900 tons of steel, 2,500 tons of concrete, and 45 tons of non-recyclable plastic are required to construct a single wind turbine. Solar farms demand additional cement, steel, and glass, as well as the mining of yet more elements (such as silver).
Then, of course, is the issue of disposal. Wind turbines, batteries, and solar panels have a 20-year lifespan. What will the world do with the millions of pounds of waste that is toxic to humans, animals, and the environment?
So the question is: should we change our entire energy system to things that are less reliable, more expensive, environmentally costly, and make us completely dependent on unstable enemy nations? I believe we should firmly reject the proposals of the Green New Deal types.
Ashton Cohen is an attorney, investor, writer, and host of Ashton Cohen: The ELECTile Dysfunction Podcast.
