At https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/12/academics-and-the-grid-part-i-I-dont-think-that-study-means-what-you-think-it-means/ … and https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/13/academics-and-the-grid-part-ii-are-they-studying-the-right-things/ … academics have the luxury of focussing on a limited number of problems at one time. The grid must operate seamlessly over a variety of conditions without pausing. Recognising the difference between what theory says and what practical knowledge demonstrates is critical. Complex systems full of inconvenient interactions and feedback tend not to work quite the way suggested by theory. One such is the Grid and power supply – and this is written by a planning engineer.
Influential academics are encouraging politicos for an energy transition to renewables, ignoring huge obstacles and greater costs which will effect reliability and in the end, cause blackouts. A nice piece on the subject and the difficulty in relying solely on wind and solar. Politicos are easily persuaded it would seem – and many other people too.
At https://dailysceptic.org/2023/01/10/net-zero-will-lead-to-the-end-of-modern-civilisation-says-top-scientist/ … which sounds a bit over the top, but there is a need to pause and read in order to digest exactly what he is saying. It is full blooded and possibly as alarmist as the alarmist idea the planet is actually heating up. However, in this case the sceptic is a nuclear physicist. In the case of wind and solar he says it will be tragic. Not only will the infrastructure fail, the Grid, but it will cost billions to transition to Net Zero, trashing the environment in the process. Not so green after all. Not only that, he says it is entirely unnecessary. Wallace Mannheimer has had a 50 year career in nuclear research, including working at the Plasma Physics Division at the US Naval Research Laboratory. He has published over 150 scientific papers. He says, at one point, an emphasis on a fake climate crisis is becoming a tragedy of modern ciivilisation – which depends on reliable and affordable energy. Windmills, solar panels, and back up batteries, have none of these qualities.
One commentator says – we hear all the time about the risk posed by fossil fuels but we never hear about the risk of no fossil fuels. I was struck by the fact he had worked on plasma physics which may mean he has a view of the Sun apposite to that of climater scientists.