Solar Energy expert: Texas blackouts due to climate change

Posted on February 22, 2021
power lines
Shannon Fulton with Straight Up Solar spoke with WJBC’s Marc Strauss. (Photo by bengt-re/flickr)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – As power slowly comes back on in the lone star state due to a nationwide winter storm leaving millions without power, the massive blackouts are mainly caused by climate change, according to a solar energy expert.

Shannon Fulton with Straight Up Solar told WJBC’s Marc Strauss, while artic temperatures blast parts of the Midwest and Texas, state grids cannot handle the freezing temperatures, and that’s leaving millions without power in its path.

“Our existing energy infrastructure can’t handle the extreme, these extreme weather events. In Texas for sure, the planners did not account for artic temperatures pushing that far south.”

Fulton said there is no one source of the problem as finger pointing between politicians continues about the blackout source.

“One of the major causes for the energy shortage has been the impact of extreme cold on natural gas, coal, and nuclear facility infrastructure. But, to be sure, there is no one source alone that is to blame. There is no one single answer.”

LISTEN: Shannon Fulton spoke with WJBC’s Marc Strauss. 

Fulton says, although frozen, wind turbines are still working up to 80% capacity and are the answer for the future.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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