Fossil fuels powered much of America during Winter Storm Fern, and in New England, a large share of the “renewables” came from burning trash and wood, according to the region’s grid operator.
Winter Storm Fern killed at least 28 people died, and left more than 800,000 without power as electricity costs surged. At the height of the storm, New England relied heavily on oil and other fossil fuels to keep the lights on, according to multiple reports. When it came to green energy sources, nearly half of the power came from burning refuse and wood as wind and solar output fell, snapshots of ISO New England data show.
Some House Republicans are advancing legislation that tackles energy reliability issues through modernizing pipeline permitting and allowing grid operators to prioritize dispatchable power sources, a spokesperson for the Energy and Commerce Committee told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“When winter storms hit, Americans shouldn’t have to worry about whether the power will stay on. Unfortunately, years of misguided energy policies in blue states have weakened grid reliability and driven up costs for families,” Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman Brett Guthrie told the DCNF. “That’s why Energy and Commerce Republicans continue to advance significant, commonsense legislation to strengthen our grid, expand pipeline infrastructure, and ensure reliable, affordable energy is available when Americans need it most.”
The Department of Energy (DOE) noted Friday that during the storm, oil accounted for 35% of New England’s power during peak generation, while burning trash and wood provided more electricity at peak demand than wind and solar.
Based on a snapshot of generation on Jan. 25, renewables only made up 5% of the resource portfolio, with burning wood and “refuse” accounting for 35% and 31% of green energy output, respectively. On Jan. 30, another snapshot from ISO New England showed that together, burning wood and refuse accounted for just over 30% of renewable sources.
“Refuse-derived fuel, or RDF, is a fuel produced from solid waste. It can be used in many industries as an alternative to fossil fuels,” according to Carbon Collective, an investment advisor focused on climate change. “RDF consists of two parts: refuse and derivatives. Refuse includes materials like paper, cardboard, food waste, and plastics. Derivatives are materials that have been processed or burned to create energy.”
New England states have shut down coal plants and local Democratic have leaders celebrated blocking pipelines for years while mandating aggressive climate goals to pursue a green energy transition.
DOE issued emergency orders during Winter Storm Fern to allow some power plants in New England and elsewhere to operate beyond emissions limits to mitigate blackouts, if necessary. Notably, ISO New England requested that Energy Secretary Wright grant it the ability to operate its power plants at maximum capacity as the storm raged on Jan. 25, citing concerns over environmental permitting restraints.
“President Trump got elected to bring the focus back to humans, about energy, about math, about facts — not silly and, unfortunately, innumerate climate politics,” Wright told reporters on Friday. “We’ve done almost nothing to change global greenhouse gas emissions, as close to nothing as you can get, from endless regulations on electricity that have just driven up prices and driven down reliability.”
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