Germany dismantles wind farm to expand coal mine

 Jazz Shaw:

... German energy company RWE operates several different types of power generation operations in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia. At one location, they have a large lignite coal mine and a wind turbine farm located side by side. (A rather startling juxtaposition given the divisive nature of the ongoing green energy debate.) But some changes are coming, and not the sort that green energy enthusiasts are cheering about. RWE has begun taking down some of its wind turbines to make room to further expand the coal mine. A spokesperson for the company said that they realize that this development may be seen as “paradoxical.” (Townhall)

In the throes of an energy crisis, a German energy company is moving forward with plans to dismantle a wind farm adjacent to its coal mine in order to expand operations.

The removal of one of the wind farm’s eight wind turbines occurred last week, with two more coming down next year and the rest getting removed by the end of 2023.

Recognizing the “paradoxical” nature of the situation, Germany energy company RWE, which operates the Garzweiler coal mine, said it’s necessary.

“We realize this comes across as paradoxical,” RWE spokesperson Guido Steffen told the Guardian. “But that is as matters stand.”

One commentator was obviously aghast at the decision and claimed that the German government had “given in to the demands of the fossil fuel industry.” That’s one of the more tone-deaf takes we’re likely to see coming out of this debate. First of all, GWE operates a coal mine and coal-fired power plants so yes, they are part of the “fossil fuel industry” by definition. But they also operate wind farms and other electricity production facilities. In other words, they’re an energy company. They exist to produce energy and keep the country on its feet.

With the loss of most Russian energy imports, particularly natural gas, Germany is facing the real possibility of lethal shortfalls this winter. They still have many natural gas-fired plants, but that gas is going to be needed for heating and cooking in the coming months to prevent people from literally freezing to death.

They also know that wind farms produce some electricity and wind power is politically popular. But sometimes the wind fails to blow and a series of bad storms can take the turbines offline. That coal mine has enough fuel to keep their coal-fired plants operating for most of the rest of this century if they choose to continue using it. And it operates at any time of day in almost any weather conditions.

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They are being forced to recognize the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy making it an unreliable energy source at a time when they need consistent energy production.  It is something that Big Green has to learn to live with if they do not want people freezing in the dark.