OP-ED: Senator Kevin Cramer: The Dangers of the Green New Deal

Senator Kevin Cramer 

OP-ED  Provide by Inforum.com

Here’s a cold, hard fact: increased reliance on renewable energy raises costs and lowers availability when we need it most. That’s what I said in 2014 when the Obama administration rolled out the Clean Power Plan, and in light of the proposed Green New Deal, it still rings true today.

Proponents of today’s self-titled green revolution have lost track of pragmatic solutions. They ignore a harsh reality: wind and solar are inherently sporadic. In addition, both forms of energy are reliant on battery technology that does not exist yet, and we do not expect it to anytime soon.

Here is an even more chilling reality: Windmills shut down at -20 degrees Fahrenheit and actually start consuming energy. Anyone who followed what happened in North Dakota and the upper Midwest this year knows -20 is far from rare, and it’s when people need reliable energy most.

This is the type of scenario that concerns me as we increasingly rely on renewables and natural gas to generate electricity. However, the future can be bright if we truly embrace an all-of-the-above approach.

If these recent polar vortexes and cold winters taught us anything, it is that we must have a well-rounded energy policy that encourages the best ideas. As I stated before, -20 degrees is not rare back home. I hope we never become so lopsided that my friends, neighbors and family are unable to turn on the heat when they need it most.

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