Flemming: Biden’s ‘free’ AC coupled with a less dependable electric grid

By David Flemming

A few weeks ago, President Biden gave a speech about battling climate change in Somerset, Massachusetts, at the site of the Brayton Point power plant: “As president, I have a responsibility to act with urgency and resolve when our nation faces clear and present danger,” declaring climate change to be “literally, not figuratively, a clear and present danger … (to) the health of our citizens and our communities.”

David Flemming, policy analyst at the Ethan Allen Institute

Part of the Biden administration’s plan is to “distribute or loan efficient (electric powered) air conditioning units, especially targeting vulnerable households that will most likely be homebound and most impacted by extreme temperatures, such as older adults, young children or individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, prioritize households with individuals who rely on medical devices or need to refrigerate certain medications, such as for diabetes, and need uninterrupted electricity supply.”

With the expected increase in temperatures with climate change, this might seem to make sense.

Aside from the usual reasons that small government enthusiasts might have to protest the feds giving away freebies, there is a very real possibility that these AC units could do little to keep the most vulnerable cool. And that’s not necessarily because of climate change, but because New England’s electric grid could soon have to use California’s method of rolling blackouts to maintain a semblance of civilization.

In 2013, Brayton Point invested $500 million in new cooling towers to protect wildlife. And then in 2017, Brayton Point closed due to political protests and pressure from the EPA. The new wind turbines are expected to provide one-third of the power of the previous coal powered plant.

One-third of the previous energy? Something will have to give soon if we start to replace fossil fuel powered generators with “green” generators on a larger scale. And that could inadvertently be bad news for Vermonters, because Massachusetts and Vermont are part of the ISO-New England electric grid.

No amount of electric powered AC units can stave off the very real threat of summer heat without reliable electricity.

David Flemming is a policy analyst for the Ethan Allen Institute. Reprinted with permission from the Ethan Allen Institute Blog.

Image courtesy of Public domain

4 thoughts on “Flemming: Biden’s ‘free’ AC coupled with a less dependable electric grid

  1. Air conditioners use Freon, a greenhouse gas that is indestructible, unlike carbon dioxide.
    Also they use a tremendous amount of electricity.
    The smart thing would be to burrow underground. It’s always the same temperature there.
    People have known that for eons, but that was long ago. Nowadays they know nuffin!

  2. We need a law that requires all ‘green energy’ people, public officials, and state buildings to have have smart meters, and when there is not enough power for the peaks, their power is cut off remotely, until the generation can meet to load. — I would also outlaw standby generators for them too. That will smarten them up quickly. they might even make friends with people smart enough to not fall for this stupid crap.

  3. The irony will become obvious, when these A/C units are distributed in January….2024!
    As we speed in the proverbial runaway locomotive toward the damaged trestle, please remember:
    78% Nitrogen
    21% Oxygen
    1% Everything else- of which CO2 is 0.04%
    Hasn’t changed in millions of years.
    Show me your version of ‘settled science’.

    • Um,we came out of an ice age 12,000 years ago.Not that we can change the dynamics of the Earth Sun relationship.We’re merely fleas on a dogs back.

Comments are closed.