When I am out taking a walk and I see a lineman in the neighborhood, I thank him for what he does for all of us. I would think other people would do the same. But at least one lineman said: "Thank you. Mostly I get grief about going on to someone's property."
These are guys who reach out and touch 12,000 volt lines in a pouring rainstorm with a little fiberglass stick. Because that isn’t exciting enough they race motorcycles on the weekend. They are aging out and replacements aren’t keeping up with the losses.
It’s an honor to be quoted in your article - I appreciate it!
I work in the petrochemical industry so I have a different perspective from your work in the utility world. However, the problems we see with cost and lead time for transformers are universal. A recent quote on a 34.5kV-13.8kV transformer pair had a lead time of 72 weeks. Even a more common size 34.5kV-4.16kV unit had a lead time of 54 weeks. I don’t think these sizes are as common in the utility world but the point is still illustrated that transformer supply chains are severely disrupted.
The demand from green energy projects on top of the lack of domestic manufacturing will take some time to remedy. I am a cautious optimist though and see the domestic manufacturers stepping up. We just simply need more of them.
Nice article. I agree right down the line. The high voltage transformers are a real issue. They are also required for connecting new solar and wind. I believe the real expense will be the last mile. Pole and pad and vault small 12000/240 volt distribution transformers will be difficult and expensive to swap for bigger models, if you can get them. The internal windings are copper. Re-conductoring existing lines is a nightmare requiring extended outages and big money. Can’t happen. Won’t happen.
The entire EV dream is poorly organized and not given any thought to capacity or electricity distribution, let alone design for the local transformer loads. Which is quite incompetent!
All of the problems quoted are solvable problems, and to claim otherwise would be a sign of decadence. It’s like how Boeing and Lockheed dragged their feet and claimed rocket reusable to be impossible until SpaceX finally did it.
China’s EV sales account for 40% of new car sales, and they installed 217GW of solar capacity in one year. That proves the problem is solvable. If we can’t solve it in the US, that’s just a competence problem
Ultra high voltage power lines are being installed throughout the country to bring the power from wind and solar into the substations. I should think that it would be realistic to assume that the EMF's around the 100 to 150' electric poles would increase significantly causing major problems for performing maintenance and repair. It also would seemingly be a problem for communities themselves that are close to higher EMTs. The incessant drive to deliver more renewable energy as contemplated using trillions of dollars of government subsidies and tax credits are the driving force to make the country free from the drum beat of hysteria about destructive emissions, such as CO2, which cannot be clearly calculated or defined.
It all seems to be a combined plot with strong backing by not only the government, but media, environmental groups, constant climate change fear, denial of facts and even when the blackouts occur, wind and solar energy are left out of the conversation.
The lack of reliability for wind and solar is always going to be solved but it is just either the "planning, experimenting or on the drafing table stage". Recently California is touting VPRs. Virtual Power Plants. Using computers to determine when to introduce wind and solar to the grid and doing a pilot program with smart thermostats in the home. So, in other words. rationing by force. But, no matter, wind and solar development is going full speed and last year as Orsted and Avangard paid off their Purchase Power Agreements to bail out of its offshore wind turbines offshore NJ, on July 3, the IRA pulled a $38 million out of the government pot and handed it to Atlantic Shores. And not to let any grass grow under his feet, Gov. Murphy, threw in $28 million with So, they'll be building 200 wind turbines 1,028' high, 8.7 miles offshore NJ with a goal of 1,000 turbines ongoing with an upfront cost of construction at $6.75 million per MW and a price of $74.25 billion according to EIA. As to the transmission system, ConEd and Invenergy are proposing to build the critical infrastructure made of 3 underground lines, with each circuit facilitating the connection of 1.2 GW to the PJM bulk power system. And, as usual, cost unknown, and expected outcome, unknown.
But, what we do know, is that in all cases there is nothing that can change the fact that all the insufferable pandering, propaganda, and trillions of wasted dollars on renewable energy, comes down to the simple truth and that is the grid must have inertia and solar and wind, the big megillahs, can't deliver it and the trillions and trillions spent can't wish it so.
One thing that seems suspiciously overlooked is most drivers don't own their own home.
WTH are apartment dwellers supposed to do? Drive out of their wat to a charger and wait for a 45 min to an hour before driving home? Leave for work early to get to a charger? Are employers going to have to install charging stations (and who pays for it)?
This is the perfect plan if the goal is to tank Western economies.
When I am out taking a walk and I see a lineman in the neighborhood, I thank him for what he does for all of us. I would think other people would do the same. But at least one lineman said: "Thank you. Mostly I get grief about going on to someone's property."
These are guys who reach out and touch 12,000 volt lines in a pouring rainstorm with a little fiberglass stick. Because that isn’t exciting enough they race motorcycles on the weekend. They are aging out and replacements aren’t keeping up with the losses.
Have you ever been to or seen videos of a Lineman Rodeo?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaCNMrz0Zgs
It’s an honor to be quoted in your article - I appreciate it!
I work in the petrochemical industry so I have a different perspective from your work in the utility world. However, the problems we see with cost and lead time for transformers are universal. A recent quote on a 34.5kV-13.8kV transformer pair had a lead time of 72 weeks. Even a more common size 34.5kV-4.16kV unit had a lead time of 54 weeks. I don’t think these sizes are as common in the utility world but the point is still illustrated that transformer supply chains are severely disrupted.
The demand from green energy projects on top of the lack of domestic manufacturing will take some time to remedy. I am a cautious optimist though and see the domestic manufacturers stepping up. We just simply need more of them.
Nice article. I agree right down the line. The high voltage transformers are a real issue. They are also required for connecting new solar and wind. I believe the real expense will be the last mile. Pole and pad and vault small 12000/240 volt distribution transformers will be difficult and expensive to swap for bigger models, if you can get them. The internal windings are copper. Re-conductoring existing lines is a nightmare requiring extended outages and big money. Can’t happen. Won’t happen.
The entire EV dream is poorly organized and not given any thought to capacity or electricity distribution, let alone design for the local transformer loads. Which is quite incompetent!
All of the problems quoted are solvable problems, and to claim otherwise would be a sign of decadence. It’s like how Boeing and Lockheed dragged their feet and claimed rocket reusable to be impossible until SpaceX finally did it.
China’s EV sales account for 40% of new car sales, and they installed 217GW of solar capacity in one year. That proves the problem is solvable. If we can’t solve it in the US, that’s just a competence problem
Sure, they're solvable problems but at what cost?
Thank you, GLF!
Ultra high voltage power lines are being installed throughout the country to bring the power from wind and solar into the substations. I should think that it would be realistic to assume that the EMF's around the 100 to 150' electric poles would increase significantly causing major problems for performing maintenance and repair. It also would seemingly be a problem for communities themselves that are close to higher EMTs. The incessant drive to deliver more renewable energy as contemplated using trillions of dollars of government subsidies and tax credits are the driving force to make the country free from the drum beat of hysteria about destructive emissions, such as CO2, which cannot be clearly calculated or defined.
It all seems to be a combined plot with strong backing by not only the government, but media, environmental groups, constant climate change fear, denial of facts and even when the blackouts occur, wind and solar energy are left out of the conversation.
The lack of reliability for wind and solar is always going to be solved but it is just either the "planning, experimenting or on the drafing table stage". Recently California is touting VPRs. Virtual Power Plants. Using computers to determine when to introduce wind and solar to the grid and doing a pilot program with smart thermostats in the home. So, in other words. rationing by force. But, no matter, wind and solar development is going full speed and last year as Orsted and Avangard paid off their Purchase Power Agreements to bail out of its offshore wind turbines offshore NJ, on July 3, the IRA pulled a $38 million out of the government pot and handed it to Atlantic Shores. And not to let any grass grow under his feet, Gov. Murphy, threw in $28 million with So, they'll be building 200 wind turbines 1,028' high, 8.7 miles offshore NJ with a goal of 1,000 turbines ongoing with an upfront cost of construction at $6.75 million per MW and a price of $74.25 billion according to EIA. As to the transmission system, ConEd and Invenergy are proposing to build the critical infrastructure made of 3 underground lines, with each circuit facilitating the connection of 1.2 GW to the PJM bulk power system. And, as usual, cost unknown, and expected outcome, unknown.
But, what we do know, is that in all cases there is nothing that can change the fact that all the insufferable pandering, propaganda, and trillions of wasted dollars on renewable energy, comes down to the simple truth and that is the grid must have inertia and solar and wind, the big megillahs, can't deliver it and the trillions and trillions spent can't wish it so.
One thing that seems suspiciously overlooked is most drivers don't own their own home.
WTH are apartment dwellers supposed to do? Drive out of their wat to a charger and wait for a 45 min to an hour before driving home? Leave for work early to get to a charger? Are employers going to have to install charging stations (and who pays for it)?
This is the perfect plan if the goal is to tank Western economies.