California Governor Gavin Newsom literally just agreed to no longer allow the sale of gasoline engine vehicles in California starting around the year 2030.
At the same time, he’s asking people to not charge their electric vehicles because the state is at risk of a black out because of the current energy consumption.
According to the Daily Wire,
The western United States is facing a likely “prolonged and record heat wave” that could lead to temperatures as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. As a result, the California Independent System Operator is seeking to bring all available resources online to handle higher electricity demand and expects to issue “voluntary energy conservation” notices over the Labor Day weekend.
“The top three conservation actions are to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, and turn off unnecessary lights,” according to the American Public Power Association. During a “Flex Alert,” residents are encouraged to reduce energy consumption from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm — the hours in which “demand for electricity remains high and there is less solar energy available.”
California also experienced a round of blackouts during last year’s Labor Day weekend. The state issued Flex Alerts because grid operators predicted “an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use” related to extreme temperatures.
We just aren’t ready for so much clean energy, yet. Even now, experts are saying that the reason that Europe is undergoing an energy crisis is because of their green energy policies.
“The skyrocketing electricity prices are now exposing, for different reasons, the limitations of our current electricity market design,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen remarked during a speech Monday. “It was developed under completely different circumstances and for completely different purposes. It is no longer fit for purpose.”
Von der Leyen blamed the record price increases on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has upended global energy markets but added that the crisis was evidence the bloc needed to transition further to green energy. Russia has throttled natural gas supplies to Europe in response to the EU’s sanction packages introduced following the February invasion.
However, electricity prices in Europe hit all-time highs months before the invasion.
It’s pretty simple to me. My opinion is the same as Elon Musk’s. We are not ready to go big or go home when it comes to green energy. We’re not ready to ban the sale of gasoline engine vehicles by 2030 like Newsom, and a couple other states are pledging to do.