I was driving on the packed streets of Long Beach, California, heading to the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo when KNX News reported a tough story over the radio: California was going to be hit with a big power shortage this summer.
How big? Roughly the equivalent of losing one power plant, or 1,700 megawatts of power. Water levels have dropped so low in an ongoing drought that hydropower is losing critical water volume needed to turn massive turbines.
Other tough factors are emerging. The Sacramento Bee reported that sweltering heat and wildfires also “pose threats to the fragile power grid.”
Hey! Sounds like a great time to saturate the state with megawatt hungry electric trucks.
Sorry kids. The lawn’s been turned into prickly cacti and jagged rocks and your mother’s beloved flat iron has been banned but the electric trucks are running in Long Beach. Who’s up for a cheer?!
Climate change is being blamed for tough weather, which can trigger power losses. But in a tortuous paradox of sorts the cure for climate change advocated by influential alt fuel proponents is to eliminate internal combustion and roll out more all-electric vehicles. (Geez…I smell a Chinatown redux a la electric truck proponents versus the flat iron society, Xbox warriors or other such groups that desperately need the grid up and running. Okay, I need it too for my ancient and amazing plasma big screen.)
Seriously, how often do you hear media pundits, politicians or even OEMs advocating for any other clean powertrain solutions besides all-electric? It’s actually pretty rare.
