Energy department said wind and solar capacity is 'worthless' without sunlight or wind. Musk reminds DoE about batteries [View all]
The Department of Energy, led by oil-and-gas veteran Chris Wright, claimed renewables are “worthless” without sun or wind, drawing widespread criticism and a viral two-word clapback from Elon Musk that pointed out the existence of massive energy storage projects that can continue feeding electricity into the grid.
President Donald Trump’s Department of Energy sparked backlash last week after posting on X that “wind and solar energy infrastructure is essentially worthless when it is dark outside, and the wind is not blowing.”
The message echoed recent remarks from Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a longtime oil and gas executive, who defended Trump’s claim that renewable energy is driving up electricity costs, though he acknowledged the picture is more complicated.
He also argued that wind and solar are “intermittent” and, without large-scale batteries, “worthless” when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Greater reliance on renewables, he added, effectively creates “a whole separate grid” that raises overall costs.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/energy-department-said-wind-solar-194157689.html
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