Letters
Herald reporter Ben Watanabe missed a chance for an awesome article in his latest report (“Electric vehicles spur big forecast jump for PUD demand,” The Herald, Dec. 5). He highlights the rising energy demand at Snohomish County Public Utility District within the subsequent 20 years, however neglects to look at the place this energy will come from past power effectivity packages as our state tries to dramatically curb fossil gasoline use by 2040.
He quotes PUD numbers indicating as much as 71 % progress within the Snohomish PUD buyer base over the following 20 years, with dramatic enlargement of e-vehicle use, added demand for electrical energy to interchange pure gasoline for house heating, and explosive progress in the usage of air con. “All of these issues might imply extra demand on the PUD’s present infrastructure …. It might pressure the system.” Significantly? As in diving right into a shallow pool of molten lava might break your neck.
Even a modest conversion to electrical autos will blow up the present grid. Why not ask PUD planners the place all this energy will come from? Hydro accounts for 75 % of the PUD’s energy. Nuclear is below 10 %. Everyone knows no extra dams or nuclear vegetation are being constructed. So, wind and photo voltaic, which make up solely 12 % of present provide, are going to increase by greater than an order of magnitude?
Do you significantly consider we are going to construct sufficient windmills and rooftop photo voltaic within the subsequent 20 years to generate this type of energy, a lot much less retailer it for when the solar isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing? If the capability doesn’t materialize, what then? Rationing? This represents a deplorable lack of curiosity. The Herald editors additionally missed a chance to mentor one in all their very own on good reporting.
Richard McCullough
Arlington
