Why Wind Turbines Thrive In Antarctica And Places Way Colder Than Texas mashable.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mashable.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
2021-02-20 12:00:00 UTC
At the main U.S. research station in Antarctica, annual temperatures average zero degrees Fahrenheit, but often drop much lower. There, near the United States McMurdo Station, a few wind turbines can provide enough electricity to power 100 American homes, and avoid burning over 120,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year.
The reality about wind turbines, however, is they regularly operate in frigid conditions and can be weatherized to perform in wintry extremes. That s why they work in places like Sweden, Antarctica, and Iowa (
over 40 percent of Iowa s electricity comes from wind). At times, some turbines (particularly those that aren t weatherized like many in Texas) are temporarily shut down during excessively icy conditions, wherein other energy sources, be it nuclear, solar, gas, or hydropower, are meant to pick up the slack.
This week, millions of Texans lost power and heat as temperatures plunged to the single digits for the first time in years. But Ohio experienced similar cold without any major problems and it’s not just because Ohio has weatherized its infrastructure for extreme temperatures.