Is the US energy sector prepared for increasingly powerful tropical storms?

When Hurricane Ian hit in parts Cuba and the west coast Florida in late September 2022, it left a record-breaking trail of destruction across much of the state before regaining energy in the Atlantic Ocean and causing additional devastation across much of
Southeastern United States and next.

It was a category 5 superstorm
the most expensive
in Florida’s history — with a bill exceeding $109 billion — and one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the United States.

Unfortunately, both the intensity and cost of Ian could easily be exceeded in the future, as ocean warming
are becoming increasingly capable of causing more storms.

Shortly after Ian passed through Florida, a climate science professor Matthew Barlow and research professor Susana J. Camargo published an article in Columbia Climate School‘S State of the planet — explaining how warmer oceans cause more evaporation, which translates into more water available in the atmosphere. A warmer atmosphere holds more water, which allows for more rain — which means more heat is released, which makes winds stronger.

In a world where temperatures are 2°C above the pre-industrial average, where are we heading?
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration modeling studies Average rainfall increases within a radius of about 100 kilometers of the storm are forecast to be about 10 to 15 percent, and the global share of intense cyclones (Categories 4 and 5) like these are projected to increase by 1 to 10 percent.

Put simply, the world will become warmer, rainier, and windier in the coming years—and extreme weather events will cause far more damage than most of us have experienced so far. Much of it is the result of human industrial activity that has destabilized our atmosphere.

Millions helpless

Hurricanes and land storms often wreak havoc on power grids, which is one of many reasons they can be so costly. Recently, powerful storms swept through parts of Texasleaving 100,000 homes and businesses
without power during the heat wave at the beginning of the season.

When asked whether America’s energy systems are currently resilient enough to withstand an increase in the number of severe storms, Laura ZapataCEO and Co-Founder
Clean loop – And Silicon Ranch a company working to decarbonize the economy through expanding equal access to solar energy
in communities across the United States, it was said Sustainable Brands® Here are some reasons why the country’s aging, centralized energy systems are vulnerable to extreme weather events: “The systems themselves are prone to overload during periods of high demand, leading to outages and rising prices. They are also dependent on imported fuel, making them vulnerable to supply chain failures and changing foreign policy priorities and circumstances.”

On the contrary, she pointed to the effectiveness of renewable energy sources in a world increasingly exposed to climate challenges, saying: “When Winter Storm Elliott
hit the region powered by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in December 2022, TVA experienced the highest winter energy demand in its 90-year history. Silicon Ranch (renewable energy) projects in the region continued to operate at maximum capacity throughout the event, reducing the need for blackouts and increasing system resiliency. Bolivar Solar Farm
“was able to power over 300 homes during the storm.”

Are renewable energy sources strong enough to survive hurricanes?

But these energy sources may not be as resilient as tropical storms become more intense and frequent. While they offer numerous long-term benefits—such as mitigating climate change by reducing air pollution and carbon emissions—solar panels and wind turbines are directly exposed to the natural environment, making them more vulnerable to devastating hurricane-force winds: As recently
article IN Nature

emphasized that “historical data from US East Coast and Caribbean
“emphasize that current solar panels generally perform below designed reliability requirements during hurricanes.”

Another concern is that environmentally sensitive renewable energy systems can face a longer and more arduous recovery after a major hurricane hits. This was the case Punta Lima
— wind farm in Puerto Rico which was seriously damaged during Hurricane Maria in 2017 it lost half of its turbine blades and had to undergo a thorough rebuilding process.

Despite everything U.S. Energy Information Administration stated that, with a few exceptions, including Punta Lima, “most renewable energy facilities survived Maria with only modest damage.”

Keeping the lights on

The increasing intensity and frequency of climate-driven extreme weather events, especially hurricanes, poses significant challenges for both the conventional and renewable sectors. But since the former is a major driver of the increasingly powerful winds and rains that are sweeping across much of the globe, it is unlikely to be a significant contributor to the solutions.

AND a widespread transition to renewable energyon the other hand, it will be a major step forward — not only do renewable energy systems generate far fewer climate-changing emissions than fossil fuels; the decentralized nature of renewable energy offers an additional, reliable advantage over our conventional, centralized energy systems. As the authors say
Nature The paper concludes that while large-scale renewable energy integration will be fraught with challenges in the short term, “the inherently distributed nature of renewable energy provides unique opportunities to establish climate-resilient energy systems” and “achieving a climate-resilient energy system in a net-zero emissions future requires approaches to harness the inherent potential of distributed renewable energy sources through the creation of microgrids.”

Now, as Hurricane Beryl
barrels towards Mexico and Texas after the destruction of the eastern
Caribbean AND JamaicaIt is imperative that energy decision-makers move from defensive to offensive – and recognise the role of renewables in a resilient energy future.