DUBUCH, Iowa (KCRG) – Texas relies heavily on natural gas, coal and nuclear power in the winter, but frozen wind turbines received a lot of attention this week, with some mistakenly saying that renewable energy problems were the main reason why Texans lost energy.
This is a problem that Iowa has not faced, despite February’s high temperatures.
MidAmerican Energy Company operates more than 3,300 wind turbines in Iowa. A company spokesman told TV9 that the main difference between Iowa and Texas is preparation.
“When we order our wind turbines, we add cold weather packages,” said spokesman Geoff Greenwood. “This includes heating elements, for example, inside the gearbox that is behind the turbines and that keeps certain components warm and allows the turbines to run throughout the year, summer and winter.”
Greenwood said that these cold weather kits allow the turbines to produce energy down to about -20 degrees.
Since their goal is to provide clean wind power year-round, Greenwood said they are also taking preventive measures in the summer.
“We have wind turbine technicians who go there and make sure everything is ready for when it gets super cold,” he explained. “It’s a little bit like what you would do when winter approaching your car: you want to make sure that the antifreeze in there and that the battery works and that the lubricating oil filters are working.
Although he thinks frozen wind turbines could have been avoided in Texas, Greenwood said the ice conditions in Lone Star did not help.
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