Do wind turbines freeze up in the cold?
Summary
Addressing concerns about wind power in cold climates, this episode explains how ice buildup can halt turbines, referencing the 2021 Texas cold front. It clarifies that failures were due to a lack of weatherization, not inherent unsuitability, and that other energy sources also failed. The discussion highlights how weatherizing technologies allow wind turbines to operate reliably in far colder regions like Antarctica, emphasizing the need for future energy infrastructure planning to account for increasing extreme weather events due to climate change, including current efforts in Texas to improve grid resilience.Episode description
You might have heard how wind turbines failed in Texas during a terrible cold front in 2021. Does this mean we can’t rely on this clean, renewable source of energy when the weather turns extreme? MIT Professor Michael Howland joins the podcast to explain how wind turbine operators prepare for frigid conditions, and why some turbines failed in Texas while others are working fine in Antarctica.
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Credits
Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer
David Lishansky, Editor and Producer
Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer
Michelle Harris, Fact Checker
Music by Blue Dot Sessions
Artwork by Aaron Krol