In the Lewiston Tribune (Feb. 11) columnist Bob Hassoldt offered off-hand observations about the negative effects of cold weather on solar panels and wind turbines. If he had done just a bit of research about this issue, he would have come to a very different conclusion.

Hassoldt could, for example, have found that cloudy and cold Germany is the fourth largest solar power generator in the world. Because of this wise investment, the Germans survived the cut-off of Russian natural gas from 2022 onwards. Hassoldt could have also learned that Massachusetts, with similar weather, ranks 10th in the nation in solar power.

At the Save on Energy website (bit.ly/49vq2SM), we find that “cooler temperatures enhance solar panel efficiency because silicon-based cells perform better in such conditions than on hotter days.” If the panels are installed correctly — south facing and at optimal angles — then snow will usually slide off and melt more quickly on the glass surfaces.

The site continues: “Snow may even improve the efficiency of solar cells by removing dust and dirt from the surface as the snow melts. Dirt and dust are the most common reasons behind the reduced power generation of solar energy systems.” More on this issue at bit.ly/3UGr9Ld.

First Solar, the largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S., issued an economic report that showed in 2023 it “added $2.75 billion in value and $5.32 billion in output to the U.S. economy. It supported 16,245 U.S. jobs across multiple sectors, representing nearly $1.6 billion in labor income.” First Solar prides itself on the fact that the components of its ultra-thin panels are all sourced domestically.

Texas and Iowa lead the nation in wind energy, and both states have upgraded their wind farms for cold weather. An Iowa spokesman stated: “These system upgrades help keep our turbines spinning in temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.” Wind industry advocates also stress that dirty coal and gas generators are more impaired by cold weather.

Cold weather Denmark leads the world in wind energy production. Its wind farms produce, on average, 47% of the nation’s power needs. Other green energy sources boost that percentage to 67%, and the nation is on track to produce all green electricity by 2030.

The Danish Island Samso has now become carbon negative. Aided by wind, solar, and biomass installations, the island’s residents now emit “an average of a negative 3.7 tons of greenhouse gases per year.” The island’s electric vehicles (none gas powered) are charged by solar panels. Read my full article at bit.ly/4cdmZRD.

On July 9, 2015, Danish wind turbines produced 140% of the country’s electricity needs. The surplus power was exported to Germany, Sweden and Norway. In Norway the extra electricity was used for “pumped storage” in its 1,504 hydroelectric plants.

In 2008, Denmark sold its offshore oil fields in the North Sea to the private company Orsted. That company has capped all the wells and has decided to focus exclusively on green energy, especially wind. Orsted leads the world in offshore wind energy installation.

Contracting with Orsted, New York State has now inaugurated a huge wind farm off Long Island. Accompanied by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, New York Governor Kathy Hochul turned on a huge light switch that will eventually send 132 megawatts of electricity to more than 70,000 homes. Two more large wind projects are in the works in New York, and they will power more than 1 million homes.

Together with the Danish firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, the American company Avangrid is building the nation’s second largest wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts. When all 62 turbines are turning, it will provide electricity to 400,000 homes.

In 2023, Texas exceeded California for the first time in energy battery storage, and by the end of this year 6.4 gigawatts of storage will be online. In addition to being a leader in wind energy (39 gigawatts currently), Texas is second behind California in producing solar power. It has more than tripled its production to 22 gigawatts since the beginning of 2021 — enough for 16.5 million homes.

Private investment in green energy after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act had already topped $213 billion by 2023. A good portion of that money has been spent in red states and low-income communities. All this progress would disappear under a second Trump administration.

Gier is professor emeritus at the University of Idaho. Check out his green energy website at bit.ly/4cjnM3m. Email him at ngier006@gmail.com.