Dems Funnel Funds into Tennessee Renewable Energy Projects Amid Reports of Rising Need for Reliable Fuels

The Amount Of Energy Used To Produce One Dollar Of GDP In Tennessee Is Slightly Greater Than The Median Of Other States. This Indicates Tennessee May Need To Determine Their Own Best Practices, Despite What Other States Are Doing.

Published February 19, 2021

While many have pointed to climate change as the cause of the current weather crisis across the country, meteorologists are ultimately uncertain at this time what lead to such unprecedented winter damage. 

We covered statewide blackout issues earlier this week prior to Gov. Lee’s declaration that Tennesseeans are in a state of emergency due to the storms.

Joe Biden spoke with Gov. Lee over the phone on Tuesday and offered the administration’s assistance to Tennessee as well as seven other impacted states. Texas Governor Greg Abbott was on the call among others. 

Biden told governors that he and his wife were praying for their citizens and pledged to deploy federal emergency resources as needed, but beyond the sentiment, a specific plan of action was uncertain. 

The weather continues to show how vulnerable some parts of our Nation and Gov. Lee decided to take action for his constituents. 

Gov. Lee’s state of emergency was accompanied by an executive order that lifted regulations limiting the hours of service for commercial motor vehicles providing liquid petroleum fuels, propane gas, other heating fuels, utility supplies or utility needs.

This order will allow individuals to work behind their regulated hours to ensure the safety of our communities during this time. It will stay in effect until 11:59 p.m. on February 26.

Despite receiving the same call, millions of Texans are still suffering without utilities, those who have access have even been asked to ration, but the power grid in Tennessee has remained stable. 

According to the Nashville Electric Service, this can be attributed to one major difference. 

“About 25% of power in Texas is generated by wind power, and as of yesterday, about half of that wind generation is offline. There are significant challenges in operating wind turbines in extremely cold weather, which can cause a shortage in energy,”

Former Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, who served under the Trump administration believed that the current situation in Texas is the reason why fossil fuels should continue to be the main energy source.

Gov. Greg Abbott agreed that his state’s crisis could attribute the issues to the 10% of power plants that are powered by renewables. He described the Green New Deal as “deadly” in an interview on Tuesday.

Despite this, Democrats have consistently attacked fossil fuels and pushed for the liberal agenda in the statewide utility budget.

In the last five years, Tennessee was one of 24 states with a state-run grant program for renewable energy.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation operates the Clean Tennessee Energy Grant Program, which distributes grants to purchase, install, and construct “eligible renewable energy projects.”

The Tennessee Office of Energy Program oversees the Pathway Lending Energy Efficiency Loan Program, which was established in 2010. This program distributes loans as it sees fit up to $5 million. 

While significant financial support was funneled into a myriad of such renewable projects by politicians over the years, according to the Energy Information Administration, industrial activities that make the largest contributions to Tennessee’s gross domestic product (GDP) require a higher amount of energy to maintain. 

Their conclusion that the amount of energy used to produce one dollar of GDP in Tennessee is slightly greater than the median of the states, indicates that Tennesseeans may need to determine their own best practices, despite what other states are doing.