I prefer analysis finding PG&E was forced to spend hugely on renewables - wind and solar - when the billions would have been better spent on upgrading its lines and clearing brush back from its rights-of-way. The New York Post makes this point in their look at the issue, RealClearPolitics provides the link.
The inherent unreliability of wind and solar means standby facilities have to exist to fill in the gaps when “the sun don’t shine and the wind don’t blow” (‘folk song’ grammar intentional). Meaning the savings in carbon impact are minimal while money which could "harden" the transmission system to prevent wildfires is diverted to unworkable world-saving schemes.
The inherent unreliability of wind and solar means standby facilities have to exist to fill in the gaps when “the sun don’t shine and the wind don’t blow” (‘folk song’ grammar intentional). Meaning the savings in carbon impact are minimal while money which could "harden" the transmission system to prevent wildfires is diverted to unworkable world-saving schemes.
