DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – Texas relies heavily on natural gas, coal and nuclear energy in the winter, but frozen wind turbines got a lot of attention this week, with some mistakenly saying that renewable energy problems were the main reason Texans lost power.
This is a problem that Iowa has not yet experienced, even in February’s bitterly cold temperatures.
MidAmerican Energy Company operates more than 3,300 wind turbines across Iowa. A company spokesman told TV9 the biggest difference between Iowa and Texas is the preparation.
“When we order wind turbines, we add cold weather packages to it,” spokesman Geoff Greenwood said. “This includes heating elements, for example in the gearbox that is behind the turbines, and which keeps certain components warm and enables the turbines to work all year round, as well as summer.”
Greenwood said the cold weather kits enable the turbines to produce energy up to about -20 degrees.
Because their goal is to provide clean wind energy throughout the year, Greenwood said they also take preventative measures in the summer.
“We have wind turbine technicians going there and making sure everything is ready when it gets very cold,” he explained. “It’s a bit similar to what you would do if you were approaching winter with your car: you want to make sure the freezer is in there and the battery is working and that the oil lubrication filters are taken care of.”
Although he thinks frozen wind turbines could have been prevented in Texas, Greenwood said the decorating situation in Lone Star State does not help.
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