Bill Gates Calls the New Winter Energy Crisis a Good Thing
(ConservativeInsider.org) – When Russia invaded Ukraine back in February, it was difficult to predict just what the war would do to the world. At eight months in, however, nearly every nation has seen energy prices rise as Russia cut off its natural gas exports to Europe, and oil exports also decreased. Now, experts are warning about rolling blackouts this winter in Europe as fuel could run low, especially if a cold spell hits the continent. Yet, billionaire Bill Gates thinks this is a “good thing.”
Is Europe Prepared for Rolling Blackouts?
The Financial Times recently reported that National Grid, the company in charge of England’s gas and electric systems, may have to impose early evening blackouts in January and February. The company’s CEO, John Pettigrew, said these cutoffs would only happen during “those deepest darkest evenings” in the dead of winter if gas imports to Europe stay reduced or a cold front arrives. The government plans to roll out an incentive program for people to use less energy to hopefully prevent a crisis.
While Russia’s decision to stop exporting gas to Europe certainly put the continent on edge, France’s Nuclear energy production plants have also been on the fritz due to aging issues. This causes yet another nation to seek alternative energy at a time when it is in short supply.
Experts warned if other energy production options, like wind power or hydroelectricity, also slow during the winter for whatever reason, blackouts and energy shortages will become more prevalent.
Freeze Alerts Early in the US
While Europe looks to face energy shortages in the middle of winter, much of the US is already preparing for or experiencing freeze warnings where they rarely occur, including northern Georgia and western Florida.
Freeze watches and warnings are affecting over 68 million people as a broad storm system spreads cold air over the central and eastern U.S. Local areas of heavy snow are also expected near the Great Lakes. Visit https://t.co/f6Uyjx0oAC for tips on how to prepare for the cold. pic.twitter.com/QL3CMwFc0b
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) October 17, 2022
The temperatures are expected to be between 15-25 degrees lower than usual, with wind chills dropping temps even more in some places. If these events continue through the next six months, will the US face similar issues to Europe?
Billionaire Believes Energy Crisis Could Be “Good”
While Americans struggle to prepare their homes and budgets for these frigid temperatures, there’s one citizen who doesn’t seem to mind: Bill Gates. During a discussion with CNBC, the philanthropist who owns Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a climate-technology investment business, spoke about the energy crisis and acknowledged many green energy advocates were “a little optimistic about how quickly the transition” to clean energy could be done.
Gates noted how the energy shortages will likely hit Europe and other countries this winter, but called it “good for the long run” as it will push people away from Russian natural gas toward cleaner fuels “more rapidly.”
.@BillGates on the European energy crisis: “It’s good for the long run, because people don’t want to be dependent on Russian natural gas, so they’ll move to these new approaches, more rapidly” pic.twitter.com/skqczC0VSL
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 18, 2022
For a billionaire who has no trouble paying to heat his home, such potential energy shortages will likely not affect him in the least. Yet, for the majority of the world, this is a serious issue that may leave them cold in the dead of winter.
Copyright 2022, ConservativeInsider.org
