WARNING: Idaho’s Future Includes Frequent Blackouts

Idaho could be left in the dark.  The video channel for Kite and Key Media suggests Idaho is among the states with the highest probability of blackouts within a few years.  You can click on this link and watch the video, which is under 10 minutes in length.  If you live or do business here, you’ve grown accustomed to cheap electricity—much of that due to hydropower.  But Idaho's population has grown dramatically, and there are new demands for power beyond residential use.

A New Solar Farm is Scarring the Land in Southern Idaho

A new solar farm is going online in the Treasure Valley, and the company formerly known as Facebook has first dibs.  I’m told data centers are paying for new sources of energy and the transmission, but as more surface on the horizon, I’m not sure new generation can keep up.  I suspect Mark Zuckerberg can outbid you for supply.

This Will Rival the Water Wars

The greenies will continue the push for renewables, but there’s a challenge on that front.  First, when it comes to siting generation on public land, we’ve already had a lesson in public opinion in the Magic Valley.  Second, when we talk of intermittent sources, the wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine.  The crunchies then start babbling about battery storage, but if you click this link, you’ll find another video.  It throws cold water on storage!  Government is like the public.  Always three steps behind technological change, but I suspect we’ll see some action in Boise in 2027.