"Wishes and fairy dust"

Alberta, Canada government ministers and residents thanked their Saskatchewan neighbors for providing energy after its own power grid, based on wind turbines and solar power, failed amidst a cold snap in Western Canada which saw temperatures in some regions drop below 58° F.

Anthony Murdoch, reporting for Lifesite News, quoted Alberta's minister in charge of utilities describing the reliance on alternative energy sources as “based on wishes and fairy dust.” 

Alberta’s Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf said that when it comes to power generation, he “can’t make” plans “based on wishes and fairy dust.”

“I have to make plans based on the realities we have in Alberta,” he added.  

“Unrealistic"

Murdoch also quoted Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Leslyn Lewis, who called alternative energy plans “unrealistic."

Alberta’s power grid alert shows how Trudeau’s green agenda, which looks to ban sales of new gas-powered cars starting in 2035, is “unrealistic.”  

Lewis's post on X:

Can't avoid gas and coal

Murdoch related Saskatchewan's response to the Alberta energy crisis by Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.

[Moe] . . . noted that the incident served as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of a looming federal mandate calling for an eventual end to oil and gas power production in favor of less reliable wind and solar power.

“SaskPower is providing 153 MW of electricity to AB this evening to assist them through this shortage. That power will be coming from natural gas and coal-fired plants, the ones the Trudeau government is telling us to shut down (which we won’t),” wrote Moe on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.  

The dangerous failure of renewable energy took place following a press release by the Canadian government issued just six months earlier, calling for clean energy and “net-zero” policy.

[t]he Government of Canada is committed to investing in a strong, sustainable economic future that will deliver good, middle‑class jobs, clean air, and energy security for generations to come. . . .  Eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and redoubling our focus on clean energy is a key step in building Canada’s net-zero economy by 2050 and supporting good-paying jobs for Canadians for generations to come.

Shorter trips in winter

Power demand is not the only factor that affects electric vehicles during cold weather. NBC News's Emily Pandise and Lora Kolodny reported that electric vehicles lose more than 40% of their range in cold weather:

Fully electric vehicles, which run exclusively on battery packs, typically lose an average of 41% of their range when outdoor temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat’s cranked on, AAA researchers have found. That’s because batteries don’t work as efficiently in the cold and regulating cabin temperature can gobble up a significant amount of power, depending on how a car’s HVAC system is designed.

Describing the problems that this creates, they related one Chicago resident's experience during this winter's cold weather:

It was a rough time to start driving for Uber in Chicago this month, said Marcus Campbell, who signed up with the ride-hailing company last week using a rented car. Campbell said he has already found the frigid weather buffeting the Windy City can make for a longer workday and fewer fares, requiring him to spend several hours waiting his turn at a charging station and powering up.

“When I should be asleep, I’m outside charging my vehicle, falling asleep in my car,” he told NBC News’ Adrienne Broaddus. “I’m not making any money.”

However, one needn't wait till temperatures drop to 20° F to lose power. InsideEVs explains that 32° F may be enough to cause a 30% drop in power. However, all EVs are not equal, as author Iulian Dnistran notes:

Some battery-powered cars offer up to 80% of their original EPA range when the thermometer drops to 32F, while others can conk out after traveling for half the advertised EPA range.

 UON News EV summarized some of Inside EV's findings:

Per InsideEVs, 

• Electric Vehicles lose range in cold weather. Real-world data from Recurrent Auto reveals EVs drop about 30% range at 32F. 
• The Volkswagen ID.4 sees a 46% winter range drop, while the Audi e-tron only loses 16%. 
• Tesla models experience a 24%-28% decrease, with the Model S being the worst. 
• The 2016-2017 Volkswagen e-Golf retains 88% of its EPA range in cold. 
• The Hyundai Kona Electric keeps 84%, and the Audi e-tron manages 80% with a heat pump.
• Chevrolet Bolt EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and F-150 Lightning ranges drop by 32%-36%. 
• Tesla's on-screen range estimates often fluctuate due to their thermal management system. 
• The Tesla Model S loses 55% of its EPA range at freezing temperatures. 
• Remember, all EVs are impacted by the cold, but some handle it better than others.

Listen to UON News EV's summary in the video below;