There is no denying it: global warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather. This means hotter heat waves, drier droughts, bigger tropical storms, and greater snowfall and ice. In 2020, California experienced power blackouts throughout the state during their summer heat storm that led to wildfires that spread into a lot of the west coast states. Now, millions of Americans are without power in Texas due to a large ice storm that has swept the lower southern half of the United States. The loss of power due to extreme weather over the last decade makes this clear to experts: we are not prepared for the mayhem of climate change.
A lot of power being sourced is from power plants, generators and electrical lines. None of these sources can withstand catastrophic events that will come. States are failing to plan for extreme weather. Equipment is not being upgraded and other sources to save and store power are not being utilized or produced.
Scientists and advocacy groups are pushing for a restructure in how power systems are set up. Decentralized power systems would allow communities to generate and store their own energy using renewable resources. Investing in infrastructure will allow regions to share power when extreme weather conditions happen. Solar panels, wind turbines, and other sources would allow communities to generate and ration electricity.
