Fire Chief Joel Mendoza of the North County Fire District said at this point, most of the fire had gone out. A water-based mitigation system did not work as designed, Vistra's senior director of community affairs Brad Watson said at the conference. Earlier in the day, a Monterey Sheriff official had said there were no active fire suppression efforts going on, "as the best approach, according to fire staff, is to allow the building and batteries to burn."

Yeah, I think massive chemical batteries for storing excess electricity to facilitate a contrived green energy market is a bad idea.

  • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
    16·
    3 days ago

    Ever seen what happens when a coal mine catches fire? Link

    I guess we should just go back to water mills right?

      • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        Dams are actually really bad for the environment. They were sold as good because they don’t burn coal but it turns out that blocking rivers interferes with everything along it.

          • Lumisal@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 day ago

            I’m pretty sure cancers and other health issues have killed way, way more than hydroelectric.

            Not including the climate change thing…

            • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.workOPEnglish
              1·
              20 hours ago

              It’s complicated, but in terms of direct kills, hydro power takes the cake. If you’re also considering indirect kills, fossil fuel power is far and away the worst offender and I think that’s before you even account for climate change deaths: image

              • Lumisal@lemmy.worldEnglish
                1·
                18 hours ago

                I agree it’s complicated, if you make it so.

                In terms of scale, direct kills are a rounding error compared to the damage of climate change.

                In terms of indirect kills, like accidents, coal still beats hydropower by a long shot if you include the actual history of coal and steam boats, in part simply from a lack of standards or care in safety (and that’s even if you exclude coal lung as an indirect kill).

                While you make perfect the enemy of good, the world will burn, just as those who own the fossil fuels desire.