Video: The Year 2019 on ElectricityMap [Europe]

You can talk to people about the weather-driven variation in electricity output from wind and solar power until you’re blue in the face, but it will never be as effective as showing them, in real time, what sources of electricity generation are currently keeping the lights on. This is where ElectricityMap becomes an indispensable tool. If you’re interested in energy issues, you must download this app on your phone.

The reason this app is such a great tool is that it shows how “green” the electricity is in areas throughout the world, as measured by the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit of electricity generated. One thing that you will notice when you watch the video below, which is the year 2019 in review for Europe, is that none of the countries that are consistently green on the map rely on wind and solar for the majority of their electricity generation.

Even Germany, which is the darling of wind and solar special interest groups and some legislators in Minnesota, is hardly ever “green.” In fact, despite spending hundreds of billions Euros on renewables, Germany emits more carbon dioxde per unit of electricity produced than France or Norway, which rely heavily on nuclear and hydro power, respectively, and have higher electricity prices, as well.

This is why any push to prioritize wind, solar, or battery storage over more reliable sources of electricity is incredibly ill-conceived. If people are truly worried about a climate-change driven existential crisis, the map below clearly shows that only nuclear and large hydro can deliver the electricity we all rely upon around the clock, without emitting carbon dioxide. Building wind and solar just means you’ll be relying on natural gas or coal whenever the weather isn’t cooperating with you.

Ironically, liberal politicians and renewable energy special interest groups refused to legalize new nuclear power plants or allow electricity generated by large hydro electric plants to be classified as “carbon free” in their energy bills during the last legislative session.