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Letter

Letters for Nov. 18: Hampton Roads needs to get serious about “green energy” storage

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Energy storage

Re “Back on track” (Our Views, Nov. 14): I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to read that our offshore wind farm — power source that is in no way considered “base load” (read that as reliable) — will have us, customers, to pick up part of the tab when the wind fails to blow, or blows too much.

I am sure that the way we are moving will result in a grid that will approach the performance of a third world system in terms of reliability unless we develop and deploy a reliable energy storage sector that has a long-term component — read weeks — that kicks in quickly. Right now, that component does not exist. The current lithium battery systems for utilities seem to be subject to the same problems that plague all electric vehicles.

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Infrastructure reliability is everything — especially in a public utility. “Batteries” come in many forms. Pump storage is one, using wind energy/solar to dissociate water and store hydrogen is another, choosing battery components other than lithium that may weigh more is possible when moving them is not a consideration. One could store energy in something as simple as a well-insulated sand silo, or a below-ground swimming pool of molten salt.

Put something like some or all of these in place, and I’d be much happier with wind and/or solar as a component of a “green energy” future.

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Jim Hurst, James City County

Jen Kiggans

State Sen. Jen Kiggans won Virginia’s 2nd District, an area including the cities of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Many felt each candidate ran a well-run campaign. To many, Congresswomen Elaine Luria was a highly effective and competent politician, who stood for democracy and the Constitution, especially as a member of the Jan. 6 committee, but the people of the 2nd District spoke.

However, they ended up sending an “election denier” to Congress, when many MAGA members were beaten and sent home. This does not bode well for the citizens of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. I am assuming now that Kiggans will deny that her winning campaign was fraudulent.

But do you see what you did, you sent a person to Congress to become a member of a small group of election deniers that will continually trash the Constitution and default to anything but typical constitutional norms. The midterms were a clear defeat of the turmoil started and perpetuated by Trumpism. All indications were that the party in power would lose many seats in Congress, projecting the Democrats were going to be crushed by a “red tsunami.”

Fortunately, it didn’t happen, Americans rethought the damage inflicted on election rights, on abortion, on gerrymandering, on the dismantling of social programs and especially the potential destruction of our democracy. So, they said, “enough is enough” and began a path to rebuild our country. Sadly, you missed the boat; you sent the wrong person to Congress.

David N. Camaione, Virginia Beach

Veterans

Re “Our duty on Veterans Day” (Our Views, Nov. 10): The editorial should probably be titled “Military destroys lives, time to end it.“ Rather than extolling the virtues of duty, honor and love of country that are instilled in our protectors during their time of service leading the vast majority to meaningful and productive lives, you see only negative outcomes for veterans. No wonder recruitment is down given editorials like this and the liberal media’s saturation coverage of the few who regret their service.

Viewpoints

Weekly

The week's top opinion content and an opportunity to participate in a weekly question on a topic that affects our region.

The tens of millions of Americans living today who have benefited directly or indirectly by their service or that of a loved one are invisible to your distorted vision. The corrosiveness of the endless sniping in the media against our most important institutions will not have a good end.

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Michael Hudson, Cape Charles

Try these

Re “Curb money in politics through a constitutional amendment” (Other Views, Nov. 9): I read Luke Lorenz’s column on limiting money in elections through amendments to the Constitution. I agree that amendments might help, but here’s what amendments should be proposed.

Term limits: Term limits would eliminate the entrenchment of the geriatric representatives tied to special interests that fund their campaigns. Some say that this deprives the country of experienced lawmakers we desperately need. That’s bunk. Staffers and party leaders run most of the show, and if it’s such a hard job, how can tens of senators and representatives spend months at a time campaigning for president?

Repeal the 17th Amendment: Repealing the 17th Amendment sends the process back to the legislatures to pick their senators. Does anyone think that some of the senators serving now would be in the Senate if the legislature made the choice? Also, there would be no need for Senate candidates to raise money, because what’s the point if our local state representatives make the choice. Finally, senators would have to make decisions on what was best for their state, not what was best for their party. Imagine that?

The third amendment proposal would prohibit identification of party affiliation on ballots. It would force us, the electorate, to investigate what a candidate stands for, who he or she is, what’s his or her character, etc., without a party telling us what’s best for us. Lorenz has got the right idea, but I’ve got the better plan.

Thomas P. D’Amour Jr., Virginia Beach


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