Get All Access for $5/mo

Bill Gates on Texas Governor's Power Outage Claims: ''He's Actually Wrong.' Gates rebukes Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's claim that renewable energy is the source of the state's energy crisis.

By Dan Bova

Jack Taylor | Getty Images

On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blamed power outages that have left millions of Texans dealing with dangerously freezing conditions on wind turbines. "Our wind and our solar got shut down, and they were collectively more than 10 percent of our power grid, and that thrust Texas into a situation where it was lacking power on a statewide basis. ... It just shows that fossil fuel is necessary," Abbott told Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates rebuked this claim on Yahoo! Finance, saying bluntly, "He's actually wrong."

Related: Bill Gates Says the Effects of Climate Change Will Be Worse Than Those of the Pandemic

"You can make sure wind turbines can deal with the cold," Gates explained. "[The extreme cold] probably wasn't anticipated for the wind turbines that far South. But the ones up in Iowa and North Dakota do have the ability to not freeze up."

Power outages and a lack of safe water have created extremely hazardous conditions for millions of people in Texas, and compounding the problems is a National Weather Service prediction of another storm would bring freezing rain, snow and low temperatures to the region.

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Leadership

Visionaries or Vague Promises? Why Companies Fail Without Leaders Who See Beyond the Bottom Line

Visionary leaders turn bold ideas into lasting impact by building resilience, clarity and future-ready teams.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

There's a Growing Demand For This New Type of Professional — Here's Why Your Startup Needs Them, Too.

As startups evolve, a new breed of talent — the "boulder climber" — is emerging: adaptable professionals who balance strategic vision with hands-on execution. Learn why these versatile hires are redefining success in lean, agile teams.