Energy and Environmental Review: July 31, 2023

By <a class="post-author" href="/about#john-droz">John Droz, Jr.</a> -- July 31, 2023

Ed. Note: This post excerpts energy and climate material from the Media Balance Newsletter, a free fortnighly published by physicist John Droz Jr., founder of the Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. The complete Newsletter for this post can be found here.

Greed Energy Economics:
*** The ultimate debunking of “solar and wind are cheaper than fossil fuels.”
*** Wind and Solar Are NOT Cheaper than Coal and Oil
*** World Now Wasting $1 Trillion or More per Year Investing in Useless Renewables
*** Offshore wind has a cost crisis
“Green” Jobs at Ford and GM Will Cost Taxpayers as Much as $7.7 Million Each
Soaring costs are derailing offshore wind projects across the world

Unreliables (General):
*** Renewable Energy Storage Requirements
*** NYISO Report: Power outages coming to NYC by 2025, and maybe upstate too
*** Democrats whine about utility hikes caused by their own dumb policies
*** Batteries
Renewables versus the grid at PJM

Wind Energy — Offshore:
*** How Much Does Offshore Wind Power Threaten Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales?…

Classical Liberalism and Electricity: First Principles Please

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- July 27, 2023

“The separation of government and electricity (six words) or, more precisely, the separation of government and the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity (twelve words) is simple enough…. Why deny this Political Economy 101 definition between free-market reliance and government intervention?”

The separation of government and electricity is a straightforward, time-honored application of classical liberalism (or the free market). It has existed as long as I have been in the debate (the 1990s) and probably since the beginning of the industry. In contrast, restructuring, partial deregulation, or reregulation connotes the mixed-economy alternatives of market here-government there in this sector.

Deregulation as an escape from public utility regulation harks back to the Reason Foundation and Robert Poole Jr. in the early 1980s. In 1985, Poole’s Unnatural Monopolies: The Case for Deregulating Public Utilities (Lexington Books) challenged the “natural monopoly” case for franchise protection and rate-and-service government regulation in the different industries.…

Pool Chillers: Don’t Whine, Adapt! (and get those ‘cheap’ renewable rates)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- July 26, 2023

Ed Note: Climate alarmists/forced energy transformationists are out in force during the current heat wave, wagging fingers at skeptics and pounding the chest about “low” rates for wind/solar electricity in Texas. With pool companies in the state advertising chillers, here is one adaptation opportunity.

“The most obvious reason for a pool chiller, of course, is comfort: A good chiller can help take your swimming pool water from too hot to just right.”

“While there’s no true ‘magic number’ when it comes to swimming pool water temperature, most pool professionals agree that the ideal temperature is between 78 and 84 degrees.”