A Free-Market Energy Blog

Gas-fired Electricity for New Data Centers: Fischer Makes A Case

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 10, 2025

Black & Veatch executive Phil Fischer wrote this piece late last year making a case for natural gas for power generation, whether for the entire data center or for backup. In a free market, natural gas combined cycle, cogeneration, and peaking turbines have proven to be technologies of choice. With wind, solar, and battery subsidies on the chopping block, a new era for gas-fired electrical generation could be ahead.

“Companies developing data centers are in a new era in which the scope of project planning must expand far beyond the data center itself and into the supporting physical infrastructure – power generation, water delivery and water treatment,” Phil Fisher begins. “Delays in this physical infrastructure have led to new ideas that open the window for options that previously had not been on the table.”…

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Climate/Energy Exchange with Jody Freeman (Harvard University)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 9, 2025

“If you are so sure that your views are correct, why not have a robust climate debate at Harvard. You know and I know that such an event would not come off well for the alarmists/forced energy transformationists.”

Jody Freeman, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, posted on LinkedIn [she blocked me–maybe you can open her links]:

Sobering assessment of our climate risk trajectory and how rising temperatures could overtake insurance markets, and lead to a credit crunch, among a cascade of other financial consequences. Watch the insurance industry. It is serious about climate change. And the canary in the coal mine.

Her link was to Joe Romm’s report of a Guardian article, “Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer,” subtitled “Action urgently needed to save the conditions under which markets – and civilisation itself – can operate, says senior Allianz figure.”…

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‘The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions’, U.S. Department of Energy Example

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 8, 2025

“To those who voted for this Administration … ask yourself if this is really what you voted for. I’m willing to bet that, for many of you, the answer is no.” ( Emily Rossi, former DOE employee, below)

Milton Friedman often warned that good intentions are not enough. It is results that matter. Thus, the right worldview is crucial.

I was reminded of this upon reading this farewell post by Emily Rossi, (former) Senior Advisor to the U.S. Dept. of Energy. [Note: these links do not work for me–I might have been blocked. Or she went underground.]

Yesterday was my last day as a federal employee with the U.S. Dept. of Energy [after almost three years]. I’ll have news to share soon about what comes next, but for today, I’d like to reflect on my time at the DOE under Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Deputy Secretary Dave Turk, and join the growing chorus of people lifting up the contributions of federal workers.

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Three Cheers for Diminished ‘Just Stop Oil’

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 7, 2025
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Ecologists Question Renewable Energy Sprawl

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 4, 2025
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Biden Lives! Nuclear Power Welfare from U.S. Department of Energy

By Kennedy Maize -- April 3, 2025
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US Military Exits Climate Change After Wasteful Decade

By Steve Goreham -- April 2, 2025
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John Berger: “Lifetime Achievement Award” for Sustainable Energy Future

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 1, 2025
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Energy & Environmental Review: March 31, 2025

By -- March 31, 2025
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‘Just Stop Oil’ … Stops

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 28, 2025
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