A Free-Market Energy Blog

Duke Energy’s Rolling Blackouts: Remember Jim Rogers’ CO2 Politics

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 17, 2023

Ed. Note: In mid-2019, MasterResource published a post on a notable political capitalist in the history of the energy industry, the late James E. Rogers, longtime CEO of Duke Energy. With that company’s rolling blackouts (“load shedding”) over Christmas weekend for a half-million customers “for the first time in the utility’s history“, it is worth remembering the damage done to free markets and electric reliability by the political track chosen by one executive. (The post is reproduced below with minor edits.)

At 41 [in 1988], [James Rogers] was named CEO of PSI Energy Inc., a small, financially troubled Indiana utility. Breaking ranks with others in the electric-power industry, he supported legislation putting caps on sulfur-dioxide emissions. “Some of my guys thought I was drinking the environmental Kool-Aid,” he said later.

Continue Reading

Energy and Environmental Review: January 16, 2023

By -- January 16, 2023

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

Renewable Energy: Health and Ecosystem Consequences:
*** Short video: The Disturbing Reality of Cobalt Mining for Rechargeable Batteries

Renewables (General):
*** Don’t Fall For “Feel Good” Where Evil Lurks
*** Duke Energy’s “Black Christmas”: Outrageous Story of the Week
*** Short video: Rick Perry – We can’t let climate alarmists drive us from energy reality
Never-opened $300 million-plus biofuels refinery facing foreclosure in Oregon
Green Energy Infatuation Puts Millions at Risk of Death
Researchers work toward harnessing ocean energy to power devices

Wind Energy — Offshore:
*** New NOAA map shows North Atlantic Right Whales in very same areas targeted for offshore wind development
*** NJ congressman demands investigation into whether offshore wind projects are killing whales
*** Whales on losing side of wind energy
In the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, a Quiet Reckoning Over Offshore Wind
The silly giant scale of US offshore wind development
No!

Continue Reading

Dangerous ‘Deep Decarbonization’ (Krebs PowerPoint to Cooler Heads Coalition)

By -- January 13, 2023
Continue Reading

Chris Wright (Liberty Energy): Setting the Tone for 2023

By Robert Bradley Jr. --
Continue Reading

“Rare Earths,” Electrification Mandates, and Energy Security (Part II)

By -- January 12, 2023
Continue Reading

Michael Mann Quotations: Doubling Down, but Not Giving Up

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 11, 2023
Continue Reading

Nuclear Safety and Cost: Exchange with Colin Hunt (Canadian Nuclear Society)

By Robert Bradley Jr. --
Continue Reading

“Rare Earths,” Electrification Mandates, and Energy Security (Part I)

By --
Continue Reading

DeSmog’s 1,000: A Badge of Honor

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 10, 2023
Continue Reading

No! to New York Wind in the Great Lakes (NYS Energy Research and Development Authority verdict)

By Sherri Lange -- January 9, 2023
Continue Reading