Wind and Solar Are Fragile

By Steve Goreham -- December 2, 2024 6 Comments

“As a result of hail and other weather damage, insurance premiums for solar facilities are skyrocketing, in some cases up by as much as 400%. In addition, policy coverage is being capped at as little as $10-15 million, requiring system developers to obtain multiple policies to try to cover their projects.”

Wind and solar have been growing as a share of US electrical power generation over the last two decades. State and federal mandates and subsidies have driven the expansion of renewables because of their inherently dilute and intermittent nature. But it’s clear that renewable electricity sources have a third strike: they are fragile and prone to weather damage and destruction.

Twenty-three states now mandate Net Zero electricity by as early as 2035. Their aim is to replace coal- and gas-fired power plants with wind and solar generators.…

Continue Reading

COP29: ‘Animal Farm’ Moment

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- November 26, 2024 No Comments

Climate scientist/activist Joyce Kimutai gave a frank assessment of the just completed two-week UN climate conference of parties (COP 29) on social media. Hers is a refreshing take in comparison to the whining of the developing (statist) countries seeking handouts and the glass-one-eighth-full newspaper reporting from the mainstream media. She began:

Now, as I recover from the exhaustion of the past weeks, I find myself sitting on my couch, sipping sweet Kenyan tea, while reflecting on the outcomes of COP29.

As the climate crisis deepens, multilateralism is weakening, leaving vulnerable communities at the center of geopolitical tensions. The $300 billion commitment is both insignificant and shameful in the grand scheme of addressing the climate emergency.

I participated in numerous negotiation and coordination sessions, as well as side events. One side event focused on the need to improve scenarios to better represent an equitable world.

Continue Reading

Libertarian Party Platform: Energy and Climate

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- October 29, 2024 No Comments

“While energy is needed to fuel a modern society, government should not be subsidizing any particular form of energy. We oppose all government control of energy pricing, allocation, and production.”

The Libertarian Party (L.P.), “the party of principle,” is running Chase Oliver for President. “Chase Oliver and [vice-president] Mike ter Maat are on a mission to remove government barriers that stand in the way of your dreams,” the campaign page states. “Be part of the movement—help us break down these obstacles and make your aspirations a reality!”

In 2016, as reported in the New York Times, L.P. candidate Gary Johnson received almost 4.5 million votes, the most in Party history and the highest third-party showing in 20 years. In 2020, Jo Jorgensen fell to 1.1 million votes.

Protesting against Kamala Harris, Oliver stated:

Kamala Harris represents the status quo – a continuation of policies that have led to skyrocketing national debt, deepening economic inequality, and erosion of individual freedoms.

Continue Reading

Energy & Environmental Review: October 28, 2024

By -- October 28, 2024 No Comments

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.

Greed Energy Economics:
*** Inflation Reduction Act’s costly green giveaways
Biden administration races to shell out billions for clean energy as election nears
Buy Woke, Go Broke: The Failure of ESG Investing

Unreliables Energy Health and Ecosystem Consequences:
Archive Report: Green Killing Machines: The impact of renewable energy on wildlife and nature

Unreliables (General):
*** The “green” scam of the century: “Renewables” increase fossil fuel demands
*** The Big Lie
Solar Costs Jump, More Offshore (and Onshore) Wind Woes, SMR Update
Will Wind and Solar Hammer Hydro in Washington State?

Continue Reading

Risking Alaska’s Energy Exceptionalism (RPS looming)

By -- October 15, 2024 No Comments Continue Reading

Energy & Environmental Review: October 14, 2024

By -- October 14, 2024 No Comments Continue Reading

Alaska Energy Policy: An Exchange (RPS in the balance)

By -- September 26, 2024 2 Comments Continue Reading

Hurricane Risk to Offshore Wind (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study still relevant)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- September 11, 2024 No Comments Continue Reading

Energy & Environmental Review: September 3, 2024

By -- September 3, 2024 No Comments Continue Reading

Nuclear Fusion: More Government Fail

By Kennedy Maize -- July 24, 2024 No Comments Continue Reading