“Petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the manufacturing of over 6,000 everyday products and high-tech devices possible.” — U.S. DOE

According to the U.S. Department of Energy,

When you think about oil there is probably one thing that immediately comes to mind: motor oil for your car or lawn mower. And, when you hear about natural gas, you may think about heating your home, cooking, or even electric power generation.

But, there are many other uses for these hydrocarbons than what meets the eye. Petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the manufacturing of over 6,000 everyday products and high-tech devices possible.

Major petrochemicals—including ethylene, propylene, acetylene, benzene, and toluene, as well as natural gas constituents like methane, propane, and ethane—are the feedstock chemicals for the production of many of the items we use and depend on every day.

“[Hannah] Ritchie ends with suggestions for better results for wind’s avian mortality problem, including ‘Turn off wind turbines at very low speeds when bats are around … Don’t put wind farms in high-risk areas for birds and bats … Paint the turbines Black … Play alert noises to bats and birds to deter them.’ But … these things limit wind siting, increase costs, and/or annoy local neighbors.”

A social media post by Hannah Ritchie (sustainability researcher, University of Oxford) on industrial wind power is worth revisiting. She works within the climate alarm/forced energy transformation narrative (“Bird species are under threat from climate change”) but considers the question:

It would be worrying, then, if a move to low-carbon energy increased pressures on bird populations. That’s a common concern as countries move to wind power.

In conclusion, the article ends, “the journey towards adopting electric vehicles as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel-powered transportation is fraught with complex challenges, particularly concerning the environmental and ethical implications of battery production.”

Thomas Edison strongly advised Henry Ford to go internal combustion engine (ICE), not electric vehicles (EVs) in the late 19th century. EVs dominated the market until the advantages of ICE prevailed more than a century ago. Yet multi-pronged government intervention at the expense of taxpayers and ICE owners is desperately trying to create an industry that consumers do not like.

The economic and environmental problems of EVs are on full display–and the mainstream press is not afraid to report on them (unlike with on-grid wind and solar). A shining example of this was a recent article in Auto Overload (May 11, 2024): “21 Unfortunate Electric Vehicle Flaws That No One Is Discussing.”…

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.

Greed Energy Economics:
Biden’s Green-Energy Price Shock
Economic Reality vs. Fraudulent Fantasy

Unreliables (General):
*** FL Bill awaiting DeSantis’ OK would end years of renewable energy policies
*** What Energy Transition?
*** A green embargo by China will trigger a financial crisis that will implode the US economy!
NY County towns file lawsuit against N.Y. over solar, wind farm tax methods

Wind Energy — Offshore:
*** NOAA Permits Wind Energy Operators to Harass and Kill Whales
*** Short Video: 1241 Wind Turbines Planned to Fence in the New Jersey Coast
*** Pile Driving Noise Survey: Technical Report
*** Study: ’Wake effect’ could drain 38% of offshore wind power
Offshore wind is gearing up to bulldoze the ocean
Dominion Energy wind project construction delayed by injunction issued by federal judge
British government to allow oil and gas exploration at sites intended for offshore wind

Wind Energy — Other:
*** Taking the Wind Out of Climate Change (referencing 60± studies)
*** Once Unthinkable Nuclear Plant Revival Is a Reality in US Shift
*** ‘Gambling With The Grid’: New Data Highlights Achilles’ Heel Of One Of Biden’s Favorite Green Power Sources

Solar Energy:
*** Storm destroys the world’s largest floating Solar Panel Farm
*** German solar industry collapsing: unable to make solar panels from solar power
Why is solar panel manufacturing impossible without coal?…