Climate Alarmists Sweat “Aircon” (air conditioning)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- July 13, 2026

“The multi-decade failure of climate mitigation policies has naturally given way to adaptation, which is the free-market, government-free approach to climate policy.”

Richard Black, head of communications at Climate Analytics (Germany), is frustrated about adaptation rather than this preferred course of “drastic” cuts in CO2 (think societal upheaval). “It’s important to see the recent transatlantic aircon spat for what it was – a deliberate distraction,” he complains. Chalk up another messaging failure and more futility for the anti-CO2, anti-modern-living lobby. [1]

Rhetorical Dead Cat?

Black continues:

Important, because it will come again. At some point soon, the mercury will rise higher still and recently-set records will be broken – driven by man-made climate change.

And, desperate to avoid a proper conversation about climate change, contrarians will once more throw the rhetorical dead cat onto the table of overheated hospital wards, parched crops and buckling railways and blame ’the left,’ ‘greens,’ ‘woke regulations’ or ‘Old Europe’ for blocking use of air conditioners or, even more dramatically, forcing them to be ‘ripped out.’

…

Electricity Affordability: States Need to Ditch Climate Policies

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- July 10, 2026

Editor Note: The Institute for Energy Research (IER) and Always on Energy Research (AOER) issued the following on Independence Day last week.

“BlueStatesHighRates.com, a new interactive index from Always On Energy Research and the Institute for Energy Research, shows that the steepest increases sit in the bluest states across the 50 states and Washington, D.C.”

WASHINGTON DC (07/04/2026) – As Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding on this Independence Day, a new analysis highlights how state energy policies continue to shape the cost of keeping the lights on, starting with the original 13 colonies that declared independence in 1776. The remaining states will be added in the coming weeks.

This expanded “Blue States, High Rates” analysis spotlights the following policies:

Renewable portfolio or carbon-free electricity mandates
Net-metering programs
Carbon pricing or cap-and-trade participation
Adoption (or absence) of data center consumer protections
Access to affordable natural gas
Utilities pursuing independent net-zero goals

Tom Pyle, President of the Institute for Energy Research, issued the following statement:

Energy affordability remains a top concern for American families and businesses.

…

Wind Tax Credits: 1992–2026 (never enough)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- July 9, 2026

Ed. Note: This repost is timely given the end of the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit for unstarted wind and solar projects as of July 4, 2026, (One Big Beautiful Bill of 2025). For started (‘safe harbor’) projects, it is business-as-usual, which explains why the projects were started in the first place. If an unstarted project is completed by year-end (highly unlikely), it would also receive the ITC and PTC. Yesterday, the solar chronology was presented.

Wind power has relied on the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit, first established in 1992. The PTC has been extended 12 times: 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2022 (IRA).