“Should LCOE finally be retired from energy policy?”

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 7, 2026

“The LCOE narrative has just collided with reality. If ‘cheap’ solar and wind really were enough, the energy transition would largely run on autopilot. Emissions would fall. Subsidies wouldn’t be needed. Electricity would get cheaper. None of that is happening.” – Jonas Kristiansen Nøland, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (below)

Noncompetitive energies need studies; competitive energies need markets. This insight deserves to become an adage in today’s contentious debates over relative costs for electric generation. This is particularly true for levelized cost of energy (LCOE) studies purporting to show that wind and solar generation is competitive with thermal generation from oil, gas, and coal.

The most recent attempt is by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), titled “91 Percent of New Renewable Projects Now Cheaper Than Fossil Fuel Alternatives” (July 2025).…

Thirty Failed Climate Forecasts (optimism please)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- January 2, 2026

Martin Ecclestone on social media (November 4, 2025) usefully provided a historical review of climate exaggeration. “Educate yourself,” he began. “Uninformed personal opinions don’t change facts.”

Here’s a list [30] of the major climate-change impacts that climate scientists predicted and that have already eventuated (observed and documented in the scientific literature and major assessments). I’ve kept each item short — if you want, I can expand any item with dates, regions, or citations.

1. Global mean surface temperature rise (planet warming).

2. More frequent and/or more intense heatwaves (land).

3. Ocean warming (upper ocean and deep ocean temperature increase).

4. Global sea-level rise (mean sea level increase).

5. Melting of glaciers and mountain ice (glacial retreat).

6. Loss and thinning of Arctic sea ice (decline in extent and volume).

7.…

More Tributes in the Energy and Climate Debate (Part II)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- December 30, 2025

Ed. Note: This repost from seven years ago (January 11, 2018) is reprinted for its relevancy today. What 12 or more would you add today? Here are some of mine: Craig Idso, Jr., Anthony Watts (WUWT), Kevin Dayaratna, and the other four DOE science study authors in addition to Judith Curry, profiled yesterday (John Christy, Steven Koonin, Ross McKittrick, Roy Spencer).

I previously recognized twelve individuals associated with free-market, classical-liberal energy analysis and advocacy. Here is a second “tribute” to those who have labored against the mainstream of Malthusianism and energy statism–and now find themselves with new opportunities to formulate, summarize, and promote pro-consumer, taxpayer-neutral energy policy.

This list is in alphabetical order. It is subjective and hardly exhaustive. Other candidates (such as the present writer) could also be included–and could be in a future iteration.…