“In its Ahab-like focus on harpooning ExxonMobil, the BBC missed an opportunity to explore the enormous challenges involved in replacing fossil fuels. The costs of ignoring those challenges may well be tragically put on display this winter when Europeans face freezing temperatures with nothing but BBC-approved power systems to keep them warm.”

In Episodes 1 and 2 of its three-part documentary, Big Oil vs The World, the BBC succeeded only in demonstrating its own bias. Time and again, viewers were presented with only one side of a many-sided issue. Episode 3 is no exception. This episode’s main narrative is that, for years, oil companies have touted natural gas as a clean alternative to coal, but poor execution has largely offset the benefits.

Per unit of energy generated, natural gas produces about half the carbon dioxide of coal.…

“The environmentalists have been emboldened by their ‘win’ with the passage of the IRA. Never satisfied, their petition is one of the first attempts to expand it.”

It never ends…. In the wake of the 725-page “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA), consumer choice for energy could be intentionally restricted to electricity by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Or at least that seems to be the plan. According to a petition submitted by environmentalists, EPA should regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from using natural gas in homes and businesses.

The eco-lobby has been emboldened by their “win” with the passage of the IRA. Never satisfied, their petition is one of the first attempts to expand it.

Background

On Tuesday, August 23, 2022,  The Hill published an article by  staffer  Rachel Frazin stating “26 health, environmental and consumer protection organizations” petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency for the ban in residences and commercial buildings, citing health and climate impacts.…

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

Greed Energy Economics:
*** The Often Overlooked Costs of an Extended Power Outage

Renewables (General):
*** Why Pretend Green Pork Will Stop Climate Change?
*** What The Future Holds For Our Climate Leaders
*** All That Glitters Isn’t Green, or Renewable
*** Unattainable, Costly, Net Zero: the Thrill is Gone; a black/brown-out reality check
*** Wind and Solar Fail to Reduce Grid’s CO2 Emissions
*** MISO approves $10 billion in new transmission lines to subsidize wind and solar
‘Green’ Energy Myth Exposed: Subsidized Wind & Solar Scam Built on Perpetual Lies
Heatwave Demonstrates Weakness of New York’s Electric Grid
Rights Abuser China Emerging as Dubious Linchpin of Biden’s Lithium-Battery Supply Chain
Why Panos Prevedouros left Hawaii

Wind Energy (Offshore):
*** Biden announces executive actions on ‘climate crisis,’ focuses on extreme heat and boosting offshore wind
*** Offshore wind turbines have never been a good idea
*** Offshore Wind’s Turbulent Future
Five Reasons To Reject Offshore Wind Projects
The Offshore Wind Energy Problem: Government Overregulation, Disincentives, and Anti-market Policies

Wind Energy (Other):
Developer Abandons Plan to Add 30 Wind Turbines in Iowa: Residents Celebrate

Solar Energy:
*** Weather ‘too hot’ for solar panels
*** How Manchin-Schumer would change energy, from oil to solar
*** The Energy Transition Runs Into a Ditch in Rural Ohio
Farmland Be Damned: New York Will Cover Upstate with Solar!…

“… fossil fuels are a convenient, condensed source of energy that has helped raise living standards throughout much of the world.”

“We must all be aware that demands for effective policies will yield only superficial change as long as the role of special interests in government remains unaddressed.” (- James Hansen)

James Hansen speaks truth to power in a number of areas regarding energy and climate. There is a lot to like. But when it comes to public policy, he refuses to go where his sober analysis tells him. He is not ready to make a tectonic shift toward adaptation rather than mitigation, despite the latter’s impossible economic and policy math.

“Magical Thinking”

Magical thinking has plagued climate policy. Vaclav Smil has explained the problem with little pushback. Smil, in fact, is in the mainstream as shown by the NYT’s April 2022 article, “This Eminent Scientist Says Climate Activists Need to Get Real.”…