“To my knowledge, not a single person predicted that lower energy prices would result in the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies in the developing world. Yet it happened.”
William Goldman is best known as the screenwriter behind the films the Princess Bride and Marathon Man. He is also the author of a profound quote about business: Nobody knows anything.
Goldman was talking about the movie business. A studio might spend $100 million dollars on a picture, bring on the biggest starts, promote it relentlessly, and it could still flop. Or it might be a hit! How can you tell whether a movie will succeed or fail? Nobody knows.
Goldman’s insight isn’t just true about movies. When it comes to energy, it is often also the case that ‘nobody knows anything’.…
Continue Reading“With the exception of EPA’s Dr. Allan Carlin, I have never encountered a published view of a federal employee questioning that catastrophic climate change is caused by carbon dioxide. The penalties from this conflict are too severe of loss of pay increases, promotions, or dismissal.”
In the past few weeks, statements of scientists challenging the hypothesis that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels is causing catastrophic global warming are being criticized on ad hominem grounds. The charge is that there exists an inherent conflict-of-interest, owingto their sources of income, specifically income from fossil-fuel companies or pro-fossil-fuel organizations otherwise.
The starting point (it was surely orchestrated) was the attack on Dr. Willie Soon by the February 21, 2015 New York Times article, “Deeper Ties to Corporate Cash for Doubtful Climate Researcher,” by Justin Gillis and John Schwartz.…
Continue Reading“To demonstrate the challenge offshore wind is having, 12 companies qualified to bid but only two submitted bids. Although the four leases were in the heart of some of the windiest areas of the U.S., they are further south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island. But being in deeper water than the stymied Cape Wind project located to the north, their development and operating costs will be considerably greater.”
In furtherance of the wind power push, the administration has been working to expand wind-favorable regions for development. One region receiving a high-level of attention is offshore the East Coast. In addition to the advertised push to develop offshore wind power as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the governors of several of the East Coast states foresaw an opportunity to build a new industry that would employ thousands of residents.…
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