A Free-Market Energy Blog

“Negative Electricity Prices and the Production Tax Credit” (2012 warning for Texas went unheeded)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 17, 2022

[Editor note: The current (May) problems of the Texas Grid reflect a socialized wholesale market (ERCOT) in light of the wind/solar cancer that has wounded the ‘reliables.’ Specifically, negative pricing of windpower, a decade-old phenomenon, has ruined margins for natural gas and coal plants, causing premature retirements, decisions against new capacity, and less maintenance.]

History matters to understand the wounded Texas electricity grid of today. There were warnings time and again that the distorted market would have reliability issues, and reliability issues would cause price spikes for the worst of all worlds.

Consider the study Negative Electricity Prices and the Production Tax Credit” by Frank Huntowski, Aaron Patterson, and Michael Schnitzer (The NorthBridge Group: September 10, 2012), which was commissioned by Exelon, whose nuclear-plant margins were badly compromised by wind’s “predatory” pricing.…

Continue Reading

Watchman on ‘Greenwashing’

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 16, 2022

“Back to the greenwash misdirection…. Why not add U.S. DOE secretary Jennifer “Please get your rig count up” Granholm to the list? How about the wind and solar developers who really don’t care about the damage they cause around them? How about the whole biomass industry?”

Paul Watchman is an amiable chap I have gotten to know on social media. Patient and polite, seems open-minded and respectful of opposing views, including mine toward Net Zero.

Watchman has many titles and positions in the climate debate, including Special Legal Adviser at UNEP Principles of Sustainable Development Net Zero Insurance Underwriters Alliance. This Honorary Professor of Law at the University of Glasgow is deep in the intellectual climate vanguard. [1]

“Greenwashing Day”

In a post titled “Greenwashing Day,” Watchman cuts loose on what he sees as a lot of fake greenery in the Net Zero cause.…

Continue Reading

‘Hot’ Climate Models: Soft Criticism from the Mainstream

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 15, 2022

“Using the latest generation of models in a way that is consistent with AR6 requires both an awareness of the [hot model] problem, and easy-to-use alternatives such as those we highlight here.”

The Nature article, Climate simulations: recognize the ‘hot model’ problem (May 4, 2022) deserves more study. The article by Zeke HausfatherKate MarvelGavin A. SchmidtJohn W. Nielsen-Gammon, and Mark Zelinka is subtitled : “The sixth and latest IPCC assessment weights climate models according to how well they reproduce other evidence. Now the rest of the community should do the same.’

We are climate modellers and analysts who develop, distribute and use these projections. We know scientists must treat them with great care. Users beware: a subset of the newest generation of models are ‘too hot’ and project climate warming in response to carbon dioxide emissions that might be larger than that supported by other evidence.…

Continue Reading

Bird Migration Day: Dim the Lights … or Turn Off the Turbines?

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 13, 2022
Continue Reading

Vaclav Smil: Antidote to Magical Thinking

By Richard W. Fulmer -- May 12, 2022
Continue Reading

“Gasoline Prices: Still Good News” (a 20-year-old op-ed for today)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 11, 2022
Continue Reading

In Defense of Price ‘Gouging’ (lines, shortages are uneconomic, discriminatory)

By Michael Giberson -- May 10, 2022
Continue Reading

Energy and Environmental Review: May 9, 2022

By -- May 9, 2022
Continue Reading

John Kerry vs. Natural Gas

By -- May 6, 2022
Continue Reading

Mass Starvation Could Save Us from Climate Change!

By Richard W. Fulmer -- May 5, 2022
Continue Reading