“It took a decade in Texas, but the cancer grew and spread–thanks, in part, to the very projects that Mr. Howard lists on his resume. Between 3,000 and 4,000 MW of mostly wind but also solar projects are claimed, led by Los Vientos I, II, III, IV, V, and VI….

Milton R. Howard, one of the nation’s leading wind/solar developers (along with the spouse of the Houston Chronicle business editorialist, another story) sees himself as a great man, creating value for society in addition to his employer and himself.

He describes himself as a “people person” who is “making this world a better place than I found it.”

I am driven to make things better from an overall economic, social and environmental standpoint. I am passionate and a high achiever but also very much a people person.

“The answer to ensuring a reliable and affordable supply of electricity in Texas is not more subsidies, it is less subsidies. It is getting politicians out of the electricity business.” (Bill Peacock, below)

“The conundrum is that the greater the overall share of renewables in the energy mix, the more customers will have to spend on these largely redundant backups.” (Financial Times, below)

Economists have warned against central planning where a government monopoly is invoked and decisions are made from the center. Free-market analysts also long warned Texas that the government-enabled takeover of the grid with wind and solar (dilute, intermittent all) would cripple the ability of the reliables (gas-fired, coal-fired, and nuclear) to make the grid stable and secure, short of ‘Acts of God.’

But Acts of Political Man won out, and the Great Texas Blackout of February 2021 happened.…

“In a free energy market, Solar + Wind would be whittled down to less than 1-2% of total electricity on [India’s] Grid.” (C. S. Krishandev, below)

“Yokosuka is one of the 22 new coal-fired power plants planned to be built in Japan by 2025, and it is the only coal-fired facility being constructed in Japan’s Greater Tokyo area.” (NS Energy, below)

Two recent social media posts by independent energy consultant C. S. Krishnadev provide an interesting look at recent coal developments. One is on India electricity demand, the other on a coal-for-oil/gas plant conversion in Japan. The upshot: Coal has many decades left as a primary energy to generate electricity.

India Current

Krishnadev provided an interesting update on India’s electrical generation mix:

In a 24 hr period, India consumes 4.2 billion Kwh of electricity.

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

Renewables (General):

*** Illinois Put a Stop to Local Governments’ Ability to Kill Solar and Wind Projects. Will Other Midwestern States Follow? (This is a shameful violation of Home Rule)
*** Renewables: the more you have, the more you pay for backups
*** American Towns Don’t Want To Be Big Cities’ ‘Green Energy’ Graveyards

Wind Energy — Offshore:
*** NOAA and BOEM; Ignorance is Bliss
*** Anti Offshore Wind Project Petition Takes Off, Nearing 300K Signatures
Biden admin scientist raised alarm on offshore wind harming whales months ago
Whale death confusion abounds and some is deliberate
Greenpeace Betrays Founders to Peddle Junk Science

Wind Energy — Other:
NY’s CLCPA Hits First Cost Overrun, with More to Follow

Solar Energy:
How solar development incentives will cost Maine’s poorest the most
Big solar in NYS

Nuclear Energy:
Reactor building internal structures completed at Chinese SMR
Georgia Nuclear facility reaches first criticality

Fossil Fuel Energy:
*** Unstoppable
Biden, White House cited inaccurate ‘9,000 unused permits’ figure numerous times
Biden expected to approve Alaska oil drilling project in blow to climate activists
Delaware Voters Overwhelmingly Opposes Gas-powered Car Ban
Germany to Build 30 New Gas Plants

Electric Vehicles (EVs):
The Troubling Future of the Green Electric Revolution
Clean Car Rule for New York A Messy Case of California Envy

Miscellaneous Energy News:
*** The New Normal?…