Thanks for writing on this topic! I had no idea that the term limited IRA will continue in perpetuity and bankrupt our nation. Subsidies are not sustainable and the goobermint will run out of our money. What happens to the wind and solar infrastructure thereafter is awful to contemplate.
Chris, I don't think many people know that the wind and solar subsidies in the IRA may never expire. No question that the Supreme Court will eventually have something so say about this. With the announcement a few hours ago that the president just imposed the Defense Production Act to build heat pumps, as if there was an emergency that requires hundreds of thousands of heat pumps, the insane amounts of subsidies for wind, solar and everything electric just tipped over the edge of crazy.
Thanks for your timely article, Ed. California has been pursuing these nonsensical policies since 2010. They are one of the causes of the state's ratepayers being burdened with typically the most expensive electric power rates in the lower 48 states.
Here's one example of a well-heeled elite who admitted circa 2014 he is on the gravy train at taxpayer expense. (Buffett's father was a four-term U.S. Representative from Nebraska.) CGNP used this quote near the conclusion to their June 29, 2023 filing at https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M512/K707/512707725.PDF supporting extended Diablo Canyon Power Plant operations before the California Public Utilities Commission. Multi-billionaire Warren Buffett explained the rationale for solar and wind generation in 2014:
"For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That's the only reason to build them. They don't make sense without the tax credit."
"Big Wind's Bogus Subsidies - Giving tax credits to the wind energy industry is a waste of time and money."
By Nancy Pfotenhauer, Contributor | May 12, 2014, at 2:30 p.m US News & World Report
NERC urged FERC to reject a request by Californians for Green Nuclear Power to overturn the planned closing of Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
So, NERC complains about declining grid reliability, but won't take affirmative actions to maintain reliability. CGNP was persistent. With federal and state support, the CPUC is poised to extend Diablo Canyon operations for at least five years during their next voting meeting on November 30, 2023. See: https://cgnp.org/sb-846-update/ for details.
Gene, thank you very much for your kind comments and the information on your efforts in California. You are to be commended for your hard work with CGNP to keep Diablo Canyon. It appears that your efforts are paying off and the Diablo Canyon will continue to operate for at least 5 years. I would appreciate hearing from you why the "CO2 is bad" people are so stridently anti-nuclear. That just doesn't make sense.
On subsidies, there is no question that they are responsible for grid reliability problems. Also, seeing what the current Administration is doing with out-of-control spending on wind and solar and passing rules and regulations to effectively make natural gas illegal, grid reliability problems are only going to get worse. Until the administration changes, there doesn't seem to be a way to stop the out-of-control spending and regulations.
Thanks again for your comments and for the links you sent, Gene. I appreciate you reading my articles and commenting. You bring very valuable background and comments to our forum. Ed
Beyond Carbon campaign will continue to work towards shuttering all remaining U.S. coal plants, quadrupling the amount of clean energy on the grid, and halving gas use by 2030
New funding builds on previous Bloomberg Philanthropies investments that catalyzed public and private efforts to accelerate the energy transition and meet ambitious climate goals
New York, NY – Today, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg announced an additional $500 million commitment to expand the Beyond Carbon campaign, one of the largest philanthropic efforts to fight the climate crisis in the U.S.
Beyond Carbon will turbocharge the efforts of U.S. cities, states, businesses, and more to transition away from carbon pollution. By 2030, Beyond Carbon aims to:
• Finish the job on coal. With 372 of 530 coal plants announced to retire or closed to date – more than 70 percent of the country’s coal fleet – this next phase will shut down every last U.S. coal plant.
• Slash gas plant capacity in half, and block all new gas plants.
• Increase U.S. clean energy four-fold. Accelerate the clean energy transition to reach the goal of 80 percent of total electricity generation.......
The Beyond Carbon campaign improperly opposes nuclear power while opposing coal - fired power. In my view, a logical reason for the Beyond Carbon to oppose nuclear power is for natural gas franchise protection.
BTW, natural gas bans in buildings actually INCREASE natural gas usage for electricity generation because the thermodynamic efficiency of natural-gas fired power plants ranges from about 30 - 60%. If the replacement electric powered end use cannot compensate for the thermodynamic losses during generation, the result is greater natural gas consumption, with a side - order of virtue signaling or greenwashing.
The Warren Buffett quote above illustrates the need to reject the Plutocrat party, which provides campaign finance contributions to any political party which enriches the donor.
Seems like we are about to witness the ultimate confrontation between bureaucratic mandates and the free market. Here's hoping the free market prevails! Just say NO to the central planners.
Your take is exactly correct as I see it, Ed!
Thanks Tom! I always appreciate your thoughts and comments. Ed
Thanks for writing on this topic! I had no idea that the term limited IRA will continue in perpetuity and bankrupt our nation. Subsidies are not sustainable and the goobermint will run out of our money. What happens to the wind and solar infrastructure thereafter is awful to contemplate.
Chris, I don't think many people know that the wind and solar subsidies in the IRA may never expire. No question that the Supreme Court will eventually have something so say about this. With the announcement a few hours ago that the president just imposed the Defense Production Act to build heat pumps, as if there was an emergency that requires hundreds of thousands of heat pumps, the insane amounts of subsidies for wind, solar and everything electric just tipped over the edge of crazy.
Thanks for your timely article, Ed. California has been pursuing these nonsensical policies since 2010. They are one of the causes of the state's ratepayers being burdened with typically the most expensive electric power rates in the lower 48 states.
Here's one example of a well-heeled elite who admitted circa 2014 he is on the gravy train at taxpayer expense. (Buffett's father was a four-term U.S. Representative from Nebraska.) CGNP used this quote near the conclusion to their June 29, 2023 filing at https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M512/K707/512707725.PDF supporting extended Diablo Canyon Power Plant operations before the California Public Utilities Commission. Multi-billionaire Warren Buffett explained the rationale for solar and wind generation in 2014:
"For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That's the only reason to build them. They don't make sense without the tax credit."
"Big Wind's Bogus Subsidies - Giving tax credits to the wind energy industry is a waste of time and money."
By Nancy Pfotenhauer, Contributor | May 12, 2014, at 2:30 p.m US News & World Report
https://tinyurl.com/Buffett-Wind-Scam
IMO, The subsidy seekers are a significant part of the problem.
_______________________
NERC Blasts Calif. Nuclear Group's (CGNP's) Complaint
https://www.rtoinsider.com/articles/19212-nerc-blasts-calif-nuclear-group-s-complaint
NERC urged FERC to reject a request by Californians for Green Nuclear Power to overturn the planned closing of Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
So, NERC complains about declining grid reliability, but won't take affirmative actions to maintain reliability. CGNP was persistent. With federal and state support, the CPUC is poised to extend Diablo Canyon operations for at least five years during their next voting meeting on November 30, 2023. See: https://cgnp.org/sb-846-update/ for details.
Gene, thank you very much for your kind comments and the information on your efforts in California. You are to be commended for your hard work with CGNP to keep Diablo Canyon. It appears that your efforts are paying off and the Diablo Canyon will continue to operate for at least 5 years. I would appreciate hearing from you why the "CO2 is bad" people are so stridently anti-nuclear. That just doesn't make sense.
On subsidies, there is no question that they are responsible for grid reliability problems. Also, seeing what the current Administration is doing with out-of-control spending on wind and solar and passing rules and regulations to effectively make natural gas illegal, grid reliability problems are only going to get worse. Until the administration changes, there doesn't seem to be a way to stop the out-of-control spending and regulations.
Thanks again for your comments and for the links you sent, Gene. I appreciate you reading my articles and commenting. You bring very valuable background and comments to our forum. Ed
Ed: Here's a partial answer to your question about why the anti-CO2 people oppose nuclear power. from their press release ......
Michael R. Bloomberg Doubles Down with Additional $500M to Help End Fossil Fuels and Usher in a New Era of Clean Energy in the United States
September 20, 2023
https://www.bloomberg.org/press/michael-r-bloomberg-doubles-down-with-additional-500m-to-help-end-fossil-fuels-and-usher-in-a-new-era-of-clean-energy-in-the-united-states/
Environment
Beyond Carbon campaign will continue to work towards shuttering all remaining U.S. coal plants, quadrupling the amount of clean energy on the grid, and halving gas use by 2030
New funding builds on previous Bloomberg Philanthropies investments that catalyzed public and private efforts to accelerate the energy transition and meet ambitious climate goals
New York, NY – Today, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg announced an additional $500 million commitment to expand the Beyond Carbon campaign, one of the largest philanthropic efforts to fight the climate crisis in the U.S.
Beyond Carbon will turbocharge the efforts of U.S. cities, states, businesses, and more to transition away from carbon pollution. By 2030, Beyond Carbon aims to:
• Finish the job on coal. With 372 of 530 coal plants announced to retire or closed to date – more than 70 percent of the country’s coal fleet – this next phase will shut down every last U.S. coal plant.
• Slash gas plant capacity in half, and block all new gas plants.
• Increase U.S. clean energy four-fold. Accelerate the clean energy transition to reach the goal of 80 percent of total electricity generation.......
The Beyond Carbon campaign improperly opposes nuclear power while opposing coal - fired power. In my view, a logical reason for the Beyond Carbon to oppose nuclear power is for natural gas franchise protection.
BTW, natural gas bans in buildings actually INCREASE natural gas usage for electricity generation because the thermodynamic efficiency of natural-gas fired power plants ranges from about 30 - 60%. If the replacement electric powered end use cannot compensate for the thermodynamic losses during generation, the result is greater natural gas consumption, with a side - order of virtue signaling or greenwashing.
The Warren Buffett quote above illustrates the need to reject the Plutocrat party, which provides campaign finance contributions to any political party which enriches the donor.
Seems like we are about to witness the ultimate confrontation between bureaucratic mandates and the free market. Here's hoping the free market prevails! Just say NO to the central planners.