Energy Realism this past week focused on, well, being real on energy and that pushback on Western Hypocrisy on energy and climate. Robert Bryce gets us started this week: not just an obvious physics and higher cost problem, but the “energy transition” we keep hearing about now has a huge “parts supply” problem. Finally, even those in the electric car and renewables receiving lavish taxpayer handouts for build-out are being forced to admit the truth. While the Siemens Energy CEO says that his firm was “in the heart of the energy transition,” there are great “challenges,” particularly with regard to supply chains. And this is where his comments revealed what Robert calls the “Iron Law of Power Density.” A truism that confirms that the lower the power density of a given energy source, the higher the resource intensity. But we have a moral problem involved in all of this too. Rich and fossil fuel-devouring Westerners inexplicably demand that poor countries somehow “leapfrog” cheaper and more reliable fossil fuels to more expensive and less reliable renewables. Thankfully, Vijay Jayaraj continues to push back on blatant Western Hypocrisy. The “hey you can’t use the resources that made us wealthy and healthy” is understandably not playing well in the still developing world that encompasses almost 7 billion humans. Indeed, Mandy Gunasekara exposes the clown show junket of COP27. After 27 years, it is surely worth measuring the impact these conferences have had on their stated goals, the people that participate, and, of course, the climate. In sum, they are failing on all accounts. One of the major reasons why they are failing is that coal is still the go-to fuel source for power in the still developing world. Here in the U.S., the war against coal has subsided in recent years since gas prices have been much higher. King Coal has been roaring back. But now, Duggan Flanakin makes clear that a just avoided railroad strike would have all just been part of the plan. Greens want to stop coal at all costs, regardless of how destructive that would be. So then, let us conclude with our Essential Reading for the week, this time from the great Alex Epstein. The Greens, of course, have it all backwards. Fossil fuels are moral, fossil fuels are just, and fossil fuels are the best energy resources the world has ever known. That is why the most advanced countries in the world use the most of them. In the News Arianna Skibell, Politico Alex Kimani, Oil Price Andrew Stuttaford, National Review Adam Morton, The Guardian Rebecca Leber, Vox Reuters Sheetal Nasta, RBN Energy Hugo Kruger, Joel Kotkin, Newsweek Scott Keith, Fleet Owner The Editorial Board, LAT Reuters Daniel Bilak, Atlantic Council Tsvetana Paraskova, Oil Price IER WSJ CBS News Lesley Stahl reports on the race to develop and produce a viable electric car being waged between Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and Detroit auto executives. IEA Coal and its emissions are a critical issue as the world contends with both the global energy crisis and the climate crisis. Coal in Net Zero Transitions: Strategies for Rapid, Secur... DW News The deal struck with QatarEnergy is set to go into effect in 2026 and last 15 years. Berlin is seeking to replace Russian gas, which used to cover over one half of Germany's annual s... PBS Discarded food is responsible for as much as 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Rhode Island PBS Weekly's Isabella Jibili... Fox News 'Outnumbered' panelists sound off on Milano's 'performative activism.' |