Green Energy Is Not Our Salvation
To anyone paying attention, it should be quite obvious by now that the so-called “green revolution” is but a whimper and is quickly fading in support based on all the evidence that has accumulated showing it’s false promises.
The environmental movement is running out of scary scenarios for which to create the appearance of imminent doom in order to advance their cause for conversion of primary energy sources away from abundant fossil fuels to unpredictable and noncompetitive sources such as wind, solar, and biomass. Consider the catastrophes they have been trumpeted to support the case for action yet failed to materialize:
- Population explosion (mass starvation, depletion of resources, global anarchy)
- New Ice Age Scare
- Acid rain (destruction of lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans with resultant loss of wildlife and habitat)
- Nuclear Armageddon (irrational fear of radioactive clouds orbiting the earth, mutation, nuclear winter)
- Ozone layer depletion (mankind would be severely impacted as a result of excessive radiation exposure)
- Melting Ice Cap and glacial retreat (loss of coastlines, massive flooding)
- Extinction (loss of entire species of plants and animals)
- Pollution (poisoning of air and water)
- Rain Forest Loss (loss of O2, CO2, disruption of photosynthesis, loss of vegetation and habitat)
- Mass migration due to loss of habitat (don’t confuse this with the current migration as a result of global Islamic jihad)
The numerous examples of cronyism (more), fraud, criminal activity (more), and the rash of bankruptcies (here, here, here, here, and here) of alternative energy companies indicates that, even with massive government subsidies and guarantees of higher per unit energy costs, alternative energy is not ready to compete with fossil fuels or nuclear energy and cannot replace these cheaper sources of energy anytime in the foreseeable future.
Costs for alternatively derived energy (wind, solar, biomass) are impacting average households with bills that are as much as 50% higher than they previously were using conventional energy sources. Germany, which has the highest adoption rate of wind energy is all but abandoning their ambitious plans.
Misrepresentations of green energy’s ability to cut greenhouse gas and reduce the impact of global warming have produced unanticipated impacts on everything from loss of jobs (more, more), food scarcity and social unrest. Additionally, the impacts on birds (dead birds, more) , habitat, and scenic blight are all too prevalent.
An “all of the above” solution (coal, gas, nuclear, wind, solar, hydro) can be incorporated into our energy mix. Environmentalists must embrace the fact that renewables currently can only provide a small percentage of total energy needs and is not yet positioned to be a reliable source of peak demand.
Until we have the technology to be able to store wind and solar energy for when it is needed (i.e. better battery technology and improved grid designs), we will be kidding ourselves that these “green” technologies are anything but expensive demonstration projects that are hurting our ability to sustain a reasonable standard of living.
When it comes to evaluating the merits of “green” energy, as they say “follow the money”. If it is being spearheaded by politicians in collaboration with their cronies in business or investment banking you can be assured there is something to be suspicious about. The real innovation and breakthrough will not be at the hands of government, but by entrepreneurs developing the breakthrough technologies that will help us to augment, and finally wean ourselves off fossil fuels and our dependence on the Middle East.