The Guardian - Fury as EU moves ahead with plans to label gas and nuclear as ‘green’

[Moviefan-2]

The fairy-tale belief that you can replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power continues to collapse.

Fury as EU moves ahead with plans to label gas and nuclear as ‘green’

Brussels faces backlash and charges of greenwashing after publishing draft proposals on New Year’s Eve

www.theguardian.com

The key point comes from Clément Beaune, the European affairs minister: "(T)he EU could not reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 without nuclear power."

No kidding.

Naturally, Greta and her fellow fantasy peddlers are not amused.

Code Red for Humanity - or Green Light for more climate destruction? - Euractiv

While activists battle to ensure taxonomy paves the way for real climate action, EU political leaders want to rebrand fossil gas and nuclear power as "sustainable", when they are neither sustainable nor green, argue Greta Thunberg and a group of youth climate activists.

www.euractiv.com

 

[WULA]

France 1 - Germany 0

Many people think that Germans do not have a sense of humour.

For me, it is totally laughable that Germany is closing down its nuclear electrical generation to just buy it from France.

 

[danmand]

The fairy-tale belief that you can replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power continues to collapse.

I am puzzled why you and others are so afraid of wind and solar power in far away countries.

Canada and USA will be the last countries to adopt wind and solar power.

 

[NotADcotor]

I am puzzled why you and others are so afraid of wind and solar power in far away countries.

I don't think anyone is "afraid" for wind and solar.
Well except for me. Once a solar panel touched my special area without asking. It's been hard dealing with the PTSD.

 

[danmand]

I don't think anyone is "afraid" for wind and solar.
Well except for me. Once a solar panel touched my special area without asking. It's been hard dealing with the PTSD.

You have my deepest sympathy.

 

[NotADcotor]

You have my deepest sympathy.

It's a hard luck life for me.

 

[Moviefan-2]

I am puzzled why you and others are so afraid of wind and solar power in far away countries.

The quick answer is because it's an enormous waste of money that accomplishes nothing.

It is technically impossible to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar power. The result when jurisdictions try to embrace this fairy tale is skyrocketing energy costs with no significant difference in man-made CO2 emissions.

Wind and solar power is also unreliable. Europe faces the prospect of blackouts this winter during particularly cold months because it doesn't have a reliable supply of energy.

The Americans are fortunate that Biden's efforts to appease the Green Deal dreamers is stymied. Canada is fortunate that it gets much of its energy from hydroelectric and nuclear power.

But there continues to be a threat of bad policy decisions that will lead to bad outcomes.

Indeed, Maclean's has just published an interview with former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne. The former premier says she regrets she didn't take the threat of rising energy costs seriously enough. The disastrous Green Energy Act was a significant factor in those rising costs.

Kathleen Wynne on her political downfall and the private advice she gave Doug Ford

The former premier of Ontario talks with Paul Wells about her tumultuous legacy, grappling with the province's anger, and life after politics

www.macleans.ca

I've always been transparent that I think it's absurd for politicians to implement policies that have major ramifications for the economy based on speculation about what the future may hold in 50 or 100 years' time. The future is unknowable and the predictions of a dire future usually prove to be wrong. That's because new innovations emerge that improve the quality of life on this planet.

But if politicians feel they have a political obligation to do something to reduce emissions, then the focus must be on nuclear power and natural gas. The EU has got that part right.

 

[Frankfooter]

The quick answer is because it's an enormous waste of money that accomplishes nothing.

Tell that to Scotland.

 

[JohnLarue]

I am puzzled why you and others are so afraid of wind and solar power in far away countries.

Canada and USA will be the last countries to adopt wind and solar power.

nope
we shall watch in horror as the EU and Great Britain show us how ridiculous it is to think wind and solar can replace fossil fuels

 

[JohnLarue]

Indeed, Maclean's has just published an interview with former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne. The former premier says she regrets she didn't take the threat of rising energy costs seriously enough. The disastrous Green Energy Act was a significant factor in those rising costs.

Kathleen Wynne on her political downfall and the private advice she gave Doug Ford

The former premier of Ontario talks with Paul Wells about her tumultuous legacy, grappling with the province's anger, and life after politics

www.macleans.ca

She knew it would be a money pit from word go
Thanks to her Ontario has the highest Debt per capita of any non-soverign entity in the world

"She regrets she did not take the threat of rising energy costs seriously"

Generations of Ontarians will regret the hag ever got in politics to begin with

 

[danmand]

nope
we shall watch in horror as the EU and Great Britain show us how ridiculous it is to think wind and solar can replace fossil fuels

Table 5.1: Typical capital and operating costs for power plants. Note that these costs do not include subsidies, incentives, or any "social costs" (e.g., air or water emissions)

Technology	Capital Cost ($/kW)	Operating Cost ($/kWh)
Coal-fired combustion turbine	$500 — $1,000	0.02 — 0.04
Natural gas combustion turbine	$400 — $800	0.04 — 0.10
Coal gasification combined-cycle (IGCC)	$1,000 — $1,500	0.04 — 0.08
Natural gas combined-cycle	$600 — $1,200	0.04 — 0.10
Wind turbine (includes offshore wind)	$1,200 — $5,000	Less than 0.01
Nuclear	$1,200 — $5,000	0.02 — 0.05
Photovoltaic Solar	$4,500 and up	Less than 0.01
Hydroelectric	$1,200 — $5,000	Less than 0.01

 

[JohnLarue]

Table 5.1: Typical capital and operating costs for power plants. Note that these costs do not include subsidies, incentives, or any "social costs" (e.g., air or water emissions)

Technology	Capital Cost ($/kW)	Operating Cost ($/kWh)
Coal-fired combustion turbine	$500 — $1,000	0.02 — 0.04
Natural gas combustion turbine	$400 — $800	0.04 — 0.10
Coal gasification combined-cycle (IGCC)	$1,000 — $1,500	0.04 — 0.08
Natural gas combined-cycle	$600 — $1,200	0.04 — 0.10
Wind turbine (includes offshore wind)	$1,200 — $5,000	Less than 0.01
Nuclear	$1,200 — $5,000	0.02 — 0.05
Photovoltaic Solar	$4,500 and up	Less than 0.01
Hydroelectric	$1,200 — $5,000	Less than 0.01

Bovine Scatology
What the source for this fantasy ?
If it were true their would be no need for any green subsidies at all and European energy bills would not be soaring

Once again It will become apparent you are quoting mythological name plate capacity for the renewables rather than actual energy generated
In addition, because wind and solar are intermittent, you need to layer in the cost of their Fossil Fuel back up

Nice try

 

[Moviefan-2]

Worth repeating:

Clément Beaune, the European affairs minister: "(T)he EU could not reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 without nuclear power."

It should also be remembered that the biggest champion of the situation in Germany today is Vladimir Putin. https://bit.ly/32VhEPS

 

[danmand]

Now, I think it is quaint that some people on an Escort Review Board are trying to protect the Canadian fossil fuel Industry, but it really does not matter at all.

In other parts of the world, private equity is financing larger and larger wind farms and solar power. By neglecting to invest in new technology, Canada is losing out on employment, and will later have to import capacity. It is not surprising. Canada has a long history of leaving innovation to others.

 

[JohnLarue]

Now, I think it is quaint that some people on an Escort Review Board are trying to protect the Canadian fossil fuel Industry, but it really does not matter at all.

There is nothing quaint about putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work, driving inflation for all and threatening energy security chasing an ill conceived fantasy
It is foolish and will destroy a lot of lives

In other parts of the world, private equity is financing larger and larger wind farms and solar power.

You mean the other parts of the world (europe) who are now caught in an energy crisis due to foolish green energy policies?
A massive money pit which could be used elsewhere

By neglecting to invest in new technology, Canada is losing out on employment, and will later have to import capacity. It is not surprising. Canada has a long history of leaving innovation to others.

It does not matter if you are the first or last to throw you money into a money pit
it still disappears

It is quite telling that you failed to provide the source for your fantasy cost estimates
So quaint

 

[Moviefan-2]

Now, I think it is quaint that some people on an Escort Review Board are trying to protect the Canadian fossil fuel Industry, but it really does not matter at all.

In other parts of the world, private equity is financing larger and larger wind farms and solar power. By neglecting to invest in new technology, Canada is losing out on employment, and will later have to import capacity. It is not surprising. Canada has a long history of leaving innovation to others.

BlackRock's push to promote ESG investments had the unintended consequence of boosting coal production among private companies that don't have the same transparency standards as public companies.

Opinion: Coal went from investor pariah to luvvie in one year. How did that happen as the planet warms up?

Coal is essentially free money for the mining companies that didn’t give it up, and it will not gently fade away any time soon

www.theglobeandmail.com

As for my own take, my position continues to be that if politicians feel they must implement policies to reduce man-made CO2 emissions, they should adopt sensible and realistic policies.

That means promoting and making major investments in nuclear and natural gas.

 

[JohnLarue]

BlackRock's push to promote ESG investments had the unintended consequence of boosting coal production among private companies that don't have the same transparency standards as public companies.

Opinion: Coal went from investor pariah to luvvie in one year. How did that happen as the planet warms up?

Coal is essentially free money for the mining companies that didn’t give it up, and it will not gently fade away any time soon

www.theglobeandmail.com

As for my own take, my position continues to be that if politicians feel they must implement policies to reduce man-made CO2 emissions, they should adopt sensible and realistic policies.

That means promoting and making major investments in nuclear and natural gas.

Natural gas produces lots of C02, albeit a little cleaner

Substituting NG for oil is sort like a 350 pounder losing 10-15 lbs if your goal is to reduce C02 emissions (not that the goal will accomplish anything)
yeah he weighs less but you still do not want him to sit on the Hepplewhite chairs,
Better to get some furniture made out of steel tubing

 

[Frankfooter]

BlackRock's push to promote ESG investments had the unintended consequence of boosting coal production among private companies that don't have the same transparency standards as public companies.

I little blip.
Coal is on its way out.

Of course, if you really believe what you post you should invest everything you've got in coal and make a killing.
Go for it, put your money where your mouth is.

 

[Moviefan-2]

Natural gas produces lots of C02, albeit a little cleaner.

I recognize that natural gas still produces CO2 emissions. That said, the fracking of natural gas was the primary reason the U.S. achieved significant reductions in emissions in recent years.

For example, the International Energy Agency said the U.S. saw the largest country-wide decrease in CO2 emissions in 2019 due to the increase in natural gas production.

Global CO2 emissions in 2019 – Analysis - IEA

Global CO2 emissions in 2019 - Analysis and findings. An article by the International Energy Agency.

www.iea.org

 

[Moviefan-2]

CNBC reported on Jan. 5 that some business owners in Europe are terrified because of the rising gas prices.

Gas prices surge again in Europe, leaving some business owners 'terrified' for the future

Europe is facing continued volatility in its wholesale gas markets, prompting concerns across the region that an energy crisis could be about to get even worse.

www.cnbc.com

The story includes an interesting quote from Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

He said the problem "highlights failed energy and storage policies in Europe and the U.K., which has left the region very dependent on imports of gas, especially given the still unreliable level of power generation from renewable sources.”