Energy

California

Will Huntington Beach spill trigger the end of oil in California?

A recent San Diego Union-Tribune story asked the question that’s been on a lot of minds recently: After last month’s Huntington Beach spill, is oil in California at its end? Given the state’s focus on the environment, the answer is likely a booming “Yes.” Three years ago, Rep. Ro Khanna ...
Blackouts

Same Old Story With Renewable Energy

In its foolish rush to close every natural gas power plant in the state, officials forgot something: Californians still need power. Consequently, the AES generating station in Redondo Beach, which had been headed for the power plant equivalent of the glue factory, will remain open through 2023. “​​With California struggling ...
Blog

Will The Jones Act Cripple The Biden Administration’s Offshore Wind Farms?

Last week, the Biden administration announced the proposal to develop seven major offshore wind farms on the east and west coasts of the United States. Biden said he wants to build tens of thousands of wind turbines and generate 30 gigawatts of power by 2030. One gigawatt is the power ...
Blog

California Promotes Wind Energy, Ignores Market Forces

Windmills on the water. Get ready for them. They’re on their way, thanks to a recently signed bill. The new law requires the state’s Energy Commission “to evaluate and quantify the maximum feasible capacity of” offshore wind energy in federal waters, which “if developed and deployed at scale … can ...
Blackouts

California Desperate for Fossil Fuel to Keep the Lights On

The state that says it will be fully powered by renewables by 2045 has asked the federal government to find an electric reliability emergency which “requires intervention … to preserve the reliability of bulk electric power” in California. Following the request, the state’s grid operator issued two straight days of ...
Blog

Banning Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Could Have Unintended Consequences in Next Power Outage

Californians who have been seen power supplies become more unreliable in recent years have increasingly turned to gas-powered electric generators to keep the lights on during “public safety power shutoffs.” According to the industry trade group, there are 1.5 million portable generators in use in California today.  The average gas-powered ...
California

Green Building Mandates Will Increase the Cost of Housing in California

Despite the exorbitant cost of homes in California, Sacramento continues to chase policies that increase housing prices. Apparently, some pursuits, particularly the quest for a green future, are more important than others. The California Energy Commission, whose five unelected members clearly understand what is expected of them politically, unanimously adopted ...
Climate Change

History Repeats as Solar Power Oversold, Underperforms

Some stories in the world of energy are perennial. Pretty much every year, we read new advances in energy production or use that are going to revolutionize the world. And every year, that prediction doesn’t pan out. Other stories are decadal. Every 10 years or so, we hear about radical ...
Blackouts

Competitive Energy Markets, Not Monopoly, Delivers Affordable, Reliable, And Low-Emission Energy

Texas’ energy debacle during this past winter has led to a great deal of introspection regarding which energy market structure is the most appropriate. Most analysts would agree that energy market regulations should facilitate access to affordable and reliable electricity, while generating the lowest feasible emissions. The controversy arises with ...
Blog

Requiring Uber/Lyft Drivers to Go Green Is Costly and Unrealistic Virtue Signaling

In a state where residents are increasingly given orders rather than more choices, an unelected group has decided that by 2030, 90% of all rideshare miles must occur in electric cars. We’re expected to accept this as progress. It will turn out to be anything but. The California Air Resources ...
California

Will Huntington Beach spill trigger the end of oil in California?

A recent San Diego Union-Tribune story asked the question that’s been on a lot of minds recently: After last month’s Huntington Beach spill, is oil in California at its end? Given the state’s focus on the environment, the answer is likely a booming “Yes.” Three years ago, Rep. Ro Khanna ...
Blackouts

Same Old Story With Renewable Energy

In its foolish rush to close every natural gas power plant in the state, officials forgot something: Californians still need power. Consequently, the AES generating station in Redondo Beach, which had been headed for the power plant equivalent of the glue factory, will remain open through 2023. “​​With California struggling ...
Blog

Will The Jones Act Cripple The Biden Administration’s Offshore Wind Farms?

Last week, the Biden administration announced the proposal to develop seven major offshore wind farms on the east and west coasts of the United States. Biden said he wants to build tens of thousands of wind turbines and generate 30 gigawatts of power by 2030. One gigawatt is the power ...
Blog

California Promotes Wind Energy, Ignores Market Forces

Windmills on the water. Get ready for them. They’re on their way, thanks to a recently signed bill. The new law requires the state’s Energy Commission “to evaluate and quantify the maximum feasible capacity of” offshore wind energy in federal waters, which “if developed and deployed at scale … can ...
Blackouts

California Desperate for Fossil Fuel to Keep the Lights On

The state that says it will be fully powered by renewables by 2045 has asked the federal government to find an electric reliability emergency which “requires intervention … to preserve the reliability of bulk electric power” in California. Following the request, the state’s grid operator issued two straight days of ...
Blog

Banning Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Could Have Unintended Consequences in Next Power Outage

Californians who have been seen power supplies become more unreliable in recent years have increasingly turned to gas-powered electric generators to keep the lights on during “public safety power shutoffs.” According to the industry trade group, there are 1.5 million portable generators in use in California today.  The average gas-powered ...
California

Green Building Mandates Will Increase the Cost of Housing in California

Despite the exorbitant cost of homes in California, Sacramento continues to chase policies that increase housing prices. Apparently, some pursuits, particularly the quest for a green future, are more important than others. The California Energy Commission, whose five unelected members clearly understand what is expected of them politically, unanimously adopted ...
Climate Change

History Repeats as Solar Power Oversold, Underperforms

Some stories in the world of energy are perennial. Pretty much every year, we read new advances in energy production or use that are going to revolutionize the world. And every year, that prediction doesn’t pan out. Other stories are decadal. Every 10 years or so, we hear about radical ...
Blackouts

Competitive Energy Markets, Not Monopoly, Delivers Affordable, Reliable, And Low-Emission Energy

Texas’ energy debacle during this past winter has led to a great deal of introspection regarding which energy market structure is the most appropriate. Most analysts would agree that energy market regulations should facilitate access to affordable and reliable electricity, while generating the lowest feasible emissions. The controversy arises with ...
Blog

Requiring Uber/Lyft Drivers to Go Green Is Costly and Unrealistic Virtue Signaling

In a state where residents are increasingly given orders rather than more choices, an unelected group has decided that by 2030, 90% of all rideshare miles must occur in electric cars. We’re expected to accept this as progress. It will turn out to be anything but. The California Air Resources ...
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