Germany Discarding The Green Agenda?

[WhiskeyGirl]

China brings hundreds of coal fired energy plants online every year.  Why coal and not wind or solar farms?  Reliability?  Cost?

Comments -

"The man who got us into this mess of rising prices for unreliable energy - Ed Miliband and the energy crisis "

Does he really think we forget that it was he who, as Energy Secretary, was rolled over by the green activists, signed up to build thousands of ludicrously expensive and useless wind farms and then laid the costs for them on our future electricity bills?

It was also he who first agreed to force the premature closure of much of our existing power plant, funked the decision on new nuclear capacity and did everything else possible to ensure that our future energy supply would be both unreliable and expensive.

Maybe the rest of the world is starting to discover that green energy is a scam?

…in Germany 23 new coal-fired power plants are under construction, because Germany is worried about the increasing cost of electricity, and because it can’t afford to be in the strategic position of importing too much electricity.

So while Britain exposes itself to imported gas, refuses to consider shale resources, and presses on with an extravagant and inefficient wind programme, our EU trading partners are quietly discarding the so-called green agenda.

Blackouts and rising fuel poverty in Britain will be the sadly predictable outcome of this approach, together with the quiet death of energy-intensive industries and the attendant loss of tens of thousands of jobs. 

How long before Americans start suffering from fuel poverty?  The few industries that remain die off?

Read more common sense here -  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9577361/The-man-who-got-us-into-this-mess-of-rising-prices-for-unreliable-energy.html

[WhiskeyGirl]

"Obama’s “War on Coal” Other Countries Promote Its Use"

Why is that?  No jobs for native born Americans?  Immigrants only?  Energy poverty for America?

Across Europe and Asia, coal production and consumption is on the rise. Russia’s coal production increased substantially in 2011, reaching the highest level since the Soviet Union was dissolved. The Russian government’s strategy is to increase coal production and electricity generation from coal so as to reduce its demand for natural gas, allowing more natural gas for export and more revenues for the country.[iii] European utilities are planning to add 10,600 megawatts of coal-fired capacity over the next four years in seven countries—over 6 times more than natural gas capacity.[iv] And China increased its coal consumption by almost 10 percent in 2011, now consuming over 4 billion short tons—over 4 times that of the United States.[v]

America's coal use seems to be a drop in the global bucket.  Why are Americans constantly demonized?  I imagine none of those countries have plans that burn as cleanly as those in the US.  US = state of the art clean coal.

China continues to build coal-fired plants at record numbers in order to fuel its economy and produce a better life for its citizens, many of whom are still without power...

America's future?  Poverty and no energy?

read more here - http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/49950

[WhiskeyGirl]

Hmm...close American coal plants and export the coal not used to China...really?  Is this really about clean air?

"State needs to take a deep look at coal-export proposals"

The state Department of Ecology, with support from Gov. Chris Gregoire, is sensibly calling for a cumulative environmental review of proposals to build coal-exporting mega-facilities near Bellingham and Longview.

Coal mining companies are looking to lucrative Asian markets, because many Midwest and East Coast power producers are converting their generators to natural gas.  That coal could come from the Powder River Basin, on the Montana-Wyoming border, shipped by rail through Spokane to proposed ports at Cherry Point and Longview in Washington, and to three locations in Oregon.

That could bring massive quantities of open-top rail cars filled with coal down the Puget Sound coastline, through Olympia en route to Longview and Oregon. One study estimates the project would double the number of trains rumbling through Spokane, from 60 to 120 per day.

Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/02/2270891/state-needs-to-take-a-deep-look.html#storylink=cpy

Where are the environmentalists?  No mining folks?  Mining for export only?  Foreigners?  Giant hedge funds and global players that bought railways a few years ago?

No pipeline for American consumers…massive exports of ‘dirty coal’ for China and India.  Anyone remember who China and India blame for their pollution?

Just my humble opinions

[WhiskeyGirl]

"Global carbon trading system has 'essentially collapsed'"

A panel convened by the UN reported on Monday at a meeting in Bangkok that the system, known as the clean development mechanism (CDM), was in dire need of rescue. The panel warned that allowing the CDM to collapse would make it harder in future to raise finance to help developing countries cut carbon.

China and India outpace the rest of the world in building new coal fired power plants and coal consumption.  Why aren't they on the green road?

Mitchell Feierstein, chief executive of Glacier Environmental Funds, said the CDM had long been overshadowed by bigger opportunities for green investors. "Carbon markets will exist [in future] but certainly not as they exist today," he said. "Investment capital will continue flowing into the innovative technologies which increase energy efficiency while reducing global dependence on fossil fuels. Private capital is now more easily deployed in other investment opportunities without the bureaucratic hassles of the current CDM."

Sounds like government programs don't work, capitalism does.  Why would anyone set up a 'market' to save the planet that depends on massive profits for investors?

read more here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/10/global-carbon-trading-system?newsfeed=true

[WhiskeyGirl]

If cap and tax has failed elsewhere, why would anyone think it will work in California?

Fees from the state's pending cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions amount to a $1 billion-a-year tax increase on about 500 businesses in the state, the California Air Resources Board was told.

...

The California Chamber of Commerce and others have written Gov. Jerry Brown urging him to halt the start of the program, which begins in earnest on Nov. 14 and is the central element of California's 2006 climate-change law, AB32.

How many businesses have reported they are leaving the state?

Free stuff runs out in 2015...

"2015 is right around the corner and manufacturers are making plans this year for the next three-to-five years and capital investments may or may not happen in California based on the current regulations."

Still time to move!

..."At this point it's time for CMTA and (Western States Petroleum Association) and the chamber to join the many of hundreds of businesses that are investing in the fight against climate change instead of fighting AB32."

Where are the dinosaurs?  How many ice ages has the Earth survived? 

Are businesses investing in the fight by moving?  Relocating manufacturing to China a India where there are no climate change fraud expenses?

Why fight climate change?  I think climate change happens regardless of human activity. 

read more here - http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-09-20/business-groups-protest-calif-dot-carbon-market

[WhiskeyGirl]

I think this guy is spot on -

"Energy policy is a scandal"

THE recent nine per cent rise in electricity tariffs should surprise no-one. A succession of policies instigated or supported by all three main political parties are the cause; such draconian increases will continue and endanger domestic and industrial supplies.

How much have energy bills gone up in the past 4 years?  20 year?  Gas?  Electric?

The second factor, of course, is the great "renewable" fraud, the biggest confidence trick played on the British public since the Maastricht Treaty.

American public?

Needless to say, they will not be adopted globally by our competitors. The UK's contribution to global carbon emissions is 1.6 per cent. China alone increase their emissions by this amount annually, underlining how irrelevant such self-damaging and frankly scandalous policies are.

Will any effort to reduce emissions make a difference?  I don't think so. 

A drop of clean water doesn't stand a chance when someone pees in the corner of a swimming pool.

read more here - http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Energy-policy-scandal/story-16893691-detail/story.html

These are people who have been paying for climate change for decades!  Has it made a difference?  Job loss?

Did it bring economic prosperity?  Or, are climate change policies cause poverty?  Energy poverty?

just my humble opinions