David Harvey: Unawareness, Blind Ignorance and a Sense of Unreality

The Green Party Proposals for Electrification as an Answer to the Fuel Crisis

Mainstream Media reports that the Green Party will campaign on mass electrification for the election, saying the sun, wind, water and geothermal energy “don’t come through the Strait of Hormuz”.

Chloe Swarbrick with that wild-eyed enthusiasm that only she is capable of offers a simplistic solution. I use the word “simplistic” advisedly. She herself says the solution is simple.

She says:

John MacDonald: The Greens' solar plan doesn't stack up

The Green Party wants us to electrify everything, saying the current fuel crisis is a good reason to produce as much of our own energy as possible.

Which, by the way, is kind of ironic don’t you think? The Greens wanting us to produce our own energy, but not wanting us to drill for oil and gas?

Nevertheless, that’s what co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said in the party’s State of the Planet speech yesterday.

Professor John Raine: Climate And Energy Policy Realism Not Virtue Signalling, Please

Saving the Planet with Formula 1 Design Regulations

The 2026 Formula 1 (F1) motor racing season gets under way in Melbourne 6 - 8 March. During pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, leading drivers such as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso weren’t holding back with their criticism of the new FIA design regulations.

The sustainable non-fossil fuel is not really an issue, although “sustainable” needs close scrutiny as too often some environmental and emissions costs are externalised. The key change is that the FIA has specified an increase from 120kW to 350kW (close to 50%) electric power, and a reduction from ~550kW to ~400kW from the 1.6 litre turbocharged internal combustion engine. Notably, the battery energy storage capacity of 4 megajoules for 2026 remains unchanged, with this energy to be recovered twice over in braking each lap. Drivers now have become electrical energy managers rather than being 100% focused on driving flat out.

Professor Alan Brent: NZ energy crisis: electricity demand will jump as NZ decarbonises....

NZ energy crisis: electricity demand will jump as NZ decarbonises – can renewable generation keep up?

The prime minister has called it an “energy security crisis” and signalled a review of New Zealand’s electricity market as wholesale prices spike and industries suffer.

And he’s right – this year has seen pricing turmoil. August saw daily averages ranging between NZ$164.52 and $853.57 per megawatt hour (MWh). By comparison, August 2023 saw a maximum daily average price of $168.43 per MWh.

Kevin: Don’t Laugh, We’re Doing It Too

Of course we already have a fusion reactor. It’s called the sun.

It was a project that promised the sun. Researchers would use the world’s most advanced technology to design a machine that could generate atomic fusion, the process that drives the stars – and so create a source of cheap, non-polluting power.

Ian Bradford: The PM reveals plan to accelerate NZ’s switch to wind and solar

The PM  Chris Hipkins has revealed the Government’s plan to accelerate  NZ’s switch to clean energy with wind and solar. 

Many more of these unreliable, polluting, environment destroying projects, will soon take up more of our valuable land. 

“These projects can proceed faster, provided they meet the normal environmental tests as determined by expert consenting panels.”  So say the government. 

Lee Ohanian: California’s Solar Power Madness

The five political appointees who comprise the California Energy Commission voted unanimously in May to require that almost all new California housing include rooftop solar panels. 

The mandate also requires that new homes include expensive, highly energy-efficient appliances, lighting, windows, and home insulation. Environmental groups and the solar industry are embracing this building mandate, which would take effect in 2020. But the new policy is unprecedented within the United States and it highlights just how far California has gone in its quest for renewable energy.

California has committed itself to renewable energy like no other state, and this reflects the state government’s preferences to unilaterally reduce carbon emissions through renewables, with a focus on solar and wind power. As Governor Jerry Brown stated, “We don’t want to do nothing and let the climate get worse. California is all in.” The new solar mandate follows up on 2015 legislation requiring 50 percent of electricity to be produced from renewables by 2030. Moreover, California Senate Bill 100, which likely will be voted on this year, commits California to produce carbon-free electricity by 2045.

Viv Forbes from Australia: Will Better Batteries save Solar Energy?

Tesla boss, Elon Musk (whose companies have received $4.9 billion in government subsidies for his electric cars) is now claiming that his batteries will allow solar energy to power the world:

“You can basically make all electricity generation in the world renewable and basically solar ..”

This is, at best, pure puffery.

Bryan Leyland: “Things you know that ain't so” - solar power

As the American humorist Will Rogers said: “It’s not what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” 

 The solar power industry only exists because deluded governments all over the world  believe that it will make a significant difference to carbon dioxide emissions that, they believe, cause dangerous global warming. As a result they have been conned into providing subsidies of 3 to 5 times the cost of conventional power.