Tag Archives: #Coalpower

The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis Was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, Here is How to End IT!

Hint: Go back to 2007 plans to build 151 new coal plants!

I have given numerous presentations and written much on the “Self-Inflicted” Electricity Crisis. Well, now thanks to the efforts of President Trump, Lee Zeldin, Elon Musk and DOGE, the influence of the destructive Green, so-called, “Climate Policies” have uncovered a tangled web of the SWAMP, Bureaucrats, NGO’s, WEF, Woke Corporations, MSM, Politicians, Fraud, Misguided Federal Judges and Corruption. I wrote about “GONGO the 14 Headed SWAMP Monster” on a previous article, here.

The answer to providing reliable, affordable, clean and Dispatchable Bulk Power Generation has been proven.

The new plant construction plans in place between 2007-2009 would have, if completed, completely eliminated the electricity generation crisis the U.S. is faced with for 2025. So, why were such well thought out plans scrapped? Because of the EPA’s Endangerment Finding.

The Answer: Build 151 New Coal Plants!

America had a plan to build about 151 new modern coal power plants. The “Endangerment Finding” was politically based, it was not based on science or for protecting public health. The proposed 151 new coal plants in 2007 was a good plan. In my opinion, it is still a good plan now! What other form of Dispatchable, 24/7, affordable cost power generation capacity can be built in ten years that has on-site fuel storage? Nuclear is a good idea but it will require more time to rebuild the supply-chain. Natural gas plants, in my opinion, are over-built and nearly all of them have no on-site fuel storage and are always susceptible to pipeline flow disruptions.

Coal power is the best fuel choice to provide the replacement of the lost 125,000 MW of coal plant capacity. New electricity generation capacity is needed ASAP, as electricity growth is now about 2-4% per year to provide the needed power to reshore primary metals production, manufacturing and to power new AI servers. I presented a presentation based on the loss of aluminum manufacturing in America and the shifting of production to China. This is here and here

Two of the NETL slides from a 2007 presentation on Tracking of New Coal Plants are copied below.

Power Magazine in 2010 had an article entitled, “Coal is Down but Not Out” and went on to describe 340 coal plant projects scheduled for 2011.

I remember these years well, they were very good years for business. Three plants that were memorable to me were the 600 MW Pee Dee Coal plant planned by Santee-Cooper, the 600 MW Turk Plant in Arkansas and the 1960 MW FP&L Glades Plant in Florida.

AEP did build one of the Turk planned four units and it is a magnificent Ultrasupercritical plant with a fine operating record. However, the other three units were cancelled due Sue and Settle law fare by the EPA and NGO’s”. The Pee Dee Coal Plant components were purchased but it was never assembled/erected. References below if you are interested for these and over 100 other canceled coal plants.

About 2010 The EPA SWAMP Monster Strikes

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation listed at least 100,000 MW of coal plants shut down in the 2022 Summer Report. One table from that report is copied below which shows the growth in non-Dispatch able (Nameplate Capacity) wind and solar an decline of 21.4% coal generation between 2011 and 2021.

Another report by the Brattle Group showed the coal power generation decline of about 125,000 MW in coal plant capacity since 2005.

So My Friends, That is Why America is Facing A “Self-Inflicted” Electricity Generation Capacity Crisis

This crisis could have been averted had the politicians did three things:

1. NOT escalated the “War on Coal”,

2. Conquered GONGO the SWAMP Monster

3. NOT promoted the “Green New Deal”

Dick Storm and Donn Dears Suggestions on How to Fix IT

The late Donn Dears wrote many books and articles on his blog site over the last 15 years. He was one of the first published authors to warn Americans. His last book, “Clean Energy Crisis” chapter 8 sums up “what it would take for America to replace the fossil fuel power plants”. This was written in 2022 before the electricity load growth of AI Servers and President Trump’s policies to reshore manufacturing in the U.S. Here is a summary of “What Dears Stated it would take to Replace Fossil Fueled Generation by 2050”

Nuclear-Build 881 new nuclear plants similar to Georgia Power Plant Vogtle. Units 3 & 4 took ten years to build 2,200 MW of new capacity

Build 995,141 2.5MW Wind Turbines

Build 3,918,996 MW of Solar Generation capacity

I suggest you buy a copy of Donn’s book, it is available on Amazon. Read the detailed analysis. Long story short, eliminating coal and natural gas is impossible if we are to continue our high quality of life.

Electricity Demand and Cost is Rising

The cost of electricity is rising and the Demand growing. Coal plants produce affordable, reliable and Dispatchable electricity generation. Also, with months of on-site fuel storage a practical reality.

Before Gongo the SWAMP Monster there was Common Sense and well delivered engineering excellence of reliable, affordable coal power generation. This combined to power the GDP rise of America. The coal use and GDP growth paralleled each other up till 2010. The God given treasure of high quality coal resources of America are still available to use, we should do so.

Conclusions

The War on Coal and Climate Policies of the Democrat Party and the rest of the SWAMP has severely harmed America’s productive capability and competitiveness with China and the rest of the world. Thanks to President Trump, now the sources of funding the propaganda and indoctrination of the public is becoming known. At least known by those of us interested in learning and digging into the roots of the destructive policies of Biden, Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress. Thankfully, we have President Trump and a competent Cabinet of American Patriots now at the top tier of our government. It is my hope and prayer that all or at least most Americans will support Common Sense Energy Policies and the reduction of waste, fraud, corruption and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

Respectfully,

Dick Storm, March 18, 2025

References and for Further Research on Coal Power and energy policies in America:

  1. POWER Magazine/Coal Power 2009 on New Source Review: https://www.powermag.com/new-source-review-update/
  2. What Happened to the 151 Coal Plants Planned in 2008? GEM: https://www.gem.wiki/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F
  3. NETL Slide Deck on Coal Plant resurgence 2007: https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/netl_new_coal_5.2007.pdf
  4. POWER Mag Siting of New Coal Plants, Considerations, Mar. 2008: https://www.powermag.com/the-future-of-coal-power-development-and-siting-obstacles-for-new-coal-plants/
  5. POWER, May 2011 Coal Fleet References at the time: https://www.powermag.com/predicting-u-s-coal-plant-retirements/
  6. POWER Magazine ct. 2018 on MATS Rule impact on coal plants: https://www.powermag.com/how-did-mats-affect-u-s-coal-generation/
  7. WEF April 2019 Fall of Coal Plants Worldwide: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2019/04/chart-shows-fall-in-planned-coal-power-iea/
  8. Power Engineering Feb. 2024 A look at Projected  Coal Retirements: https://www.power-eng.com/coal/plant-decommissioning/a-look-at-projected-u-s-coal-and-gas-plant-retirements/
  9. Univ. of Chicago, 2010 Report on Coal Plant Retirements: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/717217
  10. Institute for Energy Economics Report on Coal Plant Closures (about 50% by 2026) with data from peak 2011 Capacity of 318 GW, April 2023: https://ieefa.org/resources/us-track-close-half-coal-capacity-2026  
  11. Coal Plant Construction Costs in 2008 by Schlissel Technical :  https://schlissel-technical.com/docs/reports_35.pdf
  12. American Public Power 2024 Update of U.S. Generating Capacity: https://www.publicpower.org/system/files/documents/Americas-Electricity-Generation-Capacity-2024.pdf
  13. POWER Mag. 2009, Seminole Electric Scraps $1.4 Billion New Coal Plant Plan: https://www.powermag.com/seminole-scraps-plans-for-1-4-billion-coal-fired-unit-in-florida/
  14. Power Mag. 2006 New Coal Plants Texas and Hanoi: https://www.powermag.com/projects/
  15. POWER Mag. 2010 Coal Power Down, Not Out: https://www.powermag.com/u-s-coal-fired-power-development-down-but-not-out/?itm_source=parsely-api
  16. E3G Report on G7 Coal Plant Retirements, 2021: https://www.e3g.org/news/strong-currents-g7-coal-transition-data-trends/
  17. Brattle Group Report, 2023 on Review of Coal Plant Generation: https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/A-Review-of-Coal-Fired-Electricity-Generation-in-the-U.S..pdf
  18. 2012- Truthdig Report 1200 New Coal Plants Planned Worldwide: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/1200-new-coal-power-plants-planned-worldwide/  
  19. Geni.org Over 1000 New Coal Plants Planned in 2012 Guardian: https://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/technical-articles/transmission/the-guardian/more-than-1000-new-coal-plants-planned-worldwide,%20figures-show/index1.shtml  
  20. POWER Mag Aug. 2009, City of Springfield Dahlman Coal Plant Startup, Plant of Year:  https://www.powermag.com/city-of-springfields-cwlp-dallman-4-earns-powers-highest-honor/  
  21. TXU Faces a Texas Coal Rush, CNN Business, 2007, 11 New Coal Plants Planned: https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/02/19/8400164/index.htm
  22. U.S. Coal Generation by Analysis Group, 2023: https://www.analysisgroup.com/globalassets/insights/publishing/2023-tierney-coal-generation-report.pdf
  23. Statista Coal Power Plants Planned for Future by Country as of July 2024: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1276614/capacity-of-proposed-coal-power-plants-by-country/
  24.  Wikipedia List of U.S. Coal Power Plants: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coal-fired_power_stations_in_the_United_States
  25. EIA News Nov. 2022  on a Quarter of U.S. Coal Capacity to retire by 2029: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54559
  26. EIA Coal Power Generation as of March 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m/
  27. IER Coal Plant Retirements since 2010: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/coal/u-s-coal-fired-power-plants-continue-to-retire/
  28. EIA Coal Plant Retirements 2010-2019: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=40212  
  29. Washington Examiner articles on Coal power: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/coal/#google_vignette
  30. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Talk to Delaware County Bar Association, July 2016: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2016/07/25/energy-and-economic-prosperity-my-thoughts-dick-storm/
  31. The Importance of Energy for Economic Prosperity, Part 4, The Rise of the U.S and the Rise of China from an energy perspective: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2020/09/21/part-4-the-importance-of-energy-to-economic-prosperity/
  32. Global Energy Monitor report on FP&L Glades Power Plant cancellation, 2007: https://www.gem.wiki/Glades
  33. The SWAMP MONSTER vs. 300 Million Americans, Feb. 21, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/21/the-swamp-monster-vs-the-best-interests-of-the-united-states-of-america/
  34. Donn Dears book, “Clean Energy Crisis” 2022
  35. IEA World Energy Prices, Dec. 2024: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/energy-prices#energy-prices-and-taxes
  36. Western Electricity Markets reports: https://www.westerneim.com/Pages/About/QuarterlyBenefits.aspx
  37.  Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling Substack article summarizing the J.P. Morgan Chase 2025 Energy report: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/9-takeaways-from-the-jp-morgan-chase?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  38. Heliocentrism, March 4th , 2025, J.P. Morgan Chase Energy Report: https://assets.jpmprivatebank.com/content/dam/jpm-pb-aem/global/en/documents/eotm/heliocentrism.pdf
  39. Thomas Troszak articles on the fallacy of renewables: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335083312_Why_do_we_burn_coal_and_trees_to_make_solar_panels?
  40. Thomas Troszak Energy Highlights contained in NATO Report on Energy and Security: https://www.enseccoe.org/publications/energy-highlights-no-16/
  41. Rafe Champion website, March 18, 2025: https://www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
  42. National Mining Association, (NMA) https://mineralsmakelife.org/blog/early-action-signals-progress-us-mineral-independence-still-hangs-in-balance/
  43.  EIA on Electricity Growth of AI centers: https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-report-evaluating-increase-electricity-demand-data-centers
  44. Utility Dive, Rising Demand Could Increase Electricity Prices 19% by 2028, Electricity Growth 68% by 2050: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/us-electricity-prices-19-percent-higher-2028-ICF/727317/
  45. EIA Energy Outlook, March 11, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/elec_coal_renew.php
  46. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  47.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  48.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  49.  “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  50. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
  51. Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  52. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  53. The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  54. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  55. Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  56. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  57. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  58. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  59. The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  60. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  61. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/
  62. EPA New Source Review  Settlements Summaries: https://www.gem.wiki/EPA_Coal_Plant_Settlements
  63. EPA Settlements on NSR violations by WEPCO 2003: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/wisconsin-electric-power-company-wepco-clean-air-act-civil-settlement 
  64. Dissertation on the Sierra Club Success of Beyond Coal Campaign 2020: https://www.proquest.com/openview/b734be1b4fa402463fbb2ee03a7993e5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
  65. Inside the War on Coal Politico, The Agenda 2015: https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/
  66. NRDC China Office: https://chinadevelopmentbrief.org/ngos/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/  
  67. Government Accountability Office Report on Environmental Protection Agency–Application of Publicity or Propaganda and Anti-Lobbying Provisions
    EPA Lobbying, 2015: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-326944 
  68. NRDC About us and link to IRS 990 Form: https://www.nrdcactionfund.org/about/
  69. Influence Watch, NRDC page: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/
  70. Washington Examiner: Gina McCarthy CEO of NRDC: https://eelegal.org/washington-examiner-gina-mccarthy-and-nrdc-together-again/
  71. Wrong Kind of Green, NRDC and Source Watch: https://www.wrongkindofgreen.org/the-group-of-ten/natural-resources-defense-council/
  72. Bezos awards $100 million to NRDC : https://www.nrdc.org/media/2020/201116
  73. Bezos plans to give Billions to Environmental Org’s: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/20/jeff-bezos-pledges-1-billion-to-conservation-through-bezos-earth-fund.html
  74. Activist Facts,  Environmental Report (Follow the Money): https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/19-natural-resources-defense-council/
  75. Washington Examiner 2013 EPA and Sue and Settle Lawsuits: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/epas-back-room-sue-and-settle-deals-require-reform
  76. Activist Facts, Sierra Club, Beyond Coal, Beyond Gas, Nuclear :https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/194-sierra-club/
  77. Mother Jones 2012, Sierra Club “War on Coal” update to kill 167 coal plants: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/04/map-american-coal-plants/
  78. AEP Newsletter to employees and Retirees on Turk Plant Settlement: https://aepretirees.com/2011/12/22/aep-resolves-all-legal-challenges-against-turk-plant-plant-on-track-to-begin-commercial-operation-in-2012/
  79. PowerEngineering Articles on Turk and Duke Coal plant closures, 2/01/2012: https://www.power-eng.com/renewables/aep-resolves-all-legal-challenges-against-turk-plant/#gref
  80. Source Watch Brags on NRDC being responsible for forcing shutting down of Seven major coal plants in Texas in 2007: 
    https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Natural_Resources_Defense_Council#Support_for_coal_gasification
  81. Environmental Defense Fund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Defense_Fund
  82. Influence Watch profile of EDF: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/environmental-defense-action-fund/
    Paul Driessen Federalist Papers on Global Warming News: https://thefederalist.com/category/science/global-warming/
  83. Dick Storm Blog Short Link, Energy and Food Production: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-vU
  84. WUWT, Article, July 8, 2022, Green Communism, Eradicate the Energy Privilege of Rich Countries:  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/07/08/green-communism-eradicate-the-energy-privilege-of-rich-countries/
  85. Short Links to Dick Storm Blog: the War on Carbon, How it Came to Be, Oct. 2021: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-ek
  86. Short Link: American Dream= 100 Quadrillion Btu’s: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  87. Short Link to Example of a Balanced Portfolio: 
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/06/08/balanced-portfolio-of-generation-here-is-an-example/ 
  88. Capital Research Center, Excellent resources for checking policy influencers. Here is one example of their work in 2010 on exposing the Sierra Club: https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-sierra-clubs-war-on-coal/

The 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding Has Done Nothing to Improve Human Health or Protection of the Environment. If left Standing, It Will Endanger Our Freedoms as well as Reliability, Resilience and Affordability of Electricity Generation

The EPA Anti-American Endangerment Finding Endangers more than electricity supply for the Future! A prescient warning of the threat to western civilization was written by Vaclav Klaus about 20 years ago, in his bookBlue Planet in Green Shackles, What is Endangered, Climate or Freedom”. Klaus grew up behind the Iron Curtain and described the “Greens” as being worse than the Communists.

Coal as a source of primary energy for electric power generation has many unique advantages. Coal is an American Treasure that should be utilized.(1 to 14 below)

Amongst the many advantages of coal plants are two facts: (1) when they are maintained properly, they run in all weather conditions 24/7. As shown on the example below, 22% of America’s electricity was being generated during normal winter conditions by an aging coal fleet and (2) Coal fuel to provide the primary energy to generate steam for the turbine-generator can be stored on-site with weeks or even months of supply.

Modern clean coal plants are proven, robust, long lasting, Dispatchable, use a reasonable and stable cost fuel that is abundant and of high quality from within the U.S.A. An especially important advantage is that they have inherent on-site energy storage, unlike natural gas plants that are dependent on primary energy provided “just in time” from pipeline gas.

To be clear, I favor a Balanced Generation Portfolio that includes natural gas, coal, nuclear, Hydro and some renewables. However, for reliable electricity delivery, about 80% or more of nameplate generation capability should be Dispatchable 24/7.

Electric Power Generation, January 21, 2025 During a Polar Vortex

Electricity generation by fuel, at 9:00 PM this date was 22% Coal fuel. The largest fuel source was natural gas at about 45% followed by 15% nuclear, 8% wind and 5% Hydro. Total generation was 633,162 MW. This is better than what I would consider a “Balanced Generation Portfolio” with about 87% Dispatchable. This Balanced generation portfolio should continue with the building of new clean coal plants to replace the older coal plants that have been shut down.

America’s Future. Depends on Reliable, Affordable, Dispatchable and Secure Primary Energy. Coal should Continue to Provide at Least 20% of The Primary Energy Needed to Sustain Our Economy and High Quality of Life with a Balanced Generation Portfolio

The Path to Net Zero Carbon is finally changing. However, the War on Coal” has established crushing (anti-American) EPA Rules and “Woke” Electric Utility management (also some state legislatures and RTO’s) plans to force shut down of the existing coal plants before 2050, many before 2030. In 2010 America had over 317,000 MW of coal power generation capacity. Today it is about half that with over 125,000 MWs of coal plant capacity shut down. Why? Largely because of the Obama administration’s extreme activist led EPA corrupted science to establish the 2009 “Endangerment Finding”. That was the culmination of many anti-coal regulations created by the EPA and other Federal agencies. I have written before on the background of EPA Influencers and the fact that the excessive attacks on first coal and then all hydrocarbons were not based on protecting human health or the environment. These Regulations were strictly political(4) and I might add, these regulations are sinister and anti-American. Read about EPA Influencers here, here, here, here, here, here , here and here.

Since the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding, over 125,000 MW of coal plant capacity was not just shut down, most of those shut down have been demolished (6, 7, 10. 11, 12, 13)

The newest major utility scale (over 500 MW) coal plants were started up about 2013. That is a dozen years ago. Since then the Supply-Chain of design, manufacturing, maintenance, parts and field services has been sharply reduced. I know, because I was involved for 50+ years in the power generation equipment and services supply-chain. I have many friends and relatives either retired or still working in that important supply-chain. When referring to the importance of business flow to keep the supply-chain healthy and capable, I am reminded of the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. That pretty much killed or at least mortally wounded the nuclear steam system supply-chain in the U.S.A. Did you ever wonder why Plant Vogtle at Georgia Power took ten years and 35 Billion dollars to construct? The broken U.S. nuclear component supply chain is one reason in addition to excessive government regulations. Some safety regulations after TMI (the 1979 Three Mile Island incident) were justified, many not.

I cite the nuclear power supply chain as an example of what is happening right before our eyes with the coal power plant supply chain. There is time to save it. How?

Drastically overhaul the Federal government Regulations and especially, the 2009, Obama Era, EPA Endangerment Finding!

Here is what Mr. Ken Haapala, President of the Science and Environmental Policy Project has to say about the Endangerment Finding: The following are excerpts of TWTW article, much more in the original document:

Dr. William Happer quote: “The message I want you to understand, which practically no one really understands, is that
doubling CO2 makes almost no difference. Doubling would replace the black curve by the red
curve. On the basis of this, we are supposed to give up our liberties. We are supposed to give up
the gasoline engines of our automobiles. … Do not let anyone convince you that that is a good
bargain. It is a terrible bargain. The doubling actually does make a little difference. It decreases
the radiation to space by about three watts per square meters. In comparison, the total radiation
to space is about 300 watts per square meter. So, it is a one percent effect—it is actually a little
less than that, because that is with no clouds. Clouds make everything even less threatening.” Haapala continues,

S”Probably the most disgraceful example of bureaucratic hubris this century is EPA’s finding that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor are pollutants. Both gases are essential for life on Earth. Without water vapor, nights would be too cold to support growing plant life. As Happer states above water vapor “keeps Earth’s surface temperature warmer than it would be (by about 20 or 30 degrees) [°C or about 35 to 55°F.]
 
The Endangerment Finding had no compelling physical evidence. It is based on projections from global climate models which overstate the actual warming of the atmosphere by two to three times. Further, the models are based upon surface-air temperature measurements, not on atmospheric temperature measurements. It is in the atmosphere that the greenhouse effect occurs. Further, as the CO2 Coalition advocates, carbon dioxide is essential for all complex life on Earth. As Happer discusses above, it is key for creating carbohydrates, sugars, which allows all plants to grow and are the food source for animal life as well.
 
As John Tyndall in England wrote in 1875 (quoted from Happer) water vapor is an:
 
“Aqueous vapor is a blanket, more necessary to the vegetable life of England than clothing is to man. Remove for a single summer night the aqueous vapor from the air which overspreads this country, and you would assuredly destroy every plant capable of being destroyed by a freezing temperature. The warmth of our fields and gardens would pour itself unrequited into space, and the sun would rise upon an island held fast in the iron grip of frost.”
 
In its hubris, the EPA ignores this and similar work to deliver the Endangerment Finding.
 
Fortunately, the Trump administration has already opened the Endangerment Finding to questioning. As Francis Menton, an attorney who was involved in appealing the Endangerment Finding writes:
 
“The first couple of days of the new Trump administration have seen the President sign a blizzard of Executive Orders. These provide more material than a humble solo blogger like me can ever comment on comprehensively. So, I’ll just have to start with one particular item that I am deeply familiar with: the EPA’s so-called Endangerment Finding of December 2009.
 
I have seen differing counts of the number of Trump’s first-day EOs. ABC News here counts 42. One of the most consequential has the title “Unleashing American Energy.” There is a large amount of important material in this EO. In overall summary, it directs the reversal of all of the Biden administration efforts to restrict and suppress the production and development of America’s energy resources. But one provision, I would argue, is important above all the rest. That is Section 6(f), which directs a reconsideration of the so-called Endangerment Finding (EF) of December 2009. That provision of the EO reads as follows:
 
(f) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of the EPA, in collaboration with the heads of any other relevant agencies, shall submit joint recommendations to the Director of OMB on the legality and continuing applicability of the Administrator’s findings, “Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases Under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act,” Final Rule, 74 FR 66496 (December 15, 2009).
 
This provision is of overriding importance because, as long as the Endangerment Finding remains on the books, it gives a license to the courts, and to activist left-wing judges anywhere in the federal system, to enjoin and undo all the other de-regulatory efforts of this and other energy-related EOs. However, if the EF is rescinded with a well-reasoned and well-supported basis, then all the other energy-related initiatives will have a far clearer path to success.”
 
Menton gives a solid account of the background of the Endangerment Finding to which TWTW would add that SEPP was a party to the appeal in conjunction with CEI. It was based on limited knowledge shortly after the finding was announced. In addition to the damage that the Endangerment Finding would do, the eventual thrust of the appeal was our model vs. your model. This was turned down by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Menton was involved in a second appeal starting in 2017 that was turned down by the Supreme Court. Today, differences between the role of CO2 for human welfare, and the claim that CO2 is a pollutant are more glaring. They can be stated as our physical evidence vs. your speculation from models that are wrong.
 
Of course, huge, vested interests will object to the Trump administration using physical evidence to overturn the Endangerment Finding. According to an article in the Hill, “4 major climate, energy moves included in Trump’s Day 1 executive orders”, Michael Gerrard, the founder of Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law said:
 
“that if the administration is successful in overturning the endangerment finding, it would be ‘devastating’ because ‘it’s the basis for almost all of EPA’s actions on climate change.’”
 
We shall see what develops over the next 30 days or so.”
 
 http://www.sepp.org/twtwfiles/2025/TWTW%201-25-2025.pdf
 

Conclusions

  1. Coal use in the world has grown each year since the Industrial Revolution and in 2024 provided the fuel for more electricity generation than any other source. The EPA War on Coal is anti-American and is harming America’s productive capacity. Coal use and U.S. GDP parallel each other 1970-2010. Also, the lowest cost power was from states using mostly coal fuel for electricity generation. (17)
  2. The U.S. Coal plant design, manufacturing supply-chain has been weakened by lack of business since the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding.
  3. The non scientific, politically driven EPA Endangerment Finding of CO2 is in-fact, endangering U.S. productive capacity.
  4. Reasonable cost, Reliable, Dispatchable electricity is the Life-Blood of a modern economy. Coal fuel should remain part of a Balanced generation portfolio.
  5. The “War on Coal” has been a war on American manufacturing and America’s productive capacity.
  6. America’s air has been cleaned of the six major pollutants that the EPA was launched to correct 1970-2009.(8)
  7. Carbon Dioxide is NOT a Pollutant
  8. The “War on Carbon” by the Leftist driven, anti-American Bureaucrats in the EPA is a “War on American Freedoms”, not only an electricity reliability issue.

Recommendations

  1. Eliminate the EPA Rules placed on coal plants since 2009, including the Endangerment Finding.
  2. Eliminate Weaponization of the EPA to pick winners and losers of energy production.
  3. Downsize the EPA to only provide sufficient numbers of Bureaucrats to sustain the original mission of regulating the six major criteria pollutants that affect human health. Sulfur, lead, Oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and ozone.
  4. Provide incentives for design and construction of new clean coal plants to replace the 125,000 MWs of coal plant capacity shut down since 2009.

Respectfully submitted and may God Bless and protect President Trump and the new EPA Head, Lee Zeldin and Elon Musk as they work to Drain the Washington, DC SWAMP. President Trump, Elon Musk, Lee Zeldin and all of Trump’s Cabinet have my full support!

Dick Storm, February 2, 2025 (updated March 30, 2025)

References and for further reading and research: (Note: I have added some additional links since this was first posted)

  1. Obama Administration, 2009, EPA Endangerment Finding Review by new EPA Director, WUWT, Jan. 2025: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/01/21/trump-targets-the-2009-endangerment-finding-a-bold-move-toward-restoring-regulatory-sanity/
  2. Stephen Heins and Francis Menton on Correcting the EPA Endangerment Finding: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/how-to-rescind-the-endangerment-finding-89e?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  3. IER article on coal plant closings: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/coal/u-s-coal-fired-power-plants-continue-to-retire/
  4. 114th Congress, Majority Staff Report, Obama’s Carbon Mandate, August 2015: http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/USSEWP080415.pdf
  5. The Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of Coal, Sept. 12, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/09/12/the-electricity-reliability-crisis-and-the-importance-of-american-coal/
  6. The Kingdom of Heaven Runs on Righteousness, The Kingdom of Earth Runs on Energy, Oct. 3, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/10/03/heaven-runs-on-righteousness-earth-runs-on-energy/
  7. NERC Summer 2024 Reliability report, June 21, 2024: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/PA/Performance%20Analysis%20DL/NERC_SOR_2024_Technical_Assessment.pdf
  8. EPA Air Quality Trends of the six pollutants EPA was charged to correct in 1970. These are: Lead, sulfur, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, ozone and oxides of nitrogen: https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-national-summary
  9. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  10. Dick Storm Presentation to Columbus Energy Forum, Columbus, Ohio August 2022:  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_presentation-and-speakers-notes-from-august-activity-7068650158862827520-B-_W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  11. Dick Storm Panel comments at Powergen International-2024: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_i-had-the-honor-of-being-on-a-powergen-panel-activity-7156046708139782144-zPoZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  12. Dick Storm Blog post, What would it take to achieve Net-Zero Carbon by 2050? : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/12/what-would-it-take-for-net-zero-electricity-generation-by-2050/
  13. Dick Storm Blog post, Wake up Americans: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  14. Grid Brief, “Energy IS the Economy” by Robert Hargraves, Nov. 15, 2022: https://www.gridbrief.com/p/guest-feature-energy-economy
  15. The Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP) by President of SEPP, Mr. Ken Haapala:  http://www.sepp.org/twtwfiles/2025/TWTW%201-25-2025.pdf
  16. The War on Coal Accomplishes Two Things: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/30/us-war-on-carbon-accomplishes-two-things/
  17. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME Annual Meeting: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  18. Thomas J. Shepstone Substack “Tutorial” on the EPA abuse of NEPA, Feb. 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/agencies-abusing-nepa-authority-forced?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  19. Ron Clutz Blog article on EPA and Endangerment Finding, with excellent background of the formation of this Rule: https://rclutz.com/2025/03/16/2025-the-poisonous-tree-of-climate-change/
  20. David Wojick and Stephen Heins on 31 EPA Rules and EPA Endangerment Finding: https://stephenheins.substack.com/p/epa-questions-31-major-energy-regulations
  21. EPA and NGO Reform is Needed, by CFACT and Thomas Shepstone: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/the-greatest-day-of-deregulation
  22. Ron Clutz on the “Minefield to Reform EPA” March 4, 2025: https://rclutz.com/2025/03/14/minefield-to-defuse-epa-ghg-endangerment-finding/
  23. CFACT on EPA and NGO Reform: https://mailchi.mp/cfact/epa-reform-time?e=2f8550900e
    Alex Epstein on EPA Reform: https://alexepstein.substack.com/p/understanding-epas-biggest-deregulatory
  24. CO2 Coalition on Zeldin Driving Dagger into Heart of Green New Deal: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Zeldin–Driving-Dagger-into-Heart–of-Green-New-Deal.html?soid=1101509381788&aid=XgTCddN8CFQ
  25. Newsmax article on the “Climate Agendas & Alarmism, Reek of Activism and Flawed Science” The background of the Politics of the War on Carbon, March 30, 2025, good background since 1992: https://www.newsmax.com/larrybell/chirac-gore-kyoto/2025/03/24/id/1204138/
  26. Newsmax, (Larry Bell) article, March 20, 2025, “Costs of Climate Alarmism Are Ones We Can’t Afford”: https://www.newsmax.com/larrybell/climate-change-green-energy-science/2025/03/26/id/1204456/

Musings on Self-Sabotaging Energy Policies and a Reminder of the History of the Rise and Fall of Nations

Much has been discussed and written on the self-sabotaging of production of the sources of the primary energy that civil society depends. This article was inspired by a discussion with my senior engineer friend, Michael who emigrated to America from Russia in 1977. Michael and I had a discussion on the Russian Revolution and his musings of “why did Russia self destruct in 1917”? Before the Bolshevik Revolution, the Russian economy was a top economy of the world, ahead of France’s. In 1913 it was number four after the U.S., Great Britain and Germany. Frankly, I did not know that until last week, but in checking, Michael is correct. This led to my pondering why are so many U.S. policies (especially energy policies) designed to destroy our country? Look at the decline of German industrial production as a result of their energy policies. Another sobering video of world history from the viewpoint of Economic Strength is prepared by Ray Dalio and is on You Tube. Who are the individuals or organizations behind these anti-American and truly, anti-western civilization policies? I will list some below.

What are some other examples of countries whose economies climbed and then fell? Here are four: China, India, Argentina and Venezuela. The causes of the rise and fall of various nations can be attributed to many factors, the causes of which can be debated. The purpose for this article is to highlight the facts of history that remind us that once great nations or empires fell from greatness largely due to internal politics and policies. Today, reasonable cost, reliable and abundant Primary Energy is in fact, a vital key to a countries greatness and power. Here is a chart of the rise and fall of nations by Visual Capitalist.

In This Modern World, Energy is the Economy

The Biden war on the sources of the Primary Energy (on which We Depend) is Self-Sabotaging Keeping America Great.

Previous articles posted on my blog discuss some of the villains of American Greatness. My #1 pick of the top villain is the Washington, DC SWAMP. This is the one catch-all group that is the source of most resistance to keeping America great. The SWAMP is a complicated group comprised of many organizations, (millions of) Bureaucrats, Biased Judiciary and legal system that conducts Lawfare, NGOs, RINO’s, foreign governments, finance and banking and the Democrat political party. Who Are Some of the Enemies of Keeping America Great?

The Thirteen Headed SWAMP Monster

In previous blog posts I have referred to the six headed swamp monster, later changed to nine headed and today with the addition of the U.S. Legal system, Lawfare, Banking, Wealthy Billionaires and foreign government influence, the Swamp Monster now has Thirteen Heads. Here they are:

  1. The EPA (2, 6, 80, 83, 88 )
  2. NGOs such as the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund and many more (2, 6, 27, 28, 43, 47, 77, 81, 89, 93, 95, 96, 101, 102, 104,105,110,111 )
  3. Main Stream Media (3, 11, 21, 40 )
  4. Entertainment
  5. United Nations (20, 61, 62, )
  6. World Economic Forum (57,
  7. U.S. Democrat Party (30, 44, 65, 67, 68, 82, 27, 29,)
  8. Public education K-12 and Universities(3, 4, 5, 9)
  9. The “Swamp Bureaucrats” in addition to the EPA, who are employed by Federal and state government agencies creating excessively restrictive regulations and rules
  10. Leftist Lawyers practicing Lawfare and so-called “Environmental Justice” (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 23, 83, 88)
  11. Foreign governments (.25, 42, 43, 49, 54, 55, 56, 61, 62, 64, 68)
  12. Wealthy Billionaires( 46, 77, 78, 97 )
  13. Banking and Finance. World Bank, IMF and top financial institutions (112)

Godspeed President Trump!

President Trump is the best person to meet these challenges. The resistance is well dug in and reversing the Biden policies will be a challenge. I am sending my best wishes to President Trump, for success in slaying the DC Swamp Monster and for his Team’s effort to Keep America Great!

Dick Storm, January 13th, 2025

References for further Reading and Research:

The list below provides published news regarding the basis for my selection of the dozen entities listed above and now referred to as the “Twelve Headed Swamp Monster”

  1. Politico, “War on Coal” 2015: https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/
  2. EPA and Environmental Extremists have a Revolving Door Employment Policy. Activists are employed in NGOs in waiting for a Democrat Presidential administrations to come into power and all the while exchange information with EPA 114th Congress, Majority Staff Report, Obama’s Carbon Mandate, August 2015.  http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/USSEWP080415.pdf
  3. Real Clear Wire, “Here’s the Climate Dissent You’re Not Hearing About Because it is Muffled by Society’s Top Institutions” :  https://realclearwire.com/articles/2023/09/13/heres_the_climate_dissent_youre_not_hearing_about_because_its_muffled_by_societys_top_institutions_978511.html?utm_medium=email&utm_content=iJgazUr_XAtMm8bXcO-NbIzld7XNG9xSjxbQsPeA5uyvxxlevtyy6INEIV4bUTjx
  4. Dr. Timothy Ball Paper on the Deliberate Corruption of Science, 2014: https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/BOOK%20REVIEW%20-%20‘THE%20DELIBERATE%20CORRUPTION%20OF%20CLIMATE%20SCIENCE%20by%20TIM%20BALL.pdf
    Tim Ball, CO2 is not a pollutant 2018: https://www.technocracy.news/tim-ball-the-evidence-proves-that-co2-is-not-a-greenhouse-gas/
  5. Dr. Judith Curry post on how Disinformation Industrial Complex is harming Trust in Science, June 2023: https://judithcurry.com/2023/04/23/how-the-disinformation-industrial-complex-is-destroying-trust-in-science/https://judithcurry.com/2023/04/23/how-the-disinformation-industrial-complex-is-destroying-trust-in-science/
  6. EPA Sue and Settle Lawsuits, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2013: https://www.uschamber.com/assets/archived/images/documents/files/SUEANDSETTLEREPORT-Final.pdf
  7. Updated Chamber of Commerce Report on the Harm done by “Sue and Settle” Lawsuits 2013-2016: https://dev.uschamber.com/assets/documents/u.s._chamber_sue_and_settle_2017_updated_report.pdf
  8. CO2 Coalition home page: https://co2coalition.org
  9. Dr. Richard Lindzen on Temperature of the Earth: https://climateactiontracker.org
  10. Clintel Declaration (European Scientists): https://clintel.org/world-climate-declaration/
  11. WUWT Timeline of Failed Climate Doomsday Predictions: https://wattsupwiththat.com/failed-prediction-timeline/
  12. Roy Spencer Web site: https://www.drroyspencer.com
  13. Heartland Institute: http://climatechangereconsidered.org
  14. Professor Richard Lindzen, MIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lindzen#Views_on_climate_change
  15. Prof. Lindzen article in Tablet Magazine on China and his views on AGW: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/science/articles/china-warming-richard-lindzen
  16. American Mind article by Dr. Richard Lindzen, Nov. 2024: https://americanmind.org/salvo/manufacturing-consensus-on-climate-change/
  17. Chinese Carbon Credits Scam investigation by German DW Magazine: https://www.dw.com/en/how-a-chinese-firm-ran-a-billion-euro-carbon-credit-scam/a-71010148
  18. Dr. Vinos interview on You Tube discussing natural Climate forces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7GdHPypAC8
  19. Heritage Foundation, “Climate Page” of Website: https://www.heritage.org/climate?mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGXfz3aREvIc4jAVmPqgO1KYBASQWFmxQ-BHw-RdsKU3zea2ONFX-HMz9iWNa3xxSVod5kd_G7r5LGVHI-fRyutA0OlgmXwc1DWzLyLX5vzmHHT47o
  20. IPCC Report Proves CO2 is Not an Emergency, Substack by Rob Schneider: https://rmschne.substack.com/p/ipcc-confirms-we-are-not-in-a-climate
  21. Competitive Enterprise Institute, 2019 article and references of; “50 Years of Failed Predictions of Environmental Activists”https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-of-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions/
  22. Heritage Foundation, “Climate Page”: https://www.heritage.org/climate?mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGXfz3aRIOsM-V1SirqN9euVM6CrLmE7mNXZhQ4H2glt9Gd_2YoZbmYOg5fUa5b7JmJoMHRBDVsGZP1lCmb_NkcC5x399HjWdkBQj0Z1KMzBL-m-oM
  23. Firebreak article on Lawfare on a Global Scale, Jan. 9, 2025: https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/supreme-court-should-crush-the-climate?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  24. Book: “Merchants of Despair” by Robert Zubrin, on Radical Environmentalists, CriminalPseudo-Scientists and the Fatal Cult of Antihumanism: Published 2012 by Encounter Books and again in 2016 by the Heartland Institute
  25. Capital Research Center video on China’s influence of American Environmental Policies: https://capitalresearch.org/article/how-china-designed-american-environmental-policy/
  26. Clintel Open Letter to U.N. Secretary General, June 23, 2023: https://clintel.org/open-letter-from-clintel-to-the-un-secretary-general-antonio-guterres/
  27. Washington Examiner: Gina McCarthy CEO of NRDC: https://eelegal.org/washington-examiner-gina-mccarthy-and-nrdc-together-again/
  28. Ken Braun’s article on Jennifer Graham background at Capital Research Center, “Green Watch”: https://capitalresearch.org/article/bonkers-about-batteries-the-unauthorized-biography-of-jennifer-granholm/
  29. Dept. of Interior Sec’y Deb Harland on Utah Land which has energy reserves: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/15/deb-haaland-national-monument-protections-joe-biden-trump
  30. E & E News June 6, 2023. How Green New Dealers became Washington Power Players: https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-green-new-dealers-became-washington-power-players/
  31. Profile of the Department of the Interior, compiled by Robert Stilson of CRC: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-department-of-the-interior/
  32. CRC Profile of the Department of Energy: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-department-of-energy/
  33. CRC on the EPA: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-independent-agencies/#environmental-protection-agency
  34. CRC on the WH Council on Environmental Quality: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-executive-office-of-the-president/#council-on-environmental-quality
  35. CRC on the WH Office of Domestic Climate Policy: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-executive-office-of-the-president/#office-of-domestic-climate-policy
  36. CRC on the Office of Science and Technology Policy: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-executive-office-of-the-president/#office-of-science-and-technology-policy
  37. CRC on environmental group connections in this blog post from June 2021: https://capitalresearch.org/article/nonprofits-in-the-biden-administration-special-interest-and-advocacy-groups/
  38. Science Matters on the Roots of Environmentalism, Jan 2023: https://rclutz.com/2023/01/06/from-nature-conservation-to-climate-calamity/#like-28807
  39. C. Paul Smith “Closing Argument on the Climate Change Hoax”:  https://www.cpaulsmith.com/palmyra-bookstore/the-climate-change-hoax-argument/
  40. The UK and European experiences with “Green Energy” should be a clear warning to the U.S.A., The Telegraph, June 11, 2023: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/britain-s-green-energy-disaster-should-be-an-awful-warning-to-americans/ar-AA1compu?OCID=ansmsnnews11
  41. How the Greens Went Mainstream, Foreign Policy, April 2021: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/23/how-the-greens-went-mainstream/
  42. Russian Funding of Anti-Fossil Fuels Groups in U.S. March 2022, The Hill: https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/596304-investigate-russias-covert-funding-of-us-anti-fossil-fuel-groups/
  43. Washinton Free Beacon article on EPA Requests DOJ to Investigate Dark Money to Environmental Activist Groups, October 2020:  https://freebeacon.com/national-security/epa-requests-doj-investigate-foreign-funding-of-environmental-groups/
  44. Dark Money accepted by Democrats from BlueGreen Alliance admission, Washington free Beacon May 24, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/senate-finance-committee-dems-said-theyd-fight-dark-money-they-just-fawned-over-a-liberal-dark-money-operative/
  45. “So-Called” Democracy Alliance Investment Report, 2014: https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1202744/da-portfolio2012-2014-042714.pdf
  46. Swiss Billionaire Bankrolls Biden Agenda through Arabella Advisors, Reported in Washington Free Beacon, April 4, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/swiss-billionaire-bankrolls-biden-agenda-with-63-million-in-dark-money/
  47. Meet the Group behind Banning Gas Stoves, Rocky Mountain Institute Creates anti Gas Stove Campaign, partially funded by China, as reported in Washington free Beacon, January 16, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/meet-the-green-energy-group-behind-the-study-thats-driving-calls-to-ban-gas-stoves/
  48. Stacey Abrams working with Group, Rewiring America, to Ban Gas Stoves. Group has ties with Chinese Funding, Washington Free Beacon, March 16, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/democrats/election-denier-stacey-abrams-is-now-working-to-eliminate-gas-stoves/
  49. Obama’s Man in China is now China’s Man in Washington, Max Baucus is talking head for China, Washington Free Beacon, May 21, 2020: https://freebeacon.com/national-security/obamas-man-in-china-now-beijings-man-in-washington/
  50. Numerous articles on Environmental Activists around the world, The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/us/topics/environmental-activism-3496
  51. BBC Report on 50 years of Activism, How the Biggest Environmental Movement Began April 2020: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200420-earth-day-2020-how-an-environmental-movement-was-born
  52. Meet the Activists, Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/explore/savingearth/meet-the-activists
  53. House Lawmakers Step Up Action on Green Groups Working with Foreign Countries, June, 2018, Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-environment-congress-idUSKBN1JG204
  54. Washington Examiner, June 2018: Russian Groups Gave Millions to Green Groups to Fight Fracking in U.S.: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/russian-funded-environmental-group-gave-millions-to-anti-fracking-groups  
  55. GAO Report on Foreign Influence of U.S. Research, Oct. 2021: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105434
    81. FBI Investigating Foreign Influence of Jan. 6, 2020 Capital Riot, NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/fbi-probing-if-foreign-governments-groups-funded-extremists-who-helped-n1254525
  56. Capital Research Report on Combatting Foreign Influence of American Institutions, Robert Stilson, October 2020 : https://capitalresearch.org/article/combating-foreign-government-influence-in-american-institutions/  
  57. World Economic Forum Doesn’t Even Hide their Intent to Create Decline of the Western World: https://blackmon.substack.com/p/fridays-energy-absurdity-wef-isnt
  58. WEF Urban Mobility Paper, May 2023: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Urban_Mobility_Scorecard_Tool_2023.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  59. John Kerry Speech on “The Great Reset” New American, Nov. 2020: https://thenewamerican.com/john-kerry-talks-great-reset-at-world-economic-forum/
  60. John Kerry Targets Agriculture at WEF Speech, May 2023, Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerry-targets-agriculture-part-climate-crusade
  61. The Uselessness of the United Nations to Improve World Peace, Prosperity and to Lift Poor Countries from Poverty. The U.N. Energy and World Peace: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  62. Vaclav Klaus and his book, “Blue Planet in Green Shackles”:
  63. Visual Capitalist, Over 2000 Years of Economic History in One Chart: http://www.visualcapitalist.com/2000-years-economic-history-one-chart/
  64. U.S. IRA Funds Given to China for Green Power, Cowboy News Jan. 2023: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2022/12/31/energy-dept-gives-more-taxpayer-money-to-chinese-companies-barrasso-demands-answers/
  65. Report of Uranium One Deal sale to Russia and Russian Influence of the Obama’s and Clintons, Fox News 2018 : https://docs.house.gov/meetings/II/II06/20190625/109694/HHRG-116-II06-20190625-SD004.pdf
  66. The Hill, Wikileaks Releases Alleged John Podesta emails on Russian Business dealings of Clintons and Obama, Oct. 10, 2016: https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/299904-wikileaks-releases-alleged-podesta-emails/
  67. Politico, What you Need to Know About Hillary Clinton and Uranium One Deal, Nov. 14, 2017:https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/14/hillary-clinton-uranium-one-deal-russia-explainer-244895
  68. China buying Russian oil, gas and coal, Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/asian-buyers-russian-oil-gas-coal-2022-02-22/
  69. China-Russian Energy Deal, February 2022: https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/russia-china-may-sign-energy-other-deals-amid-moscow-tension-with-west-2022-02-03/
  70. Russia overtakes Saudi Arabia as World’s largest oil supplier, June 20, 2022 Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-20/china-buys-7-5-billion-of-russian-energy-with-oil-at-record
  71. Korea Times, China depends on Sanctioned Russian Fuel, June 20, 2022: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/world/2022/06/501_331352.html
  72.  Government Accountability Office Report on Environmental Protection Agency–Application of Publicity or Propaganda and Anti-Lobbying Provisions EPA Lobbying, 2015: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-326944 
  73.  NRDC About us and link to IRS 990 Form: https://www.nrdcactionfund.org/about/
  74. Influence Watch, NRDC page: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/
  75. Washington Examiner: Gina McCarthy CEO of NRDC: https://eelegal.org/washington-examiner-gina-mccarthy-and-nrdc-together-again/
  76. Wrong Kind of Green, NRDC and Source Watch: https://www.wrongkindofgreen.org/the-group-of-ten/natural-resources-defense-council/
  77. Bezos awards $100 million to NRDC : https://www.nrdc.org/media/2020/201116
  78. Bezos plans to give Billions to Environmental Org’s: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/20/jeff-bezos-pledges-1-billion-to-conservation-through-bezos-earth-fund.html
  79. Activist Facts,  Environmental Report (Follow the Money): https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/19-natural-resources-defense-council/
  80. Washington Examiner 2013 EPA and Sue and Settle Lawsuits: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/epas-back-room-sue-and-settle-deals-require-reform
  81. Activist Facts, Sierra Club, Beyond Coal, Beyond Gas, Nuclear:https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/194-sierra-club/
  82. John Kerry, Far Left Support, Fox News Aug 2022: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerrys-climate-office-rife-ties-far-left-green-groups
  83. EPA Retains Tools to Harm Coal Power Production, Utility Dive, July 1, 2022: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/supreme-court-epa-GHG-carbon-power-plant/626456/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202022-07-01%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:42837%5D&utm_term=Utility%20Dive
  84. EIA 14.9 GW Total shutdowns planned in 2022, 12.6 GW coal: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50838
  85. Wind and Solar do not lower GHG Emissions for PJM, July 22, 2022, Real Clear Energy:https://www.realclearenergy.org/2022/07/22/wind_solar_fail_to_reduce_pjms_co2_emissions_843840.html?utm_source=rce-morning-volt&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mailchimp-newsletter&mc_cid=0e024abebf&mc_eid=c7c23752b6
  86. Banning Modern Agriculture and High Crop Yields, EPA Rules, Paul Driessen, July 24, 2022: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/07/24/banning-modern-agriculture-and-high-crop-yields/
  87. EIA History of Renewable Energy Incentives March 2022: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources/incentives.php
  88. EPA New Source Review  Settlements Summaries: https://www.gem.wiki/EPA_Coal_Plant_Settlements
    EPA Settlements on NSR violations by WEPCO 2003: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/wisconsin-electric-power-company-wepco-clean-air-act-civil-settlement 
  89. Dissertation on the Sierra Club Success of Beyond Coal Campaign 2020: https://www.proquest.com/openview/b734be1b4fa402463fbb2ee03a7993e5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
  90. Inside the War on Coal Politico, The Agenda 2015: https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/
  91. NRDC China Office: https://chinadevelopmentbrief.org/ngos/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/  
  92. Government Accountability Office Report on Environmental Protection Agency–Application of Publicity or Propaganda and Anti-Lobbying Provisions
    EPA Lobbying, 2015: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-326944 
  93. NRDC About us and link to IRS 990 Form: https://www.nrdcactionfund.org/about/
  94. Influence Watch, NRDC page: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/
  95. Washington Examiner: Gina McCarthy CEO of NRDC: https://eelegal.org/washington-examiner-gina-mccarthy-and-nrdc-together-again/
  96. Wrong Kind of Green, NRDC and Source Watch: https://www.wrongkindofgreen.org/the-group-of-ten/natural-resources-defense-council/
  97. Bezos awards $100 million to NRDC : https://www.nrdc.org/media/2020/201116
    Bezos plans to give Billions to Environmental Org’s: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/20/jeff-bezos-pledges-1-billion-to-conservation-through-bezos-earth-fund.html
  98. Activist Facts,  Environmental Report (Follow the Money): https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/19-natural-resources-defense-council/
  99. Washington Examiner 2013 EPA and Sue and Settle Lawsuits: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/epas-back-room-sue-and-settle-deals-require-reform
  100. Activist Facts, Sierra Club, Beyond Coal, Beyond Gas, Nuclear: https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/194-sierra-club/
  101. Mother Jones 2012, Sierra Club “War on Coal” update to kill 167 coal plants: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/04/map-american-coal-plants/
  102. AEP Newsletter to employees and Retirees on Turk Plant Settlement: https://aepretirees.com/2011/12/22/aep-resolves-all-legal-challenges-against-turk-plant-plant-on-track-to-begin-commercial-operation-in-2012/
  103. PowerEngineering Articles on Turk and Duke Coal plant closures, 2/01/2012: https://www.power-eng.com/renewables/aep-resolves-all-legal-challenges-against-turk-plant/#gref
  104. Source Watch Brags on NRDC being responsible for forcing shutting down of Seven major coal plants in Texas in 2007: 
    https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Natural_Resources_Defense_Council#Support_for_coal_gasification
  105. Environmental Defense Fund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Defense_Fund
  106. Influence Watch profile of EDF: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/environmental-defense-action-fund/
  107. Paul Driessen Federalist Papers on Global Warming News: https://thefederalist.com/category/science/global-warming/
  108. Dick Storm Blog Short Link, Energy and Food Production: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-vU
  109. WUWT, Article, July 8, 2022, Green Communism, Eradicate the Energy Privilege of Rich Countries:  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/07/08/green-communism-eradicate-the-energy-privilege-of-rich-countries/
  110. Hypocritical Germany is being brought to its knees
    Berlin loved to preach the virtues of net zero. Now it is being forced to confront its own policy failures “The Telegraph” July 2022: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://netzerowatch.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3Dc920274f2a364603849bbb505%26id%3Dd82a27da35%26e%3D9e46528ac6&source=gmail&ust=1657801743497000&usg=AOvVaw0CITru9QpdtRsT0GoCul0L
  111. “CDP: The Incredible Shapeshifting NGO”, by David Zarouk in Substack, “Firebreak” January 13, 2025 : https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/cdp-the-incredible-shapeshifting?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  112. World Bank Limits Funding of New Coal Plants: https://www.eco-business.com/news/coal-power-financing-restricted-world-bank-energy-policy/
  113. Vaclav Smil, “Net Zero is Not Going to Happen”, Fraser Institute, June 2024: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/halfway-between-kyoto-and-2050.pdf
  114. CO2 is NOT a Pollutant and Humans Cannot Regulate It, by Professor Murray Salby, 2016: https://expose-news.com/2024/06/08/carbon-isnt-a-pollutant-humans-cannot-regulate-it/  
  115. Excellent Presentation on Climate and Energy for the General Public :  https://rumble.com/v2l3sqy-climate-and-energy.html
    You Tube Presentation on the Influence of the Sun on Earth’s Climate, also at 3 minutes 10 seconds into the video, the recent excellent paper on Net Zero Carbon by William Happer, Richard Lindzen and W. A. van Wijngaarden is discussed, (link below) June 12, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfhbEDuZXDs
  116. CO2 Coalition Paper. Net Zero Averted Temperature Increase: https://co2coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Net-Zero-Averted-Temperature-Increase-2024-06-11.pdf
  117. WUWT-August 2024, “Anthropogenic Warming is Political Science, Not Physical Science”    :  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/08/13/anthropogenic-global-warming-is-political-not-physical-science/
  118. Climatism Blog, Background of the Global Warming Scare: https://climatism.blog/2018/12/19/draconian-un-climate-agenda-exposed-global-warming-fears-are-a-tool-for-political-and-economic-change-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-actual-climate/
  119. WUWT on Sea Level Rise using 19th century photos of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/08/06/despite-alarmists-denials-statue-of-liberty-photos-expose-sea-level-rise-acceleration-failed-projections/
  120. Dr. Roger Pielke, jr., “The Honest Broker” Sub-stack Story of Environmental Science from his viewpoint, Dr. Mike Hulme: https://open.substack.com/pub/rogerpielkejr/p/from-idealism-to-realism?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  121. he Changing World Order, You Tube video by Ray Dalio, April 2025. A chilling reminder of world history from an economic strength viewpoint. Well done, worth the 45 minute watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xguam0TKMw8

Why is Western Civilization Self-Sabotaging the Primary Energy Sources that Provide 80% of the Fuel for America’s Life-Blood of Reliable Electricity with the War on Carbon?

Natural Gas, Petroleum and Coal. Coal is much more important than most Americans would think, thanks to the Popular, but wrong Demonization of carbon and especially, coal

These three sources of primary energy provide over 80% of the energy America (and every other Developed country) uses to power our lives. Including electricity generation, transportation, industrial production, heating, cooling, cooking and recreation. Yes, over 80%. In fact, according to the E.I.A. in 2023 it was 83%. A previous article is based on a 2011 presentation to the ASME on “America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels”. The focus of the 2011 presentation was on coal fuel. In September 2024, I was one of five energy experts a panel at Liberty University’s CEO Summit. The title of our panel was, “Impacts of U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Crisis”. My notes are posted on LinkedIn.

The key word is “PRIMARY” energy. Why is this important? It is important for the American public to understand that primary energy is needed to produce the energy that we need for everyday living, including electricity, transportation, cooking, heating, industrial production and more.

There is a difference between Primary energy and Secondary energy!

Examples of Secondary energy are; electricity, hydrogen, ammonia and batteries. These are all being discussed as important energy carriers but, the energy that they provide must first be provided by Primary Energy. Therefore, the point of this article is to emphasize the fact that most of the energy each of us citizens uses and depends on, comes from conventional forms of energy. Yes, and including old hydroelectric plants and nuclear it is over 90% of it.

Electricity is secondary energy. It must be generated from primary energy which can be nuclear, coal, natural gas, wind, waste heat from municipal waste furnaces, hydro-electric power, landfill gas, wood, Biomass, sunshine or other. The pie chart shown above shows 9% of total Primary Energy being provided by renewables. This includes; hydro-electric, biomass, wood fuel, landfill gas, sunshine, geothermal and wind. Let’s get back to the reality of the importance of Primary energy for electric power generation. Electricity is the Life-Blood of the American Economy and most of our electricity is produced from conventional sources of natural gas, nuclear, coal and old hydroelectric power plants.

Primary Energy Consumed for Electricity Generation is About a Third of the Total

The energy end uses are reported by the EIA as shown on the chart below: Electricity generation requires 34% of total primary energy with Transportation, Industrial, Residential and Commercial using the balance of the total 93.6 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary energy.

Coal may seem very small when compared as the provider of only 8% of the total primary energy, however, for electric power generation, that 8% is very important! Take electricity generation on December 6, 2024 as an example…

Primary Energy Fuels for Electricity Generation December 6th, 2024

The chart below is the total 48 state Grid electricity generation by fuel. This is available to anyone at the EIA website, here.

In case the print is too small to read, here is a summary of the primary energy used on Dec. 6, 2024 to generate electricity for the lower 48 state grid. By the way. December 6th was the beginning of cold weather this winter. Not a Polar Vortex, but it was winter temperatures across the 48 states. The official start of winter is Dec. 21st, therefore January 2025 could provide even lower temperatures and the consequently higher electricity Demand. Back to Dec. 6th:

Natural Gas 47%

Nuclear 17%

Old Hydro-Electric Plants 6%

The total electricity generation at this moment was 547,453 MW. Of that total, wind, solar and solar battery storage were as follows:

Wind 9%

Solar 0.01%

The total electricity generated at this moment on December 6th was 90% conventional sources of Primary Energy when old hydroelectric dams and nuclear are included in the category of “conventional” and I think they should be because hydro has been part of the Grid since the beginning and most hydroelectric plants are over 50 years old, most operating nuclear plants over 40 years.

So, What Part Does Coal Play?

Coal is important now (here in U.S. too) around the world and in 2023 more coal was used than ever in history and in 2024 the world will likely use even more coal than 2023. Of course, over 50% of the coal burned in the entire world, is burned by one country, China. That is a topic for another day. Coal has a favorable Energy Density and it can be burned efficiently and cleanly. America is the Saudi-Arabia of coal and we have the largest known coal reserves of the highest quality coal in the world. A treasure of energy given as a gift from God. We should continue to use this valuable domestic energy. America will likely continue to require 100 Quadrillion BTUs of primary energy each year.

Coal can and should provide at least 10% of the total for a Balanced Energy Portfolio

Advantages of Coal Power

Views from an unapologetic supporter of using America’s Treasure of Coal. I am also a supporter of nuclear power for the future, but that will take time to rebuild the nuclear components Supply-Chain.

From a practical viewpoint providing the 100 Quadrillion BTUs of energy America needs each year, should include coal fuel. Coal power has inherent advantages over gas. Natural gas currently provides about 40% of America’s primary energy for electricity generation and on Dec. 6th natural gas was 47%. Coal, in my opinion, should remain a larger provider of electric power generation fuel for a “Balanced Portfolio” of generation capacity.

Some of the Advantages of Coal Fuel:
1. Onsite energy storage for months is possible with a coal pile in a typical legacy U.S. coal power plant. Most Natural gas, although a clean and domestically produced fuel, is supplied “Just in Time” via pipelines. In severe weather or with nefarious actors within our borders, energy storage on site is important. Coal and nuclear are best for onsite energy storage.
2. Coal power plants have proven to be robust and reliable in all forms of weather 24/7. Providing they are properly maintained, as was done in the 1990’s.
3. Coal power is reasonable in cost and the fuel cost is less volatile than gas.
4. America has vast resources of coal reserves within our borders that will last until new nuclear and other technologies can be deployed.
5. National security is served well by an electricity generation portfolio that includes a significant portion of coal power generation capacity.
6. Coal power is especially important in the winter when domestic heating competes with power generation with limited pipeline capacity.

  1. Coal fuel provides Dispatchable power when it is needed and needed the most! Coal energy is storable and when plants are properly maintained, Dispatchable when it is Demanded!
  2. Much demonized coal ash is simply the same rock that is present in the environment.

The American Coal Ash Association used U.S. Geological Survey data to compare the levels of heavy metals in coal ash to the levels present in ordinary rocks and soil. The study showed the levels to be comparable — which shouldn’t surprise anyone because that’s what coal ash is: “the non-combustible mineral portion of coal.” It’s the dirt and rock that were mixed in with the coal. There’s nothing about burning it that causes more to appear. The study can be found here: https://acaa-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/free-publications/ACAA_CoalAshMaterialSafety_June2012.pdf
Other scientific studies of note: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted risk analysis of the use of various coal combustion products in concrete, wallboard, and agriculture and found them all to be safe:
https://acaa-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ccr_bu_eval.pdf


https://acaa-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FGD_Ben_Use_Eval_with_Appendices_March_2023_508.pdf

For a general overview of all of the ways millions of tons of coal ash are safely recycled in the U.S. each year, look here:

https://acaa-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/22-ACAA-Brochure_FINAL.pdf

There are lots more scientific reports, beneficial use case studies, and more on the publications tab of the ACAA:  https://acaa-usa.org
Here is a link to the American Coal Council Blog, “Count on Coal” In the latest edition NERC expresses their concerns of electricity concerns this winter.
I have expressed my concerns as well in previous articles on this blog and in various presentations to public groups. I know proponents for coal power, like me are a minority, but the facts are what they are……It is time to Wake up the 97% of Americans who do not understand basic physics, energy and electric power generation. Perhaps Rolling Blackouts will wake people up? Better late than never? The U.S. policy makers could look at Germany as an example of misguided energy policies and the consequent De-Industrialization.

If Knowledgeable Energy Experts are For Carbon Based Fuels, Who Can Be Against Them?

The war on coal began in the 1990’s during the Clinton administration. Then it picked up steam during Obama and Biden administrations. The basis of the war on carbon is not protecting the environment, but government control of the people. Previous articles have listed some of the players in the “War on Coal”. Here are some of the past articles that I have written on this with many references at the end of each article. Respected scientists including: Dr. Richard Lindzen, Dr. Judith Curry, Dr. Roy Spencer, Dr, Willie Soon, Dr. John Clauser, Dr. William Happer and many others.

Here is a list of 73 References on the exposing of the fallacies or misguidance of the War on Carbon and some references on the collusion and conspiracy of the perpetrators of the War on Carbon:

  1. “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  2. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  3. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  4. American Mind article by Dr. Richard Lindzen on “Manufacturing Consensus on Climate Change” November 2024:  https://americanmind.org/salvo/manufacturing-consensus-on-climate-change/
  5. Daily Signal on U.N. Policy to eliminate Fossil Fuels, Sept 25, 2024: https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/09/25/phasing-out-fossil-fuels-will-leave-the-globe-poor-hungry-and-sick/?mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGVzwC2snGpCwRuOHknHfpRIFPOT9z9DhiF_eQKLAb1xS_HNzu7STzSDhmBuh7cjCzNe3e2II7BQWjjGL4vOXGzhnJNcrXMFMVNeAAMr0SDSSR0o1g
  6. CEI-  “50 Years of Failed Predictions of Environmental Extremists”: https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-of-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions/
  7. You-Tube Presentation on the False claims of Climate Alarmists by Yong, “Caught Red-Handed: Dr Clauser vs Dr Stephens and Sabine Hossenfelder” | Independent Research : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoxLY7GdbLg
  8. Capital Research Center, History of the Climate Polices, by Ken Haapala: Capital Research Center, Report on Climate Dollars https://www.climatedollars.org/full-study/a-short-history-of-global-warming-fears/
  9. Liberty Energy’s Chris Wright Testimony to Congress on the “Climate Policies” April 2024: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/BA/BA00/20240410/117092/HHRG-118-BA00-Wstate-WrightC-20240410.pdf
  10. A Short History of Climate Dollars, CRC, 2017: https://www.climatedollars.org/app/uploads/2017/05/CRC_ClimateDollars_Study_finalv3.pdf
  11. Daily Skeptic on sea Level rise, April 2024: https://dailysceptic.org/2024/04/06/islands-that-climate-alarmists-said-would-soon-disappear-due-to-rising-sea-found-to-have-grown-in-size/
  12. The Honest Story of Climate Change, Part1, by Andy May, April 11, 2024: https://andymaypetrophysicist.com/2024/04/11/the-honest-story-of-climate-change-part-i-weighed-down-by-fear-and-intimidation/  
  13. Environmental NGO’s Funding by Billionaires, Foundations and some by Foreign investments, 114thCongress Report, 2014: http://stillwatertechservices.com/files/tms/EAC-HAVA-CARES/The_Chain_of_Command_-_How_Billionaires_and_Foundations_Control_Environmental_Movement_US_Senate_Report_July_30_2014.pdf
  14. Climate, The Movie: https://x.com/wideawake_media/status/1770552312710217954
  15. Phyics.org Article, Ice age climate analysis reduces worst-case warming expected from rising CO₂:    https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ice-age-climate-analysis-worst.html
  16. Firebreak: When Journalists Drop the Ball, Exposing NGO’s and special interests in forming government policy, April 22, 2024: https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/when-journalists-drop-the-ball
  17.  Alberta Government Report on Energy Opposition organizations, April 2024: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/public-inquiry-into-anti-alberta-energy-campaigns-report  
  18. WUWT Disclosure of Billionaire Climate Extremists influencing state and Federal Climate policy, good links within the document, May 22, 2024: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/22/more-billionaire-climate-machinations/
  19. WUWT on “Who are the Science Deniers that Threaten Future Prosperity, Trump or Others?”: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/24/claim-trumps-anti-science-climate-denial-threatens-the-foundations-of-prosperity/
  20. WUWT “Environmental Reporting, Failed Predictions Timeline, 1966 to 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/failed-prediction-timeline/
  21. Vaclav Smil, “Net Zero is Not Going to Happen”, Fraser Institute, June 2024: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/halfway-between-kyoto-and-2050.pdf
  22. CO2 is NOT a Pollutant and Humans Cannot Regulate It, by Professor Murray Salby, 2016: https://expose-news.com/2024/06/08/carbon-isnt-a-pollutant-humans-cannot-regulate-it/  
  23. Excellent Presentation on Climate and Energy for the General Public :  https://rumble.com/v2l3sqy-climate-and-energy.html
  24. You Tube Presentation on the Influence of the Sun on Earth’s Climate, also at 3 minutes 10 seconds into the video, the recent excellent paper on Net Zero Carbon by William Happer, Richard Lindzen and W. A. van Wijngaarden is discussed, (link below) June 12, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfhbEDuZXDs
  25. CO2 Coalition Paper. Net Zero Averted Temperature Increase: https://co2coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Net-Zero-Averted-Temperature-Increase-2024-06-11.pdf
  26. WUWT-August 2024, “Anthropogenic Warming is Political Science, Not Physical Science”    :  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/08/13/anthropogenic-global-warming-is-political-not-physical-science/
  27. Climatism Blog, Background of the Global Warming Scare: https://climatism.blog/2018/12/19/draconian-un-climate-agenda-exposed-global-warming-fears-are-a-tool-for-political-and-economic-change-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-actual-climate/
  28. WUWT on Sea Level Rise using 19th century photos of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/08/06/despite-alarmists-denials-statue-of-liberty-photos-expose-sea-level-rise-acceleration-failed-projections/
  29. MIT Climate Page, Tons of CO2 on Planet Earth: https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-much-carbon-dioxide-does-earth-naturally-absorb#:~:text=Altogether%20the%20planet%20absorbs%20and,billion%20tons%20of%20CO2.
  30. Our World in Data on CO2 Emissions Data: https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions
  31. CO2 Coalition on the Importance of CO2 to the Senate: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/FC7C4946-11A3-4967-BF28-8D0386608D3E
  32. New Scientist tally of 1.85 Billion Tonnes of carbon on planet earth: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2218180-weve-totted-up-all-earths-carbon-and-99-per-cent-is-underground/  
  33. Global Energy Monitor on CO2: https://www.gem.wiki/Carbon_dioxide
  34. British Geological Service: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/climate-change/the-carbon-story/
  35. The World Counts on total CO2 emissions since 1850, From 1850 to 2019, 2,400 gigatons of CO2 were emitted by human activity. Around 950 gigatons went into the  Climate Deniers, Unite atmosphere. The rest has been absorbed by oceans and land.: https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/climate-change/global-warming/global-co2-emissions
  36. Britannica, How Much Does Atmosphere Weigh? About The total mass of Earth’s atmosphere is about 5.5 quadrillion tons, or roughly one millionth of Earth’s mass.:https://www.britannica.com/story/how-much-does-earths-atmosphere-weigh
  37. Columbia University Climate Center CO2 History:  https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/12/07/a-new-66-million-year-history-of-carbon-dioxide-offers-little-comfort-for-today/  
  38. Science News.org on Total Weight of CO2 on earth:  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/where-earth-stores-its-carbon
  39. Science Direct, Dr. Judith Curry Et Al: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666496823000456
  40. WUWT “Climate Deniers of the World  Unite”, 2024: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/08/16/climate-deniers-of-the-world-unite/  
  41. Excellent Paper by PA Pundits, “Climate Fraud, Groupthink and Pal-Review”  Jan. 2021: https://papundits.wordpress.com/2021/01/13/groupthink-pal-review-and-climate-fraud/
  42. Influencers of U.S. Energy Policy, January 3, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/04/influencers-of-american-energy-policy/
  43. Environmental Activists involved in Michigan Government: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/michigan-government-agencies-staffed?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&comments=true
  44.  Finland’s GTK Outstanding Website on the limits of Materials. Also, the Future and Challenges/Futility or Impossibility of the Free Western World government’s “Net-Zero Carbon Path” by Simon P. Michaux. This is outstandingly accurate and practical: https://www.gtk.fi/en/research/time-to-wake-up/
    https://www.gtk.fi/en/research/time-to-wake-up/downloads/
  45. Anthony Watts on the Polar Vortex Weather Pattern: https://climaterealism.com/2024/01/false-axios-climate-change-isnt-altering-the-polar-vortex/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Heartland+Weekly%3A+Heartland+Friend+Willie+Soon+KILLS+IT+on+Tucker+Carlson+s+New+Show+on+Elon+Musk+s+X+Platform&utm_campaign=HW+%2801-12-23%29
  46. CO2 Coalition home page: https://co2coalition.org
    Dr. Richard Lindzen on Temperature of the Earth: https://climateactiontracker.org
  47. Clintel Declaration (European Scientists): https://clintel.org/world-climate-declaration/
  48. WUWT Timeline of Failed Climate Doomsday Predictions: https://wattsupwiththat.com/failed-prediction-timeline/
  49. Roy Spencer Web site: https://www.drroyspencer.com
  50. Heartland Institute: http://climatechangereconsidered.org
  51. Real Clear Wire, “Here’s the Climate Dissent You’re Not Hearing About Because it is Muffled by Society’s Top Institutions” :  https://realclearwire.com/articles/2023/09/13/heres_the_climate_dissent_youre_not_hearing_about_because_its_muffled_by_societys_top_institutions_978511.html?utm_medium=email&utm_content=iJgazUr_XAtMm8bXcO-NbIzld7XNG9xSjxbQsPeA5uyvxxlevtyy6INEIV4bUTj x
  52. Professor Richard Lindzen, MIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lindzen#Views_on_climate_change
  53. Prof. Lindzen article in Tablet Magazine on China and his views on AGW: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/science/articles/china-warming-richard-lindzen
  54. Professor Judith Curry Interview January 30, 2021 on AGW: https://judithcurry.com/2021/01/30/interview-climate-change-a-different-perspective-with-judith-curry/
  55. Professor Willliams Happer and Professor Richard Lindzen Testimony to SEC June 2022: https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-10-22/s71022-20132171-302668.pdf
  56. The Right Stuff Climate Team (Retired NASA Engineers): https://www.therightclimatestuff.com
  57. Climate Science Book by Vinos with forward by Judith Curry:  https://judithcurry.com/2022/09/22/the-winter-gatekeeper-hypothesis-vii-a-summary-plus-qa/
  58. Climate, Past, Present and Future: https://judithcurry.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Vinos-CPPF2022.pdf
  59. Australian Scientific Paper: World Atmospheric CO2, Its 14C Specific Activity, Non-fossil Component, Anthropogenic Fossil Component, and Emissions (1750–2018) https://journals.lww.com/health-physics/fulltext/2022/02000/world_atmospheric_co2,_its_14c_specific_activity,.2.aspx
  60. GWPF Sept 22, 2022, Richard Lindzen Paper: https://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2022/09/Lindzen-global-warming-narrative.pdf
  61. Dr. Timothy Ball Paper on the Deliberate Corruption of Science, 2014: https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/BOOK%20REVIEW%20-%20‘THE%20DELIBERATE%20CORRUPTION%20OF%20CLIMATE%20SCIENCE%20by%20TIM%20BALL.pdf
  62. Tim Ball, CO2 is not a pollutant 2018: https://www.technocracy.news/tim-ball-the-evidence-proves-that-co2-is-not-a-greenhouse-gas/
  63. Dr. Judith Curry post on how Disinformation Industrial Complex is harming Trust in Science, June 2023: https://judithcurry.com/2023/04/23/how-the-disinformation-industrial-complex-is-destroying-trust-in-science/https://judithcurry.com/2023/04/23/how-the-disinformation-industrial-complex-is-destroying-trust-in-science/
  64. SEPP-“Science and Environmental Policy Project” headed by Ken Haapala. Another outstanding resource for truthful environmental facts: http://sepp.org/twtwfiles/2022/TWTW%209-10-2022.pdf
  65. Lars Schernikau’s Book and website: “Unpopular-Truth” provides excellent information on Primary Energy and the most plausible energy sources to power civilization: https://unpopular-truth.com
  66. “We the People vs. The Swamp Monster” Dick Storm Blog: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/10/we-the-people-vs-net-zero-indoctrination-by-the-ten-headed-swamp-monster/
  67. Related to the “Swamp Monster” is Charley Reese’s Classic Column which reminds us of the power of Congress to “Fix” Out of control government Regulations: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/11/27/charley-reeses-last-column-a-classic-commentary-written-over-twenty-years-ago/
  68. Science and Environmental Policies Project (SEPP), Dec. 14th post by Ken Haapala with quotes from prominent Atmospheric Scientist, Dr. Richard Lindzen: http://www.sepp.org/twtwfiles/2024/TWTW%2012-14-2024.pdf
  69. Dick Storm panel notes for presentation, “Impacts of the U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Crisis”, Liberty University, Sept. 2024: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7266497381574098944?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  70. LinkedIn Wish Bakshi on the German Energy experience: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7271156730317750272?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  71. LinkedIn Post on “Clean Energy Funding” by Mark Lewis: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7270766274668892160?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  72. Recurrent Blackouts in New York by 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7269663571012161536?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  73. LinkedIn post of Liberty University presentation by David Walsh, Sept. 2024: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7266777394617749504?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

What about Nuclear? Shouldn’t it be Included in a Balanced Electricity Generation Portfolio?

We should continue using coal until a better source of primary energy is proven to be commercially available, such as nuclear. Nuclear is proven and over 12 states receive more than 30% of their electricity from (old) nuclear plants. The three leading states are Illinois, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. My state of SC leads in nuclear generation proportions at 56%. However, it should be pointed out, the great record of nuclear electricity production has been accomplished with a nuclear fleet with an average age of over 40 years. The new nuclear plant supply chain will take time to rebuild. It took about 40 years from the time President Eisenhower launched the “Atoms for Peace” initiative in 1953 until commercial nuclear plants in the U.S. were delivering about 20% of the electricity Demand. Most of the skilled craftsmen, engineering talent, manufacturing capacity that built the first generation light water reactors has been lost. Rebuilding the supply-chains, begins with Public Education to rebuild the craft skills and engineering talent that built the first generation nuclear power plants, most of which are still providing reliable power today, as mentioned above. This is as daunting as President Kennedy’s Leadership in motivating the U.S. to “Choose to go to the moon” in 1961. America has used right at 100 Quadrillion BTUs of primary energy for over 20 years. Coal should remain in the energy mix. Yes, we should adapt but we should not create energy euthanasia by sabotaging the existing energy Life-Blood of our country that took over 120 years to build.

Replacing Coal and Natural Gas with Wind and Solar is NOT Possible and NOT Practical.

As wind and solar are forced onto the Grid it has raised the costs of electricity and impaired reliability. After billions of dollars of investment the contribution of wind and solar is almost insignificant and causes more harm than good. Worse yet, over 125,000 MW of reliable coal power generation capacity has been shut down since 2010 without replacement of new coal units. The last coal plants in the U.S. started up in 2013. The chart below by Our World in Data is a factual summary of wind and solar electricity generation in the world as of 2023, compared to the reality of use of all forms of primary energy:

Overview of Electricity Generation in the World

The leader of our panel discussion at Liberty University was Dave Walsh. Here is Dave’s presentation on an overview of electricity generation in the U.S. and the world. The slide below shows the impact on electricity cost as renewables exceed 30% of the total generation portfolio. There is a distinct correlation of electricity cost rises with increasing wind and solar generation.

Do Not Despair! There is Hope for the Future!

I am confident that President Trump, Chris Wright and the Trump team will seek a rational path forward with regard to energy policy. I am thankful for President Trump and the Patriots in his Cabinet that all are serving at a severe pay cut or no pay at all to help get our country back on track. The report by Chris Wright’s company, Liberty Energy offers a glimpse of hope and common sense. The title of the report: “Bettering Human Lives” Yes, energy does improve the quality of life for everyone and energy is in fact, the Life-Blood of the economy. May God Bless President Trump and his Cabinet.

Dick Storm, December 14, 2024

References for further reading and research:

  1. U.S. Electricity Grid Dashboard in Real Time by E.I.A. : https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electric_overview/US48/US48
  2. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Dick Storm Blog and based on presentation in 2011 to the ASME Summer Meeting: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  3. American Coal Council, “Count on Coal” Blog: https://www.countoncoal.org/category/blog/
  4. Coal consumption to be higher in 2024 than in 2023, Oil Price.com, Dec. 10, 2024: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/World-Coal-Demand-and-Exports-Set-for-New-Record-Highs-in-2024.html
  5. Energy Newsbeat report on the importance of keeping the existing 200 U.S. coal plants in good repair and operating. Article by Clark Savage, Ron Stein and George Harris, December 9, 2024: https://energynewsbeat.co/stop-the-green-hallucinationists-plan-to-close-all-200-coal-power-plants/
  6. National Mining Association, page on the importance of coal plants: https://nma.org/2024/12/02/coal-power-for-u-s-communities/
  7. America’s Power Report on excessively restrictive and unfair EPA Regulations will weaken Grid Reliability, Feb. 2023: https://americaspower.org/press_release/new-report-finds-coal-essential-to-grid-reliability-and-resilience-during-winter-storm-elliott/
  8. America’s Power Statement after SCOTUS Ruled declining a Stay of the EPA Carbon Rule: https://americaspower.org/press_release/americas-power-statement-on-the-supreme-court-declining-to-stay-the-epas-carbon-rule/
  9. Dick Storm notes for presentation at Liberty University CEO Summit, Sept. 2024, “Impacts of U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Crisis”: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7266497381574098944?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  10. Coal Hard Truths of Coal & Renewable Energy: Myths of Coal: https://thecoalhardtruth.com/myths-about-coal-renewable-energy/
  11. Liberty Energy ESG Report, “Bettering Human Lives“: https://libertyenergy.com/betteringhumanlivesv2/
  12. EIA 2023 Primary Energy Consumption Chart: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/flow/total_energy_2023.pdf
  13. NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation.) Winter 2024-25 Assessment: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_WRA_2024.pdf
  14. EIA Nuclear Power ranking of U.S. States: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=43256
  15. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility in 2030 Become a 9,000 MW Utility in 2050 and Still Meet Net Zero Carbon? Update of last year’s article, May 2, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/02/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon-an-update-on-my-electricity-provider-in-south-carolina/
  16. Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
  17. Tom Shepstone’s Substack repost of Dick Storm commentary, May 20, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-we-the-american-people-must-win?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  18. Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
  19. We the People vs. The Ten Headed Swamp Monster     :  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/10/we-the-people-vs-net-zero-indoctrination-by-the-ten-headed-swamp-monster/
  20. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engines Society Depends on: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/30/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-1-heat-engines-1-3-million-horsepower/ 
  21. The Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of Coal, Sept. 12, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/09/12/the-electricity-reliability-crisis-and-the-importance-of-american-coal/
  22. The Kingdom of Heaven Runs on Righteousness, The Kingdom of Earth Runs on Energy, Oct. 3, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/10/03/heaven-runs-on-righteousness-earth-runs-on-energy/
  23. The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  24. President Eisenhower Speech, launching the “Atoms for Peace” initiative, December 1953: https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/atoms-peace
  25. President Kennedy Speech, May 1961, “We Choose to Go to the Moon”, NASA https://www.nasa.gov/history/60-years-ago-president-kennedy-proposes-moon-landing-goal-in-speech-to-congress/
  26. C.S. Krisnadev post on LinkedIn which outlines the De-Industrialization results of Germany’s path to Net-Zero Carbon: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/krishna81_germanys-dunkelflaute-is-causing-an-energy-activity-7275081112731693057-w442?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

The Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of American Coal!

The U.S. needs about 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy each Year. Currently, coal provides about 10% of this PRIMARY ENERGY and should continue to do so until a better energy source is commercially available.

Blackouts and Rationing of Electricity

For all of us that understand energy and electric power generation, we know the electricity generation reliability crisis will get worse and there will be Rationing and Rolling Blackouts. We have already arrived at the critical point and over the last three years people have died from Blackouts. Even once highly respected Utilities such as Duke Energy have imposed rolling Blackouts during high load demand conditions. Two news clips follow as reminders from 2021 and 2022.

So, What Are Some of the Causes of Electric Reliability?

The number one cause is the “War on Coal” power plants! This misguided Net-Zero Carbon policy has caused hundreds of dependable, reliable coal power plants to be demolished. The “War on Coal” is referred to by the government as “Climate Policies”. It is as if shutting down America’s most reliable, affordable and dispatchable source of power generation will change the climate. It is nuts. Professor Vaclav Smil offers some of his views here. (97) My previous blog post discussed “Threats to the Grid”, most of which are due to excessive and unnecessary Federal Government Regulations. (177)

Who or What Respected Organizations Confirm the Crisis?

According to NERC (North American Electricity Reliability Council) over 122,000 MW of coal plants have been shut down and most, demolished since 2010.(92, 106) Most of this lost generation capacity has not been replaced with electricity generation capacity of like reliability, affordability and Dispatchability. Thus, our electric system has become stressed with increasing demand but fewer dispatchable power generation facilities. The chart below is from the NERC Summer Reliability Report, 2024. As can be seen on the chart, in 2013 dependable coal plants represented about 30% of total installed generation capacity. By 2023 the dispatchable coal plants had declined to 18%. The non-Dispatchable solar and wind in 2023 represent over 8% of total generation capacity. However, non-dispatch able means, the solar and wind provide power when nature provides proper sunlight and wind, not when a customer (you) turns on a power consuming device. Such as an electric stove or EV charger. Michelle Bloodworth discussed the role of the out of control EPA Rules on the coming electricity crisis in a POWER Magazine commentary. (106)

America Had Over 100 Years of Affordable, Reliable, Abundant and Dispatchable Electricity Until The War On Coal Began in the 1990’s

Here is an example of a typical large Utility Coal Power Plant. This one is special to me, because I was the startup engineer for Unit #3 in 1973 and I worked at the plant for several different companies over the next 40 years. So, I am very familiar with all of the plant equipment.  This plant when operating at an 80% load factor will consume about 700 tons of coal per hour. This is seven full railroad coal cars each hour. It is about six million tons per year of coal. 

How Much Power Generation is 2500 MW? Did You Ever Visit Niagara Falls? The U.S. Side New York Power Authority Generation Station that uses the American share of the total outflow of the Great Lakes is about the same size as Roxboro Coal Plant in Electricity Generation Capacity.

A typical large coal fueled power plant can produce about the same amount of electricity as the Robert Moses, NYPA Niagara Falls Hydro-Electric Plant.

The Roxboro Coal Generating Plant when operating at 100% load will produce about 2500 MW of electricity.  Let me compare this large Thermal Plant with a large Hydro Plant, say the Robert Moses Hydro-Electric plant at Niagara Falls. Why? Because when I was employed by then Carolina Power & Light Company, I was part of an ASME Committee. Our ASME group had a technical meeting in Niagara Falls. While there, the organizers provided a private tour of the large hydro-electric plant. (that was in the 1970’s, before 911 security measures) My first impression was, “Holy Cow, our plant in Roxboro produces as much as this huge facility and it fits on a real-estate parcel of a few thousand acres”. The Robert Moses hydroelectric plant is powered by rainwater runoff from eight U.S. states and one Canadian Province. The outflow of most of the water from the Great Lakes flows to the Niagara River and through the hydroelectric plants installed there. This is an example of the energy density of a coal plant as compared to hydroelectric power generation.

Robert Moses Hydroelectric Plant 4.5 miles downstream of Niagara Falls: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_moses_niagara_power_plant_01.jpg

So, Why is America Facing Electricity Rationing and Blackouts?

The U.S. Grid powered a thriving economy for over 100 years with great reliability, based on reliable, affordable and Dispatchable coal power plants. They were made ever more efficient and cleaner resulting in some of the cleanest air in the U.S. of any industrialized country.

 Then, after about 2013 government regulatory policies and popular culture has created a self-sabotaging of electric reliability. Over 122,000 MW of electric power generation capacity has been demolished.

This is the equivalent of 50 power plants the size of Roxboro Generating Station
 
The war on coal fueled power stations is contributing to the coming electricity reliability crisis. The War on Coal” is self-Inflicted and anti-American.
 
To my knowledge, there has NOT been a major new coal plant built in the U.S. since 2013. 

122,000 MW of Reliable Coal Power Generation Has Been Demolished

The picture below is the implosion of the Sutton Unit #3 at Duke Energy near Wilmington, NC. This one is also personal to me, because I was also the lead Boiler Startup engineer in charge in June 1972 when Sutton #3 went into commercial operation (Then Carolina Power & Light Co.). To generate 122,000 MW, it would take 290 plants like this. In actuality, the Sierra Club website keeps score on the Beyond Coal Campaign and they show 385 total coal Units shut down since 2010. According to the Sierra Club, only 145 to go.

(Some) Non Governmental and Federal Governmental Agencies that Influence the Government Climate Policies That are Destroying American Electricity Reliability

Two fair questions can be asked: 1. Who cares?

2. Do we really need these old coal plants? 

I will answer both of the questions with an emphatic Yes, I care and Yes we need them!  We do need the remaining 145 coal plants and in addition, more replacements should be being constructed right now. 

Overall, America produces about 16% of our electricity from coal fuel. However, the difference of coal plants compared to solar and wind, is that the coal power is Dispatchable. That means that when the need for electricity increases, the coal plants can be ramped up in power output to match the Demand. Wind and solar are intermittent and are therefore, Non-Dispatchable. Further, a coal pile on site can store months of PRIMARY Energy. Pipelines are “Just in Time” fuel delivery. Do you remember the Colonial Pipeline Hack in 2021? In 2024 it is projected that about 50% of electricity production will be from pipeline supplied natural gas in 2024. Think about that. (176)

Note from the chart below how America’s electricity generation has transitioned from coal as the major (greater than 45%) in 2010 to now, natural gas has taken over the lead as the dominant Primary Energy source for electric power generation.

The greatest need for coal plants come at peak Demand hours in the summer and the winter. Especially winter!

The PJM Interconnection Chart of Electric Power Production by fuel is from January 26, 2022. Then, it was 31% coal power generation. Many of the coal plants in service then, have been shut down. More will be lost by January 2025.

The coal plant generation capacity continues to decline as the momentum of the overwhelming assault on coal power continues. This war on carbon based fuels only applies to free, capitalist western countries.

The electricity crisis that we are facing, is self-inflicted by well financed extremist NGO’s, misguided politicians and Deep State (SWAMP) EPA Bureaucrats. The “War on Coal” is now nearly won by enemies of American prosperity. The “Green New Deal”, which has been codified as the so called, “Inflation Reduction Act” is now a law that will be difficult to repeal. So, what is the rest of the world doing? Do the Bureaucrats in Washington care?

What About Coal Use in the World? It has been Rising and in 2023 the Greatest Coal Consumption Ever Has Been Recorded

China consumes over 50% of the world’s coal.

Reasonable Cost, Reliable Energy and Electricity is a Pre-Requisite for Economic Prosperity. It worked for the U.S. and it has been Proven by China too

China is the world’s largest manufacturer. This was not always the case. After 2001 when China was admitted to the World Trade Organization they ramped up aluminum and steel production to exceed all other countries of the world in tonnage produced. This takes a lot of Primary Energy and it provides a case study of the relationship of reasonable cost and reliable coal power and economic prosperity.

Conclusions

I have spoken to Professional groups of people who are above average in income level, reached prominent levels of respect in the Community that are Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Business owners, Politicians, Bank Presidents and basically, well-informed, well-read individuals. Even technically trained engineers that are not involved in power generation. When I tell them America has NO Energy Policy only a Decarbonization Policy they Look at me like I am creating some kind of fairy tale. 

However, it is true, America has NO Energy Policy. Only Climate Policies that attack the very fuels that our country has depended on and continues to depend on. There are policies in place to destroy American electricity reliability.

Electric Reliability will be worse in the winter. Yes, expect serious problems this December and January 2025

The Climate Polices of the Biden-Harris Administration are NOT based on protecting human health or the environment. They began as a war on coal by NGO’s and the United Nations and then they were carried forward by the Clinton Administration. The Clinton EPA started the assault on coal plants with aggressive lawsuits called “New Source Review”. I wrote a few articles on this, here is one I presented to an EPRI meeting in 2009, another which the Dr. Robert Peltier, then Editor of Power Magazine republished in Master Resource, in 2010.(178, 179) The War on coal greatly expanded during the Obama and Biden Administrations. Net-Zero Carbon is a path to one world government and Socialism, not clean air. The “War on Coal, has now expanded into a War on ALL Fossil Fuels and this is leading to the destruction of reliable electricity generation in America. The only benefactors of the war on carbon in the free world are China, Russia and the rest of the BRICS nations. The Best Interests of the American people, jobs, prosperity and Freedom are NOT a priority of Biden-Harriis.

Further, killing America’s productive capacity will do nothing to improve the environment when the total world energy use is considered. Net-Zero Carbon will only Destroy America’s Productive Capacity.

It is as if the leaders in our government are intentionally weakening America and thus ceding our manufacturing, International Hegemony and other strengths to China and the rest of the world. To me, these policies are inexplicably anti-American. Why? Do you wish to dig deeper? Perhaps if you peruse the 175 or so references below, you may find some reasons of how these terrible Climate Policies have come to be. If you read them, you will come to the conclusion, as I have, that Net-Zero Carbon will not improve human health, food supply, improved quality of life or economic prosperity. Travis Fisher of CATO provided testimony before Congress recently, where he stated, “Energy Can Be A Bright Spot in Our Economy, If We Let it” (180)

The American Electricity Crisis is in fact, Self-Inflicted.

Dick Storm, Sept. 12, 2024

References

  1. PJM Winter Operations Resources: https://www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/2023/05/2023-05-18-egoc-a3-3-pjm-post-winter-2022-23-review.pdf
  2. Manhattan Contrarian article on Electricity Prices in Germany and the world, including the U.S. Great chart of electricity process ranked from highest to lowest, Sept. 7th, 2024: https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2024-9-7-in-germany-the-energy-transition-situation-only-gets-worse
  3. Global Energy Monitor Report of Existing Coal Plants in U.S. 2013: https://www.gem.wiki/Existing_U.S._Coal_Plants
  4. NERC Summer 2024 Reliability report, June 21, 2024: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/PA/Performance%20Analysis%20DL/NERC_SOR_2024_Technical_Assessment.pdf
  5. EIA Total Primary Energy Used in 2023: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/
  6. EIA Electricity Production in 2023 by fuel source: https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20about%204%2C178%20billion,facilities%20in%20the%20United%20States.&text=About%2060%25%20of%20this%20electricity,%2C%20petroleum%2C%20and%20other%20gases.
  7. NMA Importance of Coal for Electric Reliability: https://nma.org/2024/04/01/coal-energy-stability/
  8. Global Energy Monitor on Coal Plants in 2023, China has more than 50% of World Coal Capacity: https://globalenergymonitor.org/report/boom-and-bust-coal-2024/
  9. Duke Energy info on Roxboro Plant: https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/power-plants/roxboro-plant
  10. EIA Coal Consumption 2023, U.S.A.-422 Million Tons: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62484#:~:text=The%20amount%20of%20coal%20transported%20to%20power%20plants%2C%20which%20are,consumption%20to%20reverse%20this%20year.
  11. Coal Hub, Coal Use in China, 2023 about ten times U.S. consumption at 4 Billion Tons: https://thecoalhub.com/chinese-coal-consumption-over-4-billion-tons-in-2023.html#:~:text=Chinese%20coal%20consumption%20reached%20over%204%20billion%20tons%20in%202023.
  12. IEA World Coal Consumption Report 2023: https://www.iea.org/reports/coal-2023/demand
  13. Sierra Club, Climate, Energy and Beyond Coal website: https://www.sierraclub.org/climate-and-energy
  14. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility in 2030 Become a 9,000 MW Utility in 2050 and Still Meet Net Zero Carbon? Update of last year’s article, May 2, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/02/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon-an-update-on-my-electricity-provider-in-south-carolina/
  15. Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
  16. Tom Shepstone’s Substack repost of Dick Storm commentary, May 20, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-we-the-american-people-must-win?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  17. Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
  18. We the People vs. The Ten Headed Swamp Monster     :  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/10/we-the-people-vs-net-zero-indoctrination-by-the-ten-headed-swamp-monster/
  19. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engines Society Depends on: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/30/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-1-heat-engines-1-3-million-horsepower/ 
  20. Wake Up America! Sept. 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  21.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 1,  79 Quadrillion BTUs, The Enormity of the Fossil Energy Systems Providing Sustainable Lives, Jan. 11, 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/01/11/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-1-79-quadrillion-btusthe-enormity-of-the-fossil-energy-systems-providing-sustainable-lives/
  22.  Influencers of U.S. Energy Policy, January 3, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/04/influencers-of-american-energy-policy/
  23. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 2, The Reality of Replacing Conventional Forms of Energy, Jan. 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/06/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-2-some-facts-on-the-reality-of-replacing-conventional-forms-of-energy/
  24.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 3, The Transition that Isn’t, from the perspective of Minerals, Feb. 8, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/08/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-3-the-transition-that-isnt-from-the-perspective-of-minerals/
  25. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 4, The True Agenda for Climate Policies, Feb. 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/13/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-electricity-generation-and-environmental-protection-part-4-what-is-the-true-agenda-for-climate-policies/
  26. Energy Matters! March 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/11/energy-matters/
  27. Update on Hawaii’s “Green New Deal” March 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  28. The Rise and Fall of Nations from the perspective of nuclear power systems manufacturing: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  29. Thomas J. Shepstone posting on Substack of,  “Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialismhttps://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/energy-matters-if-you-value-the-life?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email  
  30.  Threats to the Electric Grid, March 15, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  31. Giant Sucking Sound, March 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/18/giant-sucking-sound/
  32. “Update on Hawaii’s Glimpse of the Future of the Green New Deal” March 20, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  33. The Reality of Electrifying Everything,  April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
  34. Am I Missing Something? Here is an Update on Hyundai’s Commitment to their EV Meta Plant in Georgia:   https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/14/am-i-missing-something-on-evs-here-is-an-update-on-hyundais-meta-plant-commitment-to-evs-and-hydrogen-vehicles/
  35. Tom Shepstone post on Substack of Dick Storm letter to Senator Tom Davis: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/a-balanced-energy-portfolio-is-critical/comments
  36. Dick Storm LI Post on SC Energy policies and failed coal and nuclear plant plans: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7184184178920312833?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  37. Saving America: Issues that Matter, April 28, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/29/saving-america-from-destructive-policies-the-real-issues-that-matter-part-1/
  38.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  39.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  40.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 1, 1850-1955, January 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/14/a-short-history-of-energy-electricity-and-how-our-high-quality-of-living-came-to-be-high-human-development-index-part-1-1850-1955/
  41. Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  42.  “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  43. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
  44.  Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  45. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  46.  The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  47. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  48.  Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  49. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  50. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  51. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1 https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  52.  The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  53. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  54. U.S. War on Carbon Accomplishes Two Things, Weakens America, Enriches China, Jan. 30, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/30/us-war-on-carbon-accomplishes-two-things/
  55. All Fuels are Important, A Review of Competitive Electricity Generation and Supply of Needed Transportation Fuels : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/02/10/all-fuels-are-important-a-review-of-the-reality-of-competitive-electricity-generation-and-the-supply-of-needed-transportation-fuels/  
  56. Texas and Coal Power,  6,000 MW of Coal Power Generation is Missed, Feb. 19, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/02/19/texas-and-coal-power-6000-mws-of-coal-plant-capacity-is-missed/
  57. Executive Orders to Weaken the U.S. Economy, March 3, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/03/03/presidential-executive-order-signed-by-biden-that-will-harm-the-u-s-economy/
  58. Energy and Some People Who Contributed to the Rise of America, March 31, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/03/31/energy-and-notable-people-who-contributed-to-the-rise-of-america/  
  59. Earth Day, Let’s Celebrate True Sustainability of Our High Quality of Life, April 22, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/04/22/earth-day-lets-celebrate-true-sustainability-and-a-continuance-of-our-high-quality-of-life/
  60.   The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be” October 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  61. “My Paid Energy Ad from 2015 and here We Go Again”, January 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/28/my-paid-ad-for-energy-awareness-in-2015-here-we-go-again/
  62. Energy and Economic Prosperity, My Thoughts, a presentation to the Delaware County Bar Association, July 2016: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2016/07/25/energy-and-economic-prosperity-my-thoughts-dick-storm/
  63. “Dick Storm’s Thoughts on the Green New Deal”,    October 2020: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2020/10/10/part-5-dick-storms-thoughts-on-the-green-new-deal/
  64. “Are You Worried about the Future of the U.S.A.?”    : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/21/are-you-worried-about-the-future-of-america/
  65.  830,000 BTUs per Day/Person, Sept. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/09/16/830000-btus-per-day-person/
  66.   The Stupidity of Net-Zero Carbon, Oct. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/13/the-stupidity-of-net-zero-carbon/
  67.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  68.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  69. Lee Raymond video, “Facing the Hard Truths of Energy” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYRH97e-nlM
  70. Dick Storm Presentation to Columbus Energy Forum, Columbus, Ohio August 2022: America Has NO Energy Policy : https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_presentation-and-speakers-notes-from-august-activity-7068650158862827520-B-_W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  71. Dick Storm Panel comments at Powergen International-2024: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_i-had-the-honor-of-being-on-a-powergen-panel-activity-7156046708139782144-zPoZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  72. “Clean Energy Crisis”, Book by Donn Dears, 2023. An excellently written, short and concise review of the energy crisis we are facing. Available on Amazon: 
  73. Understanding Data Center Electricity Demand by C&C Techgroup, June 2023: https://cc-techgroup.com/data-center-energy-consumption/
  74. Power Hungry Google Data Centers to be Built in S.C. Charleston Business Journal, Feb. 15, 2024: https://charlestonbusiness.com/tech-giant-google-coming-to-dorchester-county/
  75. America is Running Out of Electricity Generation, Washington Post, March 7, 2024: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/amid-explosive-demand-america-is-running-out-of-power/ar-BB1jtM69
  76. Coal Use in World Reaches New Record in 2023, Reuters Jan. 2024: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/global-coal-exports-power-generation-hit-new-highs-2023-2024-01-18/#:~:text=LITTLETON%2C%20Colorado%2C%20Jan%2018%20(,cut%20back%20on%20fossil%20fuels
  77. Visual Capitalist on U.S. Coal Plant Closures, August 17, 2021: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/road-to-decarbonization-u-s-coal-plant-closures/
  78. China Accounts for Nearly all of New Coal Fired Power Generation, POWER, Feb. 2024: https://www.powermag.com/global-domination-china-accounts-for-nearly-all-new-coal-fired-power-plant-construction/?utm_source=CP&utm_medium=email&utm_id=02072024&oly_enc_id=3247D5884312C9W  
  79. Global Energy Monitor, Coal Boom and Bust, April 2024: https://globalenergymonitor.org/report/boom-and-bust-coal-2024/
  80. German industry unlikely to fully recover from energy crisis, warns RWE boss, due to High Gas Prices & shut down of Nuclear Plants, April 11, 2024: https://www.ft.com/content/5d98bcab-c8bc-49c8-83a0-88522194f64d?sharetype=blocked
  81. Zero Emissions Grid Follies. Francis Menton and Stephen Heins on Spanish Island with 100% Green Power (similar to Hawaii Experience with “Green” power): https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/the-zero-emissions-grid-demonstration?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  82. PA Oil and Gas Association on the importance of Energy: https://pioga.org/just-the-facts-fossil-fuels-essential-to-four-essential-materials-that-support-civilization/
  83. IEA Food Production cost component of Energy: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/how-the-energy-crisis-is-exacerbating-the-food-crisis
  84. Thomas Shepstone repost of “If you Want to Electrify Everything, Think Again” : https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/if-you-want-to-electrify-everything?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  85. IEA year 2023 Coal Report published July 2024: https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a72a7ffa-c5f2-4ed8-a2bf-eb035931d95c/Coal_2023.pdf
  86. EIA 2023 Energy Facts Explained Charts and Data, published March 2023: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/
  87. EIA 2023 Energy Flow Chart-Sankey Diagram, published July 2024: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/flow-graphs/total-energy.phphttps://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/
  88. LLNL Sankey Diagram of Total Primary Energy Flow, year 2022: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/commodities/energy
  89. COAL POWER AS % of Total: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_power_in_the_United_States
  90. EIA Natural Gas Pipelines update: https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/weekly/archivenew_ngwu/2023/08_31/
  91. EIA Natural Gas Pipelines Explained: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-pipelines.php
  92. NERC Summer Reliability Report, June 2024: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/PA/Performance%20Analysis%20DL/NERC_SOR_2024_Overview.pdf
  93. Daily Sceptic, Net Zero Cure is far worse than the Disease: https://dailysceptic.org/2024/07/04/the-net-zero-cure-is-far-worse-than-the-disease/
  94. Rockefeller Foundation Funding of Extremists and Un-American Causes, July 2024: https://elizabethnickson.substack.com/p/the-rockefellers-created-990-climate
  95. Roger Pielke on Extreme Climate, May 2024 Based on Testimony to U.S. Congress: https://www.aei.org/articles/schrodingers-climate-cat/
  96. Good You Tube Presentation on Paris Climate Goals Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaaJqPCjNr4
  97. Vaclav Smil for Fraser Institute, “Why Net Zero is Impractical and Unrealistic”: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/halfway-between-kyoto-and-2050
  98. Scam of the Century, Ridding the World of Crude Oil Without a Replacement is Global Suicide”, by Ron Stein and Gregory Whitestone, July 2024: https://www.americaoutloud.news/scam-of-the-century-ridding-the-world-of-crude-oil-without-a-replacement-is-global-suicide/
  99. Isaac Orr Presentation to Dairyland Power on the impact of EPA Regulations, June 22, 2024: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/nine-slides-from-my-keynote-address
  100. Indulgences of the 20th Century, K.T. Lynn on “REC’s”, June 14, 2024: https://thejoulethief.substack.com/p/get-rec-ked
  101. Climate change and the politicization of ESG in the US,  ESG Investing: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/political-science/articles/10.3389/fpos.2024.1332399/full  
  102. Gregory Whitestone on You Tube, Climate Fears Debunked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcibOFk_ZdU
  103. LLNL Primary Energy Flow Chart, 2022 for U.S.: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/sites/flowcharts/files/2023-10/US%20Energy%202022.pdf
  104. IEA Pathways to Net Zero, Oct. 2023: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023/pathways-for-the-energy-mix
  105. Our World in Data, Per Capita Energy Use charts: https://ourworldindata.org/energy-mix
  106. POWER Magazine Commentary by Michelle Bloodworth of America’s Power, “EPA No Win Rule for the Electricity Grid” July 2, 2024: https://www.powermag.com/blog/epas-no-win-rule-for-the-electricity-grid/?oly_enc_id=3214I3524889A9B
  107. Global Energy Monitor, Coal Plant Tracker: https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-coal-plant-tracker/dashboard/
  108. ASEAN May 2024 report on the future of coal in Asia: https://aseanenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ACE_Assessment-of-the-Role-of-Coal-in-the-ASEAN-Energy-Transition-and-Coal-Phase-out.pdf
  109. EIA Natural Gas Prices, from 2019 to March 2024: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62203&src=email
  110. WUWT on Wind and Solar becoming less viable, June 7, Master Resource: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/06/07/industrial-wind-power-a-depleting-resource/
  111. Rise and Fall of the U.S. Grid, by Emmett Penney, Foreign Affairs Magazine: https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2022/08/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-american-electrical-grid/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  112. Lars Shernikau, “Primary Energy is Still King” : https://unpopular-truth.com/2024/05/24/why-primary-energy-is-still-king/  
  113. DOE-Pathways to Advanced Nuclear Power, June 2024: https://liftoff.energy.gov/advanced-nuclear/
  114. Our World in Data, Renewable Energy in the World, Charts : https://ourworldindata.org/renewable-energy  
  115. Thomas Shepstone Substack on “What about Coal?” June 20, 2024: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/what-about-coal
  116. ENERGY INSTITUTE 2024 WORLD ENERGY REPORT, Statistical Review, JUNE 2024: https://www.energyinst.org/statistical-review
  117. Gatestone Institute, “May 24, 2024, “Free World, Alarming…Status report”: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20660/free-world-alarming-status
  118. Energy Bad Boys, Substack on EPA forcing 5.2 million into Blackouts, May 25, 2024: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/52-million-americans-will-be-left
  119. German De-Industrialization post on the “Last Pipe” from Vallourec Factory: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7112422447580082176-MMm3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  120. China’s leader states the importance of oil and coal for prosperity: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7112059501003829248-5b4Y?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  121. FERC Summer Assessment, May 2024: https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/report-2024-summer-energy-market-and-electric-reliability-assessment?utm_source=www.gridbrief.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=data-center-overload-critical-mineral-supply-energy-grids-in-modern-warfare
  122. Grid Brief, May 27, 2024, Data Center to Contribute to 2.7% Electricity Growth: https://www.gridbrief.com/p/data-center-overload-critical-mineral-supply-energy-grids-modern-warfare?utm_source=www.gridbrief.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=data-center-overload-critical-mineral-supply-energy-grids-in-modern-warfare
  123. Freedom Train: http://freedomtraininternational.org
  124. Capital Research Center on Palestinian Protesters becoming more active in acts of Terror within the U.S. : https://capitalresearch.org/article/chicago-campus-protestors-announce-terror-campain-against-the-us/?blm_aid=59207
  125. Global Energy Monitor, Tracker for LNG and Gas Pipelines: https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/glhttps://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-gas-infrastructure-tracker/tracker/obal-gas-infrastructure-tracker/tracker/
  126. Global Energy Monitor, Coal Plant Tracker: https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-coal-plant-tracker/dashboard/
  127. Energy IS the Economy, Excellent article by Robert Hargraves: https://www.gridbrief.com/p/guest-feature-energy-economy
  128. Climate, The Movie: https://x.com/wideawake_media/status/1770552312710217954
  129. Phyics.org Article, Ice age climate analysis reduces worst-case warming expected from rising CO₂ :    https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ice-age-climate-analysis-worst.html
  130. Firebreak: When Journalists Drop the Ball, April 22, 2024: https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/when-journalists-drop-the-ball
  131.  Alberta Government Report on Energy Opposition organizations, April 2024: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/public-inquiry-into-anti-alberta-energy-campaigns-report  
  132. WUWT Disclosure of Billionaire Climate Extremists influencing state and Federal Climate policy, good links within the document, May 22, 2024: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/22/more-billionaire-climate-machinations/
  133. WUWT on “Who are the Science Deniers that Threaten Future Prosperity, Trump or Others?”: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/24/claim-trumps-anti-science-climate-denial-threatens-the-foundations-of-prosperity/
  134. WUWT “Environmental Reporting, Failed Predictions Timeline, 1966 to 2023): https://wattsupwiththat.com/failed-prediction-timeline/
  135. Vaclav Smil, “Net Zero is Not Going to Happen”, Fraser Institute, June 2024: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/halfway-between-kyoto-and-2050.pdf
  136. CO2 is NOT a Pollutant and Humans Cannot Regulate It, by Professor Murray Salby, 2016: https://expose-news.com/2024/06/08/carbon-isnt-a-pollutant-humans-cannot-regulate-it/  
  137. Excellent Presentation on Climate and Energy for the General Public :  https://rumble.com/v2l3sqy-climate-and-energy.html
  138. You Tube Presentation on the Influence of the Sun on Earth’s Climate, also at 3 minutes 10 seconds into the video, the recent excellent paper on Net Zero Carbon by William Happer, Richard Lindzen and W. A. van Wijngaarden is discussed, (link below) June 12, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfhbEDuZXDs
  139. CO2 Coalition Paper. Net Zero Averted Temperature Increase: https://co2coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Net-Zero-Averted-Temperature-Increase-2024-06-11.pdf
  140. WUWT-August 2024, “Anthropogenic Warming is Political Science, Not Physical Science”    :  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/08/13/anthropogenic-global-warming-is-political-not-physical-science/
  141. Climatism Blog, Background of the Global Warming Scare: https://climatism.blog/2018/12/19/draconian-un-climate-agenda-exposed-global-warming-fears-are-a-tool-for-political-and-economic-change-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-actual-climate/
  142. WUWT on Sea Level Rise using 19th century photos of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/08/06/despite-alarmists-denials-statue-of-liberty-photos-expose-sea-level-rise-acceleration-failed-projections/
  143. MIT Climate Page, Tons of CO2 on Planet Earth: https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-much-carbon-dioxide-does-earth-naturally-absorb#:~:text=Altogether%20the%20planet%20absorbs%20and,billion%20tons%20of%20CO2.
  144. Our World in Data on CO2 Emissions Data: https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions
  145. NASA-How Much CO2 are we Emitting? https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/earth-science/climate-science/how-much-carbon-dioxide-are-we-emitting/
  146. NOAA on CO2 in Atmosphere: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide
  147. NASA Earth Observatory on CO2 :  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle
  148. CO2 Coalition on the Importance of CO2 to the Senate: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/FC7C4946-11A3-4967-BF28-8D0386608D3E
  149. New Scientist tally of 1.85 Billion Tonnes of carbon on planet earth: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2218180-weve-totted-up-all-earths-carbon-and-99-per-cent-is-underground/  
  150. Global Energy Monitor on CO2: https://www.gem.wiki/Carbon_dioxide
  151. British Geological Service: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/climate-change/the-carbon-story/
  152. Capital Research Center, History of the Climate Polices, by Ken Haapala: Capital Research Center, Report on Climate Dollars https://www.climatedollars.org/full-study/a-short-history-of-global-warming-fears/
  153. Liberty Energy’s Chris Wright Testimony to Congress on the “Climate Policies” April 2024: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/BA/BA00/20240410/117092/HHRG-118-BA00-Wstate-WrightC-20240410.pdf
  154. A Short History of Climate Dollars, CRC, 2017: https://www.climatedollars.org/app/uploads/2017/05/CRC_ClimateDollars_Study_finalv3.pdf
  155.  Finland’s GTK Outstanding Website on the limits of Materials. Also, the Future and Challenges/Futility or Impossibility of the Free Western World government’s “Net-Zero Carbon” Path: https://www.gtk.fi/en/research/time-to-wake-up/https://www.gtk.fi/en/research/time-to-wake-up/downloads/
  156. Anthony Watts on the Polar Vortex Weather Pattern: https://climaterealism.com/2024/01/false-axios-climate-change-isnt-altering-the-polar-vortex/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Heartland+Weekly%3A+Heartland+Friend+Willie+Soon+KILLS+IT+on+Tucker+Carlson+s+New+Show+on+Elon+Musk+s+X+Platform&utm_campaign=HW+%2801-12-23%293.
  157.  CO2 Coalition home page: https://co2coalition.org
  158. Dr. Richard Lindzen on Temperature of the Earth: https://climateactiontracker.org
  159. Clintel Declaration (European Scientists): https://clintel.org/world-climate-declaration/
  160. WUWT Timeline of Failed Climate Doomsday Predictions: https://wattsupwiththat.com/failed-prediction-timeline
  161. Dr. Roy Spencer Web site: https://www.drroyspencer.com
  162. Heartland Institute: http://climatechangereconsidered.org
  163. Real Clear Wire, “Here’s the Climate Dissent You’re Not Hearing About Because it is Muffled by Society’s Top Institutions” :  https://realclearwire.com/articles/2023/09/13/heres_the_climate_dissent_youre_not_hearing_about_because_its_muffled_by_societys_top_institutions_978511.html?utm_medium=email&utm_content=iJgazUr_XAtMm8bXcO-
  164. Professor Richard Lindzen, MIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lindzen#Views_on_climate_change
  165. Prof. Lindzen article in Tablet Magazine on China and his views on AGW: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/science/articles/china-warming-richard-lindzen
  166. Professor Judith Curry Interview January 30, 2021 on AGW:  https://judithcurry.com/2021/01/30/interview-climate-change-a-different-perspective-with-judith-curry/
  167. Professor Willliams Happer and Professor Richard Lindzen Testimony to SEC June 2022: https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-10-22/s71022-20132171-302668.pdf
  168. The Right Stuff Climate Team (Retired NASA Engineers): https://www.therightclimatestuff.com
  169. Climate Science Book by Vinos with forward by Judith Curry:  https://judithcurry.com/2022/09/22/the-winter-gatekeeper-hypothesis-vii-a-summary-plus-qa/
  170. Climate, Past, Present and Future: https://judithcurry.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Vinos-CPPF2022.pdf
  171. Australian Scientific Paper: World Atmospheric CO2, Its 14C Specific Activity, Non-fossil Component, Anthropogenic Fossil Component, and Emissions (1750–2018) https://journals.lww.com/health-physics/fulltext/2022/02000/world_atmospheric_co2,_its_14c_specific_activity,.2.aspx
  172. GWPF Sept 22, 2022, Richard Lindzen Paper: https://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2022/09/Lindzen-global-warming-narrative.pdf
  173.  Dr. Timothy Ball Paper on the Deliberate Corruption of Science, 2014: https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/BOOK%20REVIEW%20-%20‘THE%20DELIBERATE%20CORRUPTION%20OF%20CLIMATE%20SCIENCE%20by%20TIM%20BALL.pdf
  174. Tim Ball, CO2 is not a pollutant 2018: https://www.technocracy.news/tim-ball-the-evidence-proves-that-co2-is-not-a-greenhouse-gas/
  175. Dr. Judith Curry post on how Disinformation Industrial Complex is harming Trust in Science, June 2023: https://judithcurry.com/2023/04/23/how-the-disinformation-industrial-complex-is-destroying-trust-in-science/https://judithcurry.com/2023/04/23/how-the-disinformation-industrial-complex-is-destroying-trust-in-science/
  176. Colonial Pipeline Hack report by Government, 2023: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/attack-colonial-pipeline-what-weve-learned-what-weve-done-over-past-two-years
  177. Threats to the Grid, Especially Excessive Government Regulations: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  178. Master Resource, “Time to Repeal New Source Review“, by Dr. Robert Peltier and Dick Storm, 2010: https://www.masterresource.org/coal/time-to-repeal-new-source-review/
  179. Dick Storm presentation to the EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) in 2009 on the Unintended Consequences that “New Source Review” is causing to achieve the best possible efficiency of existing coal plants: https://www.stormeng.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2009-The-Unintended-Consequences-of-New-Source-Review-NSR.-Imagine-What-the-Utility-Industry-Could-do-without-NSR..pdf
  180. Travis Fisher, CATO Institute, “Energy Can be a Bright Spot in the U.S. Economy, If We Let it”: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/energy-can-be-a-bright-spot-in-the?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  181. WSJ on California Rolling Blackouts, Sept. 8, 2024: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/californias-lights-are-out-and-gavin-newsom-isnt-home-energy-power-f51913f5?mod=djemMER_h
  182.  Todd Snitchler, Electric Power Supply Association, “Has the Electricity Reality Check Arrived”, WUWT : https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/09/06/has-the-electricity-reality-check-arrived/

The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat-Engine on Which Civil Society Depends, Part III, Internal Combustion Engines up to 110,000 Horsepower

This is Part III of a three part series. Part I covered the basics of the three major Heat-Engines that provide about 75% of our electricity in the U.S. Part II covered the propulsion systems for ocean shipping. This article will explain the basics of smaller Heat-Engines used for electricity generation, farming, food production, food distribution, automobiles, trucks, trains, aircraft, small engines for landscape, construction, mining, military defense machines and more. Internal Combustion Engines (ICE’s) powered by fossil fuels are used widely in all sectors of our economy.

Conventional Energy=Life as We Know It

Let’s start with the largest Internal Combustion Engine ever built. The Wartsilla Marine Engine is credited to be the largest reciprocating Diesel engine in the world. These have been tested at up to 114,000 Hp.

State of the art design Marine Propulsion Prime Movers Have Been Adapted for Use as Stationary Power Generation for a Long Time.

Electric Power generation technology progressed from ship and aircraft propulsion systems over the years. Many central station power plant systems have their roots in marine and aircraft propulsion. Consider these milestones for land, sea and aircraft:(14)

  • Robert Fulton Steamboat Clermont-1807
  • Otto invents the 4-Cycle Gas engine-1867
  • Charles Parsons, invents Steam Turbine-1884
  • Charles Parsons Steam Turbine drive on Turbinia-1894, Fastest Ship in the world
  • Rudolf Diesel invents Compression Ignition Diesel engine-1895
  • First large Diesel engines for Maritime use are in German Submarines during WWI
  • Dr. Hans von Ohain (Germany) and Sir Frank Whittle (UK) are both recognized as being the co-inventors of the jet engine, later adapted to electric power generation-1933
  • U.S. Nuclear submarine Nautilus launched 1954 powered by a PWR
  • Nuclear powered Merchant Ship NS Savannah, launched 1959
  • Largest Diesel Engine ever built-Wartsilla RTA96-C 107,000 HP-2006

Internal Combustion Engines for Electricity Generation

Large natural gas and Diesel powered generators are commonly used for Dispatchable backup power for areas served by large capacity of wind and solar generation. When the wind stops and sun is not shining, the Grid must be stabilized with adequate generation that is needed quickly. Internal combustion engines serve this need very well. The picture below is from a facility near Marquette, Michigan. This picture below is a 17 MW (24,000 Hp) gas engine. Multiple engines can be installed for total power capacity of over 225 MW as in the Denton, TX plant.

Photo credit Stephen Storm, Wartsilla Project info: https://www.powermag.com/new-gas-fired-plants-come-online-in-michigan/

The advantages of the gas engines are: They have black start capability, fast load response, VAR (Volt Ampere Reactive) support, most importantly they can run 24/7 under any weather conditions and they are Dispatchable. The adaption from marine propulsion systems makes the features of black start and load responsiveness intrinsic in the design. These are referred to as “RICE”, an acronym for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines.

Aeroderivative Gas Turbines

The aeroderivative gas turbines also serve as tremendously reliable, Dispatchable and powerful prime movers for generators. The name aeroderivative is descriptive as these heat-engines have a long history of development and advancements in materials and design for reliable aircraft propulsion. Therefore, reliability is an intrinsic priority. One of the most common and proven designs is the G-E LM-2500 shown below.

From G-E Gas Turbine Power website: https://www.gevernova.com/content/dam/gepower-new/global/en_US/downloads/gas-new-site/resources/reference/ger-4250-ge-lm2500-g4-aero-gas-turbine-marine-industrial-applications.pdf

In Part I of this series I described the larger G-E Gas Turbines used with Combined Steam Cycles (GTCC) of the 600-700 MW capacity range. Like the internal combustion reciprocating engines, the gas turbine prime mover has the advantages of fast starts, Dispatchability, VARs support, 24/7 operation, rapid load response and quick shutdown. Truly flexible generation.

Heat-Engines in our Everyday Lives

The most common Internal Combustion Engines (ICE’s) of course are used in transportation. Automobiles, trucks, tractors, farm equipment, construction equipment, aircraft, ships and trains. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, about 37% of the total Primary Energy used in the U.S. during 2023 was for transportation. About 28 Quadrillion BTUs to be exact.

These are the forms of energy that power our lives each day. The ICE is a large part of our lives whether it is in powering our computer, providing illumination, powering industrial production, construction, farming and providing jobs. Also, very importantly for our freedom of travel…..providing the fuel for transportation of our families and friends.

Fertilizer, Farming, Food Production and Food Distribution

Perhaps farming and food distribution should be at the top of the list as it is one of the most basic human needs. Food production begins with fertilizer production which is off topic for this article, but fertilizer production represents a significant portion of total primary energy consumption. It is said by Vaclav Smil and other experts that synthetic fertilizer production is important to feed about 50% of the world’s population. Then, once fertilizer is produced; planting/harvesting/processing/Distribution of food progresses from farm to table. Energy is important every step along the way.(9)

The enormous productivity benefit of a Diesel tractor is obvious. The importance of energy in producing fertilizer, food processing, refrigeration and trucking distribution is not so obvious. However, much of food production farm to table, involves heat-engines and fossil fuels. In fact, the cost component of energy; farm to table is about 50% energy.

The IEA has analyzed the cost component of energy for common foods and documented that about 50% of food cost is from energy.(10)

Conclusions

Conventional forms of energy are important and it takes a lot of natural gas, petroleum, coal and nuclear to power and sustain our high quality of life. Those that believe wind and solar can replace conventional forms of energy during the next twenty years are delusionally misguided and indoctrinated with misinformation. Professor Vaclav Smil has documented this quite well, (He has written dozens of books on the subject and is, in fact one of the sharpest world energy experts)

Four components of our lives cannot be replaced by renewable power. Those four pillars of society are Fertilizer, Steel, Concrete and Plastics.(11, 15)

The “Heat-Engines” that Civil Society Depends on will remain important for a long time and so will fossil fuels. This three part series was intended to provide an overview of these magnificent machines.

Yours truly,

Dick Storm, August 10, 2024

References and Information for further reading and research

  1. Interesting Engineering: https://interestingengineering.com/lists/15-of-the-largest-engines-in-the-world
  2. History of Large Gas Engines, Newcomen Society: https://fredstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/14.-Large-Gas-Engines-Lawton.pdf
  3. Denton Energy Center, 225 MW Wartsilla Natural Gas Engine Power Plant:
    https://www.cityofdenton.com/335/Denton-Energy-Center-DEC
  4. Wartsilla Marine Engines and Generators:
    https://www.wartsila.com/marine/products/engines-and-generating-sets
  5. Power Magazine, Article on Marquette Energy Center, Michigan: https://www.powermag.com/new-gas-fired-plants-come-online-in-michigan/
  6. Wartsilla article on Marquette Power Plant:
    https://www.wartsila.com/energy/learn-more/references/utilities/marquette-energy-center-usa
  7. G-E Aeroderivative LM2500 Gas Turbines: https://www.gevernova.com/content/dam/gepower-new/global/en_US/downloads/gas-new-site/resources/reference/ger-4250-ge-lm2500-g4-aero-gas-turbine-marine-industrial-applications.pdf
  8. Largest Diesel Engine in the World, Wartsilla 2006: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wärtsilä-Sulzer_RTA96-C
  9. Energy used in Agriculture, Vaclav Smil article: https://www.vaclavsmil.com/wp-content/uploads/docs/smil-article-worldagriculture.pdf
  10. IEA Report on How the Cost of Energy is Exacerbating the Cost of Food, 2022: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/how-the-energy-crisis-is-exacerbating-the-food-crisis
  11. Time Magazine, with Vaclav Smil on the four Materials our Society Needs from Fossil Fuels, Ammonia, Steel, Plastics and Cement: https://time.com/6175734/reliance-on-fossil-fuels/
  12. Part I of this series: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/30/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-1-heat-engines-1-3-million-horsepower/ 
  13. Part II of this series: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/08/07/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-ii-focus-on-fossil-fuels-for-ocean-shipping/
  14. A Short History of Power Generation, 1850-1955, Part I: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/14/a-short-history-of-energy-electricity-and-how-our-high-quality-of-living-came-to-be-high-human-development-index-part-1-1850-1955/
  15. Four Pillars of Civilization, Ammonia, Cement, Steel and Plastics:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/

The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engine On Which Civil Society Depends Part 1, Heat-Engines 1-3 Million Horsepower

The 20th century began with much farm work, transportation, heating and home chores being done with muscle power and wood burning. As coal, petroleum, natural gas and later nuclear energy were applied to replace muscle power, our country experienced rapid growth in industrial production, food production, shipping, travel and a growing economy. Also, comforts and conveniences at home and work such as air conditioning, refrigeration, cooking, dishwashers, automatic washers, and more. A previous article on the history of energy is here. That 105 year period 1850-1955 yielded incredible growth in both industrial output and economic growth. The strength of the U.S. grew and expanded for the U.S. to become the Greatest country in the world, with the largest economy in the world. This was made possible by many factors, including; the Judeo-Christian work ethic of the people, Liberty, Capitalism, Free Markets, creativity, inventiveness, innovation and the abundance of God’s given treasure of Domestic energy resources. Including the richest deposits of coal in the world, natural gas and petroleum. America, the Saudi Arabia of Coal!

An important point, not often discussed. Wherever there is coal, so is there oil and gas. In 2023, the U.S. produced more crude oil than any other country.(24) This in spite of excessive Federal regulations and an out of control EPA.

Reasonable cost and abundant energy was essential for America’s success, just as energy is essential for any other country’s success. America’s energy use is reported in British Thermal Units (BTU) and the U.S. uses about 100 Quadrillion BTUs each year. The Energy Institute and the International Energy Administration reports world energy use in Exajoules (EJ) and the world uses about 620 Exajoules per year. (0.947817 x 620 EJ= 587.6 Quadrillion BTU)

Why Horsepower?

I have written on this before and had some feedback from readers and friends that “The general public doesn’t understand it when they are told they use about 850,000 BTUs of energy each day or the U.S. used 100 Quadrillion BTUs in a year”. Therefore, for this two part essay I thought I would express electricity energy in “Horsepower”. Rather than BTUs, kWH, Joules or Foot-Pounds, this article expresses energy production in Horsepower because, especially my family and friends, horsepower is a term most folks look at when buying a new car or truck, whether it is a 250 Hp Diesel fueled Ford F-150 or a 1020 Hp Tesla Model S. The fuel for each must first be provided by Primary Energy used to create either motive force or electricity.

Primary Energy

About 92% of the Primary energy used in America is used in Heat-Engines to power our high quality of life. About a third of the primary energy used in the U.S. is used to generate electricity. This article is intended to be a primer on the massive Heat-Engines that keep our Grid energized. Part 2 will include smaller heat-engines used for electric power generation and those used for transportation. It is my goal to keep the Thermodynamics simple so that non technically trained people can understand the importance of the 92% conventional Primary energy that we depend on. Past articles that I have written attempted to explain the differences of Primary Energy and Secondary Energy. Here, Here and Here. Primary energy flows in the U.S. for the year 2022 is shown on the LLNL chart here. The World use of Primary energy is shown by the Energy Institute here.

Common Large Heat-Engines

Definition of a Heat-Engine: A heat engine is a system that converts heat to usable energy, particularly mechanical energy, which can then be used to do mechanical work. Such as a Steam Turbine which converts the heat energy of steam into rotational force to spin a generator to produce electricity.

Also, a gas turbine or turbo-jet engine that uses heat energy to create rotational force to a shaft. A portion of the heat energy is exhausted as waste. The difference of the heat content of the steam or hot gas at the inlet and at the exhaust is the net work that has been extracted for useful purposes. In this article steam and gas turbines will be discussed. In a power plant the steam turbine or gas turbine is sometimes referred to as the Prime Mover. A previous article touches on Heat-Engines. The illustration below is a graphical description of the conversion of coal fuel to provide heat used to generate steam. The steam is then used to spin a turbine providing the motive force creating shaft horsepower to spin a generator and ultimately generating electric power. The heat source to produce steam can be coal, nuclear, natural gas, oil, biomass or municipal waste. The basic steam cycle remains the same, referred to in our industry as the “Rankine Steam Cycle”.

From Storm Technologies Large Electric Utility Boiler Combustion & Performance Optimization Course

Thermal Power is important for everything we do!

One pre-requisite to understanding Heat-Engines, is to understand the difference between Primary Energy and Secondary Energy. Covered in previous articles, here, here and here.

Types of Heat-Engines

Let’s start with one of the largest first. Here is a photo of the Zimmer Coal Plant. This plant shut down in 2022 but when started up in 1991 it was amongst the largest single unit power plants in the world with 1351 MW capacity, Dispatchable 24/7, rain or shine, summer or winter. This plant was one of my favorites and in my opinion, it is an example of one of the most magnificent heat engines ever built.

Zimmer Steam Turbine Generator 1993 from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Zimmer_Power_Station

The photo above is just part of the power plant, showing the Low Pressure Turbine and generator. There is also a High Pressure turbine and separate generator. The entire Zimmer “Heat-Engine” comprises the entire power plant shown below in an aerial photo. Although I have been in the power generation business for over 50 years, it still amazes me that so much of the equipment involved in the total electrical energy production starting with a coal conveyer moving 500 tons per hour of coal can be pulverized and burned, produce steam to the turbines and generate electricity to the Grid (the equivalent of 1.8 million Hp) through three skinny high voltage wires that are smaller than 2″ in diameter and 1.8 million horsepower of energy.

Photo from Cincinnati Newspaper about 1994

The Zimmer Coal Plant when operating at full capacity of 1350 MW’s is equivalent to about 1,800,000 Horsepower. To generate this much power about one million pounds of 11,000 BTU/# coal would be pulverized and burned in suspension in the furnace each hour. That is one reason why I refer to this power plant as a Magnificent Heat Engine. The million pounds per hour (Imagine five 100 ton coal cars/hour) of coal is converted into electricity that flows through three high voltage conductors to the transmission lines feeding the Grid. The water flow to the steam generator is equivalent to about 20,000 gallons per minute. An Olympic swimming pool holds about 600,000 gallons. At maximum capacity the Zimmer steam generator will evaporate the equivalent of two Olympic swimming pools full of water each hour and heat that water to steam at over 3,845 pounds per square inch and 1,000 degrees F. The single turbine driven boiler feed water pump is powered by a 50 MW (67,000 Hp) steam turbine which is about as powerful as all the power consumed on a hot summer day in my old town (about 20,000 people) in Albemarle, NC. Fifty Megawatts is the power to drive just the feed water pump.

These are a few reasons why I consider Zimmer to be a magnificent Heat Engine. An excerpt from the POWER Magazine 1993 feature article is copied below.

Nuclear Power Generation

The Oconee Nuclear Plant is another example of Thermal power generation. Allow me to also call this a heat engine. Three units with a total capacity of 2,554 MW. The illustration below is from the Duke Energy Fact Sheet.

https://www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/energy-education/oconee-nuclear-station-fact-sheet.pdf?rev=8dd993b38d0a4e2fbbd0bc0d5db8e56b

This three unit nuclear powered “Heat-Engine” is about twice as large in total output as the Zimmer Coal Plant discussed above. Expressed as Horsepower, the three units together represent the equivalent of over 3.3 million horsepower.

Both the Zimmer and Oconee plants utilize the Rankine Steam Cycle.

Natural Gas Turbines

Modern gas turbines used for power generation are referred to as “Aeroderivative” Why? Because the gas turbine technology used is derived from jet engine designs. I wrote on the history of power generation in a previous article here. Two engineers, one German and one British are credited with the invention of the jet engine which came to be in the mid 1930’s. The first gas turbine application to power generation is generally thought to be by General Electric at the Belle Isle Station in Oklahoma, about 1949. The simple Gas Turbine single cycle is called the “Brayton Cycle”. An illustration of a modern Gas Turbine is shown below.

The generator is not shown in the above illustration but it will be similar to the generator shown above at the Zimmer coal plant. The point is that heat energy is used in each example thus far. For Zimmer coal is used to generate steam supply to power steam turbines as prime movers. Oconee uses nuclear fission to provide the heat to generate steam for the steam turbines there. Both use the Rankine steam cycle. The gas turbine shown above utilizes the Brayton cycle to create hot gases that flow through the gas turbine as the prime mover for the generator shaft.

Gas Turbine Combined Cycle Plants (GTCC)

One of the major advancements in the last twenty years or so has been the commercial application of gas turbines and steam turbine cycles working together. That is using both gas turbines with a shaft connected to a generator and then exhaust heat recovery of the gas turbine in a boiler to generate steam to provide a steam supply to a steam turbine which is the prime mover of a second generator.

By combining the gas turbine and steam turbine cycles, a much greater overall efficiency can be achieved. Modern GTCC plants achieve up to 65% thermal efficiency.

The plant below is 697 MW capacity. Fueled by natural gas.

The GTCC plant electrical output of 697 MW is equivalent to 927,000 Horsepower.

Summary

Heat engines power our lives and very little is stated in the Main Stream Media about the importance of conventional energy. Especially, Thermal Energy. In fact, if anything is written or discussed on TV, the MSM demonizes carbon and thermal power. This article is an attempt to explain the immensity of electric power generation systems on which we depend. There is a war to abolish fossil fuels which provide about 80% of the fuel needed to power our lives. This is best shown on the LLNL Energy Flow Chart below. Yes, it is expressed in BTU’s (British Thermal Units) and each BTU is equivalent to 778 foot pounds of work which may have been accomplished by muscle power 150 years ago, but now many politicians and leaders seem to have forgotten what conventional energy has made possible. The Zimmer plant and many other fine coal plants are being decommissioned and most demolished, without replacement of similar reliable, affordable generation capacity. I wrote on this before, here, here and here. So have many other people and respected organizations that understand generation by conventional fuels. Some references of these others are included below.

The 2023 LLNL Energy Flow Chart is not yet available. The most recent is for year 2022, shown below. Yes, 100.2 Quadrillion BTUs and only 4.96% of this Primary Energy was provided by wind and solar. This after decades of subsidies. Anyone that thinks wind and solar can replace the 92% conventional energy sources by 2030 or even 2050 are delusional. I wrote a previous article to discuss the “Impossibility of Achieving Net-Zero Carbon”. Then the Hawaii early adoption of the “Green New Deal” became public information. Hawaii is an “Energy Island” situated geographically with plenty of sunshine and wind. Their experiences with renewables has been very expensive and at reduced reliability. You can read more on the Hawaii experiences with renewable power here. Why? Hawaii is the perfect experiment to “Transition” to renewables with no Grid connection. Therefore, the availability, affordability and practicality is a perfect science experiment. Does anyone think electricity costs of over $0.40/kWH will improve the lives of Americans? Improve our economy and world competitiveness of manufacturing? I think not. EIA electricity costs by state here.

Americans use between 833,000 and 1,000,000 BTUs of energy each day to sustain our quality of life. There are some misguided leaders and politicians that are on a path to destroy the magnificent prime movers that power our lives.

Do you remember this poem from 1948?

First They Came, by
Pastor Martin Niemoller


First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.

The environmental activists and Democrats in the U.S. have an anti-Carbon policy that has nothing to do with protecting human health or the environment. It is an agenda for one world government and control of our lives. We could paraphrase Martin Niemoller’s poem with the words….“First they came for Coal”. Trust me friends, the Biden-Harris and Democrat Party Climate Policies are NOT based on protecting your health. The (D’s) hate fossil fuels, including natural gas. The U.S. is on a path this year, to depend on about 50% (interruptible pipeline supplied) Natural gas fuel for power generation. I do not think this is wise. The Zimmer coal plant is an example of true “Energy Storage”. A coal pile plus, Coal barges tied up adjacent to the plant can provide weeks or months of Primary Energy storage. Pipelines are vulnerable to harm, whether accidental or malicious. Battery storage systems are for hours at best. Think about Grid Security and the many threats, within our country from Deep State Regulators (EPA, BLM and more) and Politicians, as well as from criminal minded foreigners. There are many threats to the energy supply to the country we love. Threats to your conventional energy powered lifestyle…..Please, THINK before you vote.

Thank you for reading and respectfully,

Dick Storm, July 30, 2024

References and Information for further research:

  1.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022 https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  2. Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  3. Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  4.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 1,  79 Quadrillion BTUs, The Enormity of the Fossil Energy Systems Providing Sustainable Lives, Jan. 11, 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/01/11/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-1-79-quadrillion-btusthe-enormity-of-the-fossil-energy-systems-providing-sustainable-lives/
  5. The Reality of Electrifying Everything,  April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
  6. Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
  7. The Importance of Heat-Engines, A Primer: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2020/09/09/the-importance-of-energy-part-3-heat-engines-a-primer/
  8. A Short History of Power Generation, 1850-1955, Part 1, January 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/14/a-short-history-of-energy-electricity-and-how-our-high-quality-of-living-came-to-be-high-human-development-index-part-1-1850-1955/
  9. World Energy Statistical Review year 2023 by the Energy Institute, published June 2024: https://www.energyinst.org/statistical-review/resources-and-data-downloads
  10. Lawerence Livermore National Laboratory Energy Flow Chart for year 2022: LLNL Primary Energy Flow Chart, 2022 for U.S.: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/sites/flowcharts/files/2023-10/US%20Energy%202022.pdf
  11. POWER Magazine, Brief History of G-E Gas Turbines for Power Generation: https://www.powermag.com/a-brief-history-of-ge-gas-turbines-2/
  12. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  13. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  14.  The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  15. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  16. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/
  17. FERC Summer Assessment, May 2024: https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/report-2024-summer-energy-market-and-electric-reliability-assessment?utm_source=www.gridbrief.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=data-center-overload-critical-mineral-supply-energy-grids-in-modern-warfare
  18. Grid Operators Warn of Blackouts due to Excessive EPA Rules, America’s Power, March 6, 2024: https://americaspower.org/operators-regulators-concerned/
  19. Energy Freedom by Thomas Shepstone: Kammie the Commie by Thomas Shepstone: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/kammie-the-commie-a-climate-cultist?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  20. Ron Stein article in America Out Loud, Harris is More Radical on Her Energy Policies than Joe Biden: https://www.americaoutloud.news/kamala-harris-is-more-radical-on-her-energy-policies-than-joe-biden/
  21. WSJ article on Kamala’s “Fracking Flip-Flop” July 2024: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kamala-harris-fracking-energy-oil-gas-biden-administration-9dd5a023?mod=latest_headlines
  22. Politico article on the Russian threat to natural gas supplies, 2022: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/02/gas-pipelines-cyber-risk-00011898
  23.  Threats to the Electric Grid, March 15, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  24. EIA-World’s Largest Producer of Crude: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61545#:~:text=The%20crude%20oil%20production%20record,of%2013.0%20million%20b%2Fd.
  25. Forbes article by David Blackmon on Democrat Party Energy Policy: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidblackmon/2024/07/23/energy-policy-would-shift-left-in-a-kamala-harris-presidency/
  26. Dick Storm Blog, “What is Endangered, “Climate or Freedom” 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/02/27/what-is-endangered-climate-or-freedom-this-is-the-sub-title-of-the-book-blue-planet-in-green-shackles/
  27. Three more references on Kamala Harris: https://bwcentral.org/2021/03/kamala-harris-who-is-she
  28. https://radiopatriot.net/2024/07/23/kamalas-background-more-than-you-knew/
  29.  https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/08/18/kamala-harris-law-school-politics-503924
  30. Thomas Shepstone, Kammie the Commie: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/kammie-the-commie-a-climate-cultist?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&comments=true
  31. American Energy Alliance, Profile of Kamala Harris on Energy policies and actions: https://www.americanenergyalliance.org/2024/07/candidate-profile-kamala-harris-on-energy/?unapproved=126046&moderation-hash=7ee47b970484ee52cae2263fe63f6287#comment-126046
  32.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 1,  79 Quadrillion BTUs, The Enormity of the Fossil Energy Systems Providing Sustainable Lives, Jan. 11, 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/01/11/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-1-79-quadrillion-btusthe-enormity-of-the-fossil-energy-systems-providing-sustainable-lives/
     Influencers of U.S. Energy Policy, January 3, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/04/influencers-of-american-energy-policy/
  33. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 2, The Reality of Replacing Conventional Forms of Energy, Jan. 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/06/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-2-some-facts-on-the-reality-of-replacing-conventional-forms-of-energy/
  34. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 3, The Transition that Isn’t, from the perspective of Minerals, Feb. 8, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/08/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-3-the-transition-that-isnt-from-the-perspective-of-minerals/
  35. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 4, The True Agenda for Climate Policies, Feb. 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/13/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-electricity-generation-and-environmental-protection-part-4-what-is-the-true-agenda-for-climate-policies/
  36. Energy Matters! March 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/11/energy-matters/
  37. Update on Hawaii’s “Green New Deal” March 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  38. The Rise and Fall of Nations from the perspective of nuclear power systems manufacturing: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  39. USA Today Electricity Costs by State, July 19, 2024: https://www.usatoday.com/money/homefront/deregulated-energy/electricity-rates-by-state/
  40. he Impossibility of Achieving Net-Zero Carbon, Oct, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/13/the-stupidity-of-net-zero-carbon/

Coal’s Final Battle

Reasonable cost, Dependable, Affordable and Dispatchable coal power generation has been mortally wounded.

We, the American People Must win the War on Coal

From Sierra Club website, May 18, 2024; https://coal.sierraclub.or

Who are the Enemies of Coal?

On enemies, Sun Tzu said “Know the enemy and know yourself in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril”.(1)

Most of the American people have no idea of who the enemies of coal are. In fact, I worked in the coal power industry for about thirty years before I became aware of some of them. The true facts are, that there are multiple entities and organizations that are enemies. Let’s call them “Carbon Hating Tribes”. These Tribes include rogue Bureaucrats (alphabet agencies of the U.S. Federal Gov’t) politicians, Well funded NGO’s, Public education K-12 plus many Universities, Public Broadcasting, Billionaires who do not understand the importance of Domestically produced Primary energy, U.S. elected politicians, the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the MSM, the Entertainment Industry, celebrities and foreign participants that wish to weaken the U.S.A. I tried to capture some of the prominent anti Carbon Tribes in one meme which I have used in my public presentations. Most of the leaders and the members of these anti-coal Tribes, are NOT elected by the U.S. citizens . I have written several previous commentaries naming some of the individuals and organizations. (6, 207, 208) A Congressional report also outlined the escalation of the war on coal during the McCarthy years at EPA in the Obama Administration. (10)

More on the influencers of Net-Zero Carbon before. Here, here and here. After years of observations from the industry and research, I am of the strong opinion that the priorities and goals of “Climate Policies” are really not about improving human health or saving the planet. Thomas Shepstone captured my thoughts in his Substack entitled, “Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialism(210)

Those of us that understand energy and electricity generation are a small minority that I estimate at 3% of the population. The “Good Guys” that understand energy and electricity generation are vastly outnumbered and out shouted. The enemies of coal are also the enemies of Liberty, Freedom and Capitalism.

Are You Worried About the Future of the U.S.A.?

This excerpt from my previous blog post and it is worth repeating. This is from my commentary entitled, “Are You Worried about the Future of the U.S.A.?” I posted this the day after inauguration day, January 21, 2021.

Background of The War on Coal

Dairyland Power Demolition of Genoa #3 Coal Plant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68N2IFQuk70
Duke energy implosion video on you tube-https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2016/11/09/watch-implosion-bring-down-last-boiler-at-sutton-steam-plant-outside-wilmington-video/24585489007/

The U.S. Government is Choosing Euthanasia for our Energy & Electricity Generation Infrastructure. Why?

I saw a bizarre story in the “Free Press” about a perfectly healthy young woman that has decided to end her life. The article title: “I’m 28. And I’m Scheduled to Die in May.“I did not make this up, read it here in the Free Press. After a dozen years of watching Obama, Biden, Swamp Bureaucrats, NGO’s, the MSM, Entertainment and energy ignorant but wealthy celebrities demonize coal….the planned death of Zoraya ter Beek seems similar. The big difference is, Zoraya Ter Beek has made her decision by herself. The American people are having Euthanasia of our energy and electricity infrastructure forced on us and likely to cause economic harm, pain, suffering and deaths of our American citizens. Being done in plain sight, eyes wide open and the perpetrators have about 50% of the voters support. Wake up America!

So much for “We the People” having a say into policies that impact all of us and all that we do. (Note the meme above of energy policy influences, none were elected by the people of the U.S.)Think about loss of power, loss of gasoline availability and cancellation of public transportation. Loss of heating, HVAC, refrigeration and just about everything we depend on, including food production and distribution. Dr. Robert Hargraves wrote an excellent article on “Energy IS the Economy“. It is here in Grid Brief, Nov. 2022. I live in Hilton Head, SC. The last time I remember losing power and having gasoline shortages was Hurricane Mathew in 2016. It has been very easy for many residents to forget what loss of power meant for just a few days. In February 2021, Texas suffered a massive statewide Blackout. That was in winter and cold kills more people than summer heat. The Texas Blackout killed a minimum of 246 people. I predict that, If the EPA and the Biden Administration is not reined in, more people will die in the near future. Why? Because of Bureaucratically enacted and foolish Climate Policies. Keep in mind electricity supply is comfortably easy to sustain during the spring and fall months. The challenge is PEAK Demand periods in the summer and winter. Perhaps that is one reason the EPA and the administration release these excessively restrictive rules in the spring and fall? I wrote my commentary on “Threats to the Grid” last month. It is here. An excerpt of that commentary listing the ten largest threats to Grid Reliability follow. These are based on my experience and my opinion:

The top 10 “Threats” are ranked, with the greatest risks first. All of these risks could be mitigated if energy and environmental policies were in effect the same as they were in 2012 when the U.S. had amongst the cleanest air in the industrialized and Developed world. There is a lot of blame to be spread around, but these policies are threats to Grid reliability.

  1. Government Agency Climate Policies, EPA at the top, SEC, BLM, DOD, DOJ and all of government is wrongly applying “Climate First” policies rather than the Best policies for America and younger Americans to experience the “American Dream” as my generation did
  2. Creation of RTO’s that absolved most utilities from planning for future electric generation growth, ie, plants can be shut down without a Utility being required to replace it with like, Dispatchable generation
  3. Environmental Extremist/Activists that use enormous wealth to demonize carbon (and support (D) politicians against the Best interests of the U.S.A.
  4. Wealthy Business people who fund NGO’s to Decarbonize the western world
  5. The United Nations IPCC, Agenda 21, Agenda 30 and other so called “Climate Policies”
  6. The World Economic Forum and the members who under the guise of saving the planet are forcing policies of De-Growth, De-Industrialization and Energy Poverty on all of the people of the western world, but not the BRICS, and other countries aligned with Russia and China
  7. “Woke” or “Politically Correct” companies including electric Utilities and Co-Operatives that espouse solar and wind power as being capable of replacing coal, oil, gas and nuclear energy
  8. Public Education, K-12 and Universities that promote climate scare tactics to sway public opinion toward accepting higher energy costs and reduced reliability of energy and electricity
  9. World Bank, IMF, Large Banking and Investment companies that determine which infrastructure projects to finance
  10. Terrorists or criminal acts of sabotage When I first wrote this commentary, I placed terrorsists as last in the hierarchy of risks. Now, with millions of illegal immigrants from dozens of countries, some that are enemies of the U.S. Perhaps the priority should be higher. It is in fact, a risk to Grid reliability and Green Policies have made the Grid more vulnerable to attack.

The American Coal Council Letter to Elected Officials-May 17, 2024

Emily Arthun, President of the American Coal Council prepared a letter for supporters to sign and submit to Congress. The letter is copied below and I support Ms. Arthun’s comments 100%! I have submitted to my elected officials:

Dear Senator Graham, Senator Scott and Congresswoman Mace,

As you know, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a number of new regulations, such as the Clean Power Plan 2.0 (CPP 2.0), the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), new rules around coal combustion residuals (CCR), and others that will have direct and detrimental impact on coal-fired power plants and the people that depend on them for reliable and affordable power. I urge you to hold agencies accountable for overreach and careless rulemaking which is intended to force coal plant closures and endangers the reliability of our electric grid.

Coal supplies affordable power when other sources cannot. It plays a critical role during times of intense demand, such as during cold snaps and heat waves, ensuring that the lights stay on and the grid remains reliable. According to recent reports, electric utilities have nearly doubled their forecasts of how much additional power they’ll need by 2028 given the torrid pace of data center development and other manufacturing demands that are putting new pressures on the grid. Despite the promise of renewable energy technologies, coal remains a critical energy source that must remain in use to prevent crippling energy costs to low-income families and to ensure energy shortages do not put unmanageable pressures on the grid.

The EPA has crafted a suite of rules specifically designed to force the closure of reliable and efficiently operating coal plants. These plants are the primary source of power generation in many states, and a significant source of grid-saving baseload power across the country. Further, the EPA issued these rules while conducting zero analysis of the collective impact of the new rules on grid reliability. EPA’s rules fail to account for the fact that electricity prices are increasing above the rate of inflation, demand is expanding, grid experts are already issuing warnings concerning plant closures, and there is no adequate replacement ready for the sorely needed, dispatchable generating capacity coal provides. Further shuttering coal generation will have a devastating impact to communities and our economy.

Thank you for considering my concerns, and I hope you will take swift action to support reliable and affordable energy for United States citizens and industry.”

I hope each reader will send a similar letter to your elected officials. The EPA and extremists are at War with the American People. We the People MUST win this final battle.

America is Blessed With Enormous Natural Resources of Critical Minerals and Including Coal, Uranium, Oil and Natural Gas. We Should Use them All!

Why would “We the People”...Not use the God given natural resources that America is Blessed with? A good question. My previous commentaries have expounded on the individuals, NGO’s, and others that have created the insane Net-Zero Carbon policies. Because I have written so much on this, I will not repeat my concerns and some would say, my rant. However, if you are interested, here are fourteen blog posts that attempt to show who and how the anti-American Climate Policies have come to be. The Biden Climate Policies must be reversed to win the War on America’s Productive capacity and the Best interests for the American People;

  1. Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  2. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  3.  Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  4. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  5. The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  6. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  7. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/
  8. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  9. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 1,  79 Quadrillion BTUs, The Enormity of the Fossil Energy Systems Providing Sustainable Lives, Jan. 11, 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/01/11/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-1-79-quadrillion-btusthe-enormity-of-the-fossil-energy-systems-providing-sustainable-lives/
  10. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 2, The Reality of Replacing Conventional Forms of Energy, Jan. 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/06/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-2-some-facts-on-the-reality-of-replacing-conventional-forms-of-energy/
  11.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 3, The Transition that Isn’t, from the perspective of Minerals, Feb. 8, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/08/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-3-the-transition-that-isnt-from-the-perspective-of-minerals/
  12. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 4, The True Agenda for Climate Policies, Feb. 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/13/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-electricity-generation-and-environmental-protection-part-4-what-is-the-true-agenda-for-climate-policies/
  13. Energy Matters! March 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/11/energy-matters/
  14. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  

Closing Thoughts

There is a parallel strategy by the enemies of coal. Today it is a war on coal, later they will (actually, they already are) attack natural gas and oil, your freedom of transportation, what you eat, how you cook and more.. Even worse, the forces against coal are also against the one zero carbon source of carbon-free dependable, Dispatchable Bulk Power, nuclear. The Sierra Club and other extremist NGO’s have been opposed to nuclear power. So, if it is not protecting human health or the environment, then what is their motive? My friend Thomas J. Shepstone has an answer in a Substack post we corroborated on titled, Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialism

Please Consider…..

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, May 18, 2024

If you are interested in digging down for more research, then here are hundreds of references to support my claim that the EPA and Environmental Zealots have America on a Net Zero Path to Destruction:

  1. Defense Department article on “Knowing your Enemy”: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA440962#:~:text=Abstract%3A,battle%20to%20be%20in%20peril
  2. NERC Summer Reliability Report, May 2024: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_SRA_2024.pdf
  3. Good Substack contribution to explain Who/Why/How the Grid Reliability became “Undermined-Electrons Have Consequences” Energy IQ, by Pandreco, April 14, 2024: https://pandreco.substack.com/p/undermining-electrons-have-consequences
  4. Quanta Technology Study Report on Power Generation Shortages, report for America’s Power, Feb. 2024: https://americaspower.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Quanta-Final-Feb-2024-3.pdf
  5. You Tube Lars Schernikau on Honest Pay Back of Renewables, : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa8Q8MoWfrU
  6. IER Report on U.S. Treasure of Energy Resources, May 2024: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-North-American-Energy-Inventory.pdf
  7. Wide Awake Media website. Videos and info from the Common Sense Viewpoint: https://wide-awake-media.com
  8. FERC Order #1920 is a costly shell game”,  Increased Transmission & Distribution is Not Helpful, by Travis Fisher, May 2024: https://travisfisher.substack.com/p/fercs-order-no-1920-a-costly-shell
  9. “We Keep Being Told Renewables are Cheap, But Our Electric Bills Keep Getting Higher” A review of the true costs of renewables in WUWT, May 2024: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/17/debunking-the-cheap-renewables-myth/
  10. Congressional Report on the Obama Carbon Mandate, 2015: http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/USSEWP080415.pdf
  11. Dick Storm Presentation to Columbus Energy Forum, Columbus, Ohio August 2022:  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_presentation-and-speakers-notes-from-august-activity-7068650158862827520-B-_W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  12. Dick Storm Panel comments at Powergen International-2024: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_i-had-the-honor-of-being-on-a-powergen-panel-activity-7156046708139782144-zPoZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  13. Dick Storm Blog post, What would it take to achieve Net-Zero Carbon by 2050? : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/12/what-would-it-take-for-net-zero-electricity-generation-by-2050/
  14. Dick Storm Blog post, Wake up Americans: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  15. Grid Brief, “Energy IS the Economy” by Robert Hargraves, Nov. 15, 2022: https://www.gridbrief.com/p/guest-feature-energy-economy
  16. A Thriving Economy and Clean Air Too, Oct. 23, 2020 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2020/10/23/part-6-a-thriving-economy-and-clean-air-too/
  17. Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialism” https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/energy-matters-if-you-value-the-life?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email  
  18. 114th Congress, Majority Staff Report, Obama’s Carbon Mandate, August 2015: http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/USSEWP080415.pdf
  19. War on Carbon Accomplishes Two Things, Jan. 30, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/30/us-war-on-carbon-accomplishes-two-things/
  20. Dick Storm Blog, “The Stupidity of Net-Zero Carbon”. Oct. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/13/the-stupidity-of-net-zero-carbon/
  21. Dick Storm Blog, “What is Endangered, “Climate or Freedom” 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/02/27/what-is-endangered-climate-or-freedom-this-is-the-sub-title-of-the-book-blue-planet-in-green-shackles/  
  22. Dick Storm Blog on Biden EO to Cancel Keystone Pipeline, March 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/03/03/presidential-executive-order-signed-by-biden-that-will-harm-the-u-s-economy/
  23. Short Link to OLLI Course Understanding Net Zero, March 20, 2023: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-No
  24.  Website: https://dickstormprobizblog.org https://wordpress.com/posts/dickstormprobizblog.orgDick Storm Link: What Would it Take to Reach Net Zero Carbon by 2050: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/12/what-would-it-take-for-net-zero-electricity-generation-by-2050/
  25. America Has No Energy Policy, So What are You Going to do About it”: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/12/03/america-has-no-energy-policy-so-what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it
  26. Comparison of China and U.S. Energy Use, January 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/18/comparison-of-china-energy-electricity-generation-with-u-s-a/
  27. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Dick Storm Blog, Nov. 18, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/18/energy-and-economic-prosperity-2/  
  28. Americas Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Nov. 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/ Short link: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-Bn
  29. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-Bn
  30. Dick Storm March USCB-OLLI Course LinkedIn Link, Part 1: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_my-uscb-olli-course-understanding-net-zero-ugcPost-7039925623305248769-Qe6u?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  31. Part 2: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_uscb-olli-understanding-net-zero-part-2-activity-7039928018206695424-s6i7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  32. Energizing the Public on the Impossibility of Achieving Net-Zero Carbon: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/03/20/educating-and-energizing-the-public-on-energy-policy-and-the-impossibility-of-powering-america-with-wind-and-solar/
  33. Back to Basics, America Needs 100 Quads per Year of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/
  34. Energy=Life, The Importance of Energy to Power our Lives: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/  
  35. Liberty Energy Report, “Bettering Human Lives” : https://www.libertyenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bettering-Human-Lives-Liberty-Energy-ESG-Report-2021-Spreads-Web-2.pdf
  36. Science Matters on the Roots of Environmentalism, Jan 2023: https://rclutz.com/2023/01/06/from-nature-conservation-to-climate-calamity/#like-28807
  37. EIA 2021 Electricity Generation Statistics: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/electricity-in-the-us-generation-capacity-and-sales.php
  38.  Bjorn Lomborg Science Direct, Jan. 2023: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162520304157
  39. TVA Rolling Blackouts report in Tennessean, Jan, 2023: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2022/12/23/why-tennessee-valley-authority-ordered-rolling-blackouts-in-nashville/69754538007/
  40. N.C. Utilities Commission Testimony of Bradford Muller of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, Blackouts, Christmas 2022:https://starw1.ncuc.gov/NCUC/ViewFile.aspx?Id=54fbaba6-76d3-4367-abe2-ee3f8fade516
  41. North State Journal article on NC Electricity Policies by Bradford Muller: https://nsjonline.com/article/2023/01/muller-the-christmas-catastrophe-near-miss/
  42. WUNC Report on Cold Weather Blackouts in N.C. https://www.wunc.org/2023-01-06/cold-weather-blackouts-challenge-conventional-wisdom-on-reliability
  43.  Great Plains Institute Warning, Aug 2022 of Blackouts due to insufficient Generation capacity:  https://betterenergy.org/blog/qa-blackout-risks-underscore-resilience-reliability-investment-needs-for-us-power-grid/
  44. MISO Blackout Warning from Riverland Energy: https://riverlandenergy.com/miso-maximum-generation-warnings
  45.  E&E News on Blackout warning, August 2022: https://www.eenews.net/articles/why-the-midwest-worries-about-future-blackouts/
  46.  American Experiment Article, in Minnesota discussing Blackout risks, June 2022: https://www.americanexperiment.org/why-the-risk-of-blackouts-in-minnesota-continues-to-grow/
  47.  Net Zero Watch, UK Experience with Wind Farms, January 7, 2023: https://mailchi.mp/86e68627c77f/payments-for-windfarms-to-switch-off-soar-to-quarter-billion-pounds-193411?e=9e46528ac6
  48. World Nuclear Association Info on Nuclear Power Contribution to Reducing Manmade Carbon Dioxide Emissions:  https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/energy-and-the-environment/nuclear-energy-and-sustainable-development.aspx
  49. Solar Disappointment in the Southwest, National Review, Jan 4, 2023:  https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/01/a-bright-shining-disappointment/
  50. ESG Directive from Biden, reported in Oil & Gas Journal, Jan. 2023: https://www.ogj.com/general-interest/government/article/14288039/biden-administration-directs-agencies-to-prioritize-ghg-reductions  
  51. CO2 Coalition: https://co2coalition.org
  52. Physicist Wallace Manheimer on CO2, January 2023: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/view/0/47745  Abstract here: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/view/0/47745
  53. National Mining Assoc.: https://nma.org/facts-stats-and-data/
  54. E&E News, TVA Bellefonte Nuclear Plant for auction: https://www.eenews.net/articles/for-sale-2-unfinished-reactors-with-hope-for-jobs/
  55. E&E News Electric Hummer fueling EV Backlash: https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-the-hummer-is-fueling-a-backlash-against-electric-trucks/
  56. Ron Clutz Post, Before Biden, Trump Accomplishments: https://rclutz.com/2023/01/15/the-good-old-days-b-b-before-biden/#like-28933
  57. Elements Visualization of sources of Power by Fuel, U.S. & Canada: https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/biggest-sources-of-electricity-by-state-and-province/
  58. Elements Best Commodities of 2022: https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/the-top-10-best-and-worst-performing-commodities-of-2022/
  59. China to Build 16 GW POWER Mag: of Solar-Coal-Wind, Jan. 2023: https://www.powermag.com/china-breaks-ground-on-massive-16-gw-solar-wind-coal-project/  
  60. Forbes on China Generating Capacity, about 2,390 GW, Feb 2022: https://www.forbes.com/sites/thebakersinstitute/2022/04/26/coal-to-power-chinas-energy-transition/?sh=7437abc81b9e
  61. EIA China Energy Facts, 2021 : https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/CHN
  62. IEA China Energy Feb 2022: https://www.iea.org/countries/china
  63. Carbon Brief.org: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-what-does-chinas-coal-push-mean-for-its-climate-goals/
  64.  World of CO2 new website, Jan. 2023: https://www.the-world-of-co2.org
  65.  Science Matters by Ron Clutz: https://rclutz.com/2023/01/17/world-of-co2-infographics-2/comment-page-1/#comment-44254
  66. Carbon Footprint by country, World Population Review : https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/carbon-footprint-by-country
  67. WUWT Weaponizing Alarmism on Climate, Steven Koonin and Jordan Peterson: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/17/unsettled-climate-and-science-dr-steven-koonin/
  68. Davos 2023, China to Boost Oil Demand by at least 500,000 BBL’s/day: https://energynow.com/2023/01/davos-2023-china-to-boost-oil-demand-by-up-to-500000-bpd/
  69. State of American Energy by API President, Jan. 2023: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm&ogbl#search/vbourdonneau%40gmail.com/FMfcgzGrcFgJPkrZzLBrPqccDjVNsTTl
  70. State of American Energy Report by API: https://events.api.org/reports/soae-2023/
  71. Rare Earths from coal: https://www.renuva.com
  72. PA Pundits, Pursuit of the Impossible” Net Zero: https://papundits.wordpress.com/2022/12/21/net-zero-the-pursuit-of-the-impossible/?blogsub=subscribed#subscribe-blog
  73. WSJ, Chinese Projects around world are failing, January 19, 2023: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-global-mega-projects-infrastructure-falling-apart-11674166180?mod=trending_now_news_1
  74.  Jay Lehr Tribute with many references on page, Jan. 21, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/21/climate-change-weekly-459-remembering-jay-lehr-scholar-truth-seeker-friend-eternal-optimist/
  75. C. Paul Smith “Closing Argument on the Climate Change Hoax”: https://www.cpaulsmith.com/palmyra-bookstore/the-climate-change-hoax-argument/
  76.  Grid Down PowerUp:  https://griddownpowerup.com
  77. Global Electricity Prices: https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/electricity_prices/
  78.  EMP Commission Reports: http://www.empcommission.org
  79.  Energy Dept. Report on Transformers for Grid: https://www.energy.gov/oe/addressing-security-and-reliability-concerns-large-power-transformers
  80. Detailed report on Transformer Manufacturers of world, see pgs 19-23 on suppliers: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/04/f15/LPTStudyUpdate-040914.pdf  
  81.  WSJ AMERICA SELF-SABOTAGES GRID: https://www.wsj.com/articles/america-self-sabotages-its-electrical-grid-renewable-fossil-fuel-power-11672685320
  82.  US Grid Real Time power: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electric_overview/US48/US48
  83. WUWT The Future of Oil : https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/24/does-the-oil-industry-have-a-future-part-i/
  84. WUWT The Future of Oil pt 2: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/26/should-nations-stop-using-fossil-fuels-part-ii/
  85. WUWT The Future of Oil Pt #3: Master Resource: https://www.masterresource.org/mexico-energy-policy/oil-inustry-salazar-2/
  86. National Review, Russians Fund Environmentalists: https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/12/how-russia-backed-environmentalism-is-leading-to-blackouts-in-new-england/
  87. German Extremists, Funded by Russia: https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/01/putins-green-fifth-column/
  88.  Harvard Misinformation/Study on Fossil Fuels: https://seas.harvard.edu/news/2021/02/deaths-fossil-fuel-emissions-higher-previously-thoughthttps://thethoriumnetwork.com/2022/04/21/episode-15-clean-air-and-water-not-with-fossil-fuels-around-death-by-fossil-unintended-consequences-chapter-7-part-1/
  89. Dr. Timothy Ball Paper on the Deliberate Corruption of Science, 2014: https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/BOOK%20REVIEW%20-%20‘THE%20DELIBERATE%20CORRUPTION%20OF%20CLIMATE%20SCIENCE%20by%20TIM%20BALL.pdf
  90. Tim Ball, CO2 is not a pollutant 2018: https://www.technocracy.news/tim-ball-the-evidence-proves-that-co2-is-not-a-greenhouse-gas/
  91.  Ugly Wind Farms Headed for Magic Valley Idaho, The Federalist, January 26, 2023: https://thefederalist.com/2023/01/27/climate-extremists-hideous-wind-farms-are-coming-to-your-backyard/
  92.  World Nuclear Assoc. and EPRI Presentations, Dec. 2022:  https://epri.box.com/s/8uu46f5hoo3x9loni23qvvmdopz7eg62  
  93. Real Clear Energy, “Are you Really against Fossil Fuels?”:  https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2023/01/24/are_you_really_against_fossil_fuels_read_this_before_you_answer_877363.html  
  94. WUWT Climate Alarmists Greatest Fear, Jan. 29, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/29/the-climate-alarmists-greatest-fear/
  95. Being Pro-Nuclear isn’t enough, POWER Magazine, Feb. 2023: https://www.powermag.com/being-pro-nuclear-wont-be-enough-heres-why/?oly_enc_id=6322G7698190D8A
  96. Charlie Munger’s Warning on printing too much cash. Interesting and worrisome, Jan. 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH2ddOyw8KU
  97. Washington Examiner Feb, 2, 2023: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/anti-police-and-environmentalist-activists-share-the-same-goal-the-destruction-of-the-american-system
  98. Ken Wilson, P. Eng. Canada, IPCC vs. Facts, CO2 Coalition Feb.. 2023:  https://co2coalition.org/publications/ipcc-vs-the-facts-the-case-for-climate-realism/
  99. CO2 Coalition, Publications, All Excellent: https://co2coalition.org/publication_category/member-publications/
  100. GWPF UK Study, Where are the Engineers” By Professor Michael Kelly : https://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2020/05/KellyDecarb-1.pdf
  101. GWPF NZ Professor, Michael Kelly: http://www.bryanleyland.co.nz/power-industry-stuff.html
  102.  Samuel Furfari,  “Hydrogen, an old Idea and still Windy”: https://www.europeanscientist.com/en/features/hydrogen-a-century-old-idea-and-still-windy/
  103. New England Electricity Sources during cold February week: https://blackmon.substack.com/p/saturdays-energy-absurdity-meredith/comments
  104. U.S. Dept of Energy Plan to Net Zero on NPR Feb. 4, 2023:  https://www.npr.org/2023/02/02/1148370220/biden-renewable-energy-goals
  105. Paul Harvey, “If I Were the Devil” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9NoQHgjM_0
  106. Canary Media Electrify Everything, Feb. 6, 2023:  https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electrification/home-of-the-future-climate-friendly-electrified-and-closer-than-ever?utm_campaign=canary&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=244754760&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–6rlMJjZBNphFujAKeUSOclhM7MDo3MAq3t8u3MAn-Hv5pscN1RZ8R1qq_RNf10dSqng0r9Wbyq214_bxo0U_i_LgE4Bn5CS-Zttgn5ClFXBvgoBU&utm_source=newsletter
  107. Judith Curry Blog, 2016, “Balancing the Grid” : https://judithcurry.com/2016/09/12/balance-and-the-grid/
  108. American Coalition of Clean Coal Energy, 2016 Report on Economics: http://www.americaspower.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Family-Energy-Costs-2016.pdf
  109. WUWT on Use of Academic Studies, Feb 7, 2023, Includes good links to Planning Engineer and Economic consequences of unreliable power: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/01/12/academics-and-the-grid-part-i-i-dont-think-that-study-means-what-you-think-it-means/
  110. USGS List of Critical Materials/Metals: https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/us-geological-survey-releases-2022-list-critical-minerals
  111. Stanford Univ. Clean Energy Course: https://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/WWSBook/WWSBook.html
  112. NMA Blog (National Mining Assoc): https://mineralsmakelife.org/blog/how-to-make-2023-the-year-of-minings-renaissance/
  113. Master Resource, Does the Oil Industry Have a Future?: https://www.masterresource.org/mexico-energy-policy/oil-industry-salazar-1/
  114. Capital Research Center Publication, Dec. 2022: https://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/Capital-Research-2022-8.pdf?blm_aid=59207
  115. The Critic: “The End of Civilization, 2035” : https://thecritic.co.uk/2035-the-end-of-civilisation/
  116. New York Post, Get Ready for Lights out and Heat off in 2040: https://nypost-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/nypost.com/2023/02/09/get-ready-for-the-lights-and-heat-to-go-out/amp/
  117. The Critic: Energy Planning in the UK, a Horror Story: https://thecritic.co.uk/british-energy-planning-a-horror-story/
  118. WUWT Climate Activists Celebrate your Utility Bill Pain, Profitability of Protesting Fossil Fuels: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/02/12/atlantic-climate-activists-celebrate-your-utility-bill-pain/
  119. Ron Clutz, “There will be Hell to Pay from Social and IRA Spending Binge: https://rclutz.com/2023/02/11/therell-be-hell-to-pay/#like-29514
  120. Power Outage Tracking web sites:
    https://lnkd.in/gEyJJX-Y
    https://poweroutage.us/
    https://www.iso-ne.com/
  121. Daniel Yergin on LinkedIn, Energy Transition Confronts Reality, Feb. 14: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/energy-transition-confronts-reality-daniel-yergin/?trackingId=tuMcIZAi2b0pHD5sopvB9w%3D%3D 
  122. Energy World, Feb. 13 “EU Warns US on A Crisis Mode Overhaul of Energy Market” and Change to Green Energy: https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/power/countries-warn-eu-against-crisis-mode-overhaul-of-energy-market/97855704 
  123. Finland GTK Time to Wake up Slide Presentation: https://www.gtk.fi/en/research/time-to-wake-up/
  124. Heartland Institute 2015 Summary of Obama Carbon Rules: https://heartland.org/opinion/senate-exposes-epa-green-group-secret-collusion-on-carbon-rules/
  125. CNBC Interview with Liberty Energy CEO, Chris Wright: https://lnkd.in/gyeD9Jdf  
  126. NZ/UK Professor Michel Kelly & Bryan Leyland Web page:  http://www.bryanleyland.co.nz/power-industry-stuff.html
  127. Professor Michael Kelly web page:   https://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2020/05/KellyDecarb-1.pdf
  128. WUWT Electricity Prices Rising Due to Wind & Solar Installations, Feb. 22, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/02/20/wind-solar-and-household-electricity-prices/
  129. Climate Depot website for renewables production costs: https://www.climatedepot.com/2018/01/25/who-would-have-thought-nations-with-more-renewables-have-more-expensive-electricity/
  130. Vogtle Nuclear Plant Update, also info on SCE&G Summer 2&3, Feb. 20, 2023:  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/02/21/still-more-vogtle-nuclear-delays-how-will-it-end/ 
  131. Union of Concerned Scientists Clarification on Nuclear Power, 2018: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/11/23/ucs-clarifies-stance-on-nuclear-power/
  132. “Renewables are cheaper than 99% of coal plants” Utility Dive, Feb. 9, 2023: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/renewables-cheaper-energy-than-99-percent-of-us-coal-plants-just-energy-transition/642393/
  133. Presentation by Nat Bullard on Renewables and total world energy, January 2023:  https://www.nathanielbullard.com/presentations
  134. Electricity Rates in U.S. : https://quickelectricity.com/cost-of-electricity-per-kwh-by-state/
  135.  Power Lines Map, U.S. Geosciences: https://atlas.eia.gov/apps/eia::all-energy-infrastructure-and-resources/explore
  136. Daily Skeptic, Feb. 23, 2023, by 30 year Reuter’s veteran Journalist “I Thought CO2 Was Causing Global Warming, I was Wrong”: https://dailysceptic.org/2023/02/23/when-i-covered-climate-change-for-reuters-i-thought-co2-was-to-blame-for-rising-temperatures-i-was-wrong/
  137. Europe’s Industry Crippled by high Energy Costs NYT, Sept. 2022: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/19/business/europe-energy-crisis-factories.html
  138. Power Engineering article on Hydrogen Hub: https://www.power-eng.com/policy-regulation/doe-encourages-33-groups-to-submit-regional-clean-hydrogen-hub-applications/
  139. Is Green Energy China’s Trojan Horse? Western Standard by Joseph FOURNIER, OCT. 2022: https://www.westernstandard.news/opinion/is-green-energy-the-chinese-communist-partys-trojan-horse/article_6bbc2b04-50a5-11ed-bdc4-9b18b8d01f80.html
  140. China to build 106 GW of new coal plants March 2023: https://chinadialogue.net/en/energy/two-sessions-chinese-provinces-push-coal-and-clean-energy/
  141. WUWT Post, ”Gas Generated Electricity is less expensive than Wind”: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/03/gas-power-is-cheaper-than-wind-despite-carbon-briefs-claims/
  142. Dr. Judith curry, Climate Uncertainty review by WUWT: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/03/judith-curry-part-1-presentation-about-her-new-book-tom-nelson-podcast-77/
  143. WSJ LNG Paths from Texas to France: https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-fracked-gas-ukraine-invasion-europe-import-9e5cc725?mod=hp_lead_pos7
  144. Alex Epstein, Talking Points on the Importance of Energy for Human Flourishing: https://alexepstein.substack.com/p/some-of-my-favorite-talking-points?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  145. WUWT Energy and Military Strength, March 3, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/03/russias-biggest-weapon-and-chinas-too-is-fossil-fuel-energy/
  146. Has Al Gore ever been right on Climate? Capital Research Center, March 2023: https://capitalresearch.org/article/al-gores-30-years-of-climate-errors-part-1/?blm_aid=59207
  147. Feasibility of Achieving Net-Zero Carbon by 2050, by Professor Michael Kelly: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/04/feasibility-for-achieving-a-net-zero-economy-for-the-u-s-by-2050/
  148. Wind Power Report by IRENA : https://www.irena.org/Energy-Transition/Technology/Wind-energy
  149. Judith Curry Website on Cost of wind power: https://judithcurry.com/2015/05/12/true-costs-of-wind-electricity/f https://judithcurry.com/2015/05/12/true-costs-of-wind-electricity/
  150. The Conversation on Why are Household Electricity Prices Going Up If Wind is so Cheap?: https://theconversation.com/renewables-are-cheaper-than-ever-so-why-are-household-energy-bills-only-going-up-174795
  151. Boston Energy Costs High, Feb. 2023: https://www.bostonsolar.us/solar-blog-resource-center/blog/why-are-energy-costs-so-high-this-winter/
  152. Electricity Prices U.S. by EIA, Feb. 2023: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/tables/pdf/7ctab.pdf
  153. PSU-Basic Economics of Power Generation: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/eme801/node/530
  154. Global Energy Institute, Chamber of Commerce, Electricity Costs across the U.S.A. :https://www.globalenergyinstitute.org/average-electricity-retail-prices-mapc
  155. Combustion Engineering Archived photos,: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2018/jun/01/made-chattanooga/
  156. You Tube, Foreign video of Nuclear Reactor being manufactured: https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power-plant/nuclear-reactor/reactor-pressure-vessel/
  157. 41 Realities on Energy, By Mark Mills: 
    https://fee-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/fee.org/articles/41-inconvenient-truths-on-the-new-energy-economy/amp
      
  158. WSJ EV Sales Jolt, Jan 2023:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-ev-sales-jolted-higher-in-2022-as-newcomers-target-tesla-11672981834
  159. CFACT Electricity Prices Soaring where Wind Power is high % of generation: https://www.cfact.org/2023/03/07/electricity-prices-are-soaring-in-heavy-wind-energy-states/?mc_cid=993d261e3e&mc_eid=2f8550900e
  160. Climate Fact Check from Junk Science, March 7, 2023: https://junkscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Climate-Fact-Check_February-2023-Edition_v2.pdf
  161. CFACT, Ron Stein excellent essay on the importance of Energy, March 2023: https://www.cfact.org/2023/03/08/american-suppression-of-fossil-fuels-courts-a-national-security-disaster/
  162. Climate Policies will Cost Germany 960 + Billion and still will not make much difference…..:https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/08/claim-climate-change-will-cost-germany-960-billion-by-2050/
  163. WSJ Coal Provides the Fuel Needed for Germany to Keep the Lights on in 2022: https://www.wsj.com/articles/germany-coal-energy-electricity-renewables-4700b442?mod=opinion_lead_pos2
  164. Visual Capitalist Coal in Asia, March 2023: https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/asias-biggest-sources-of-electricity-by-country/
  165. Daily Caller. Biden’s EPA Rule to Kill Off Coal Plants, March 8, 2023: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://dailycaller.com/2023/03/08/biden-epa-new-regs/&source=gmail&ust=1678615516765000&usg=AOvVaw0di3ndkkR73iVUOKpvIzfh
  166. World Nuclear News, France to Build more Nuclear Plants: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/French-Senate-adopts-bill-on-accelerating-nuclear
  167. Capital Research Center on Al Gore’s 30 years of wrong predictions: https://capitalresearch.org/article/al-gores-30-years-of-climate-errors-part-1/
  168. James Brooks, RBAC on bringing improved living conditions to Billions: https://rbac.com/rbacs-role-in-bringing-energy-to-a-billion-people/
  169. Cyrus Brooks Video on Renewables, Outstanding communication in 2 minutes: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cyrus-brooks-03274713_energy-power-energybills-ugcPost-7040102595239055360-BoVt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop 
  170. The Real Price of Wind and Solar: https://www.wsj.com/articles/renewable-energy-balancing-costs-united-kingdom-energy-bills-9795e48d?mod=opinion_lead_pos4
  171. Cowboy State Daily, March 2023: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/03/10/letter-to-the-editor-children-should-be-taught-what-energy-is-so-they-can-fight-idiocy/
  172. NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer: https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/#/layer/slr/2/-8988661.48972888/3793092.6353016817/12/satellite/none/0.8/2050/interHigh/midAccretion
  173. Maurice Strong Story: http://ielts-yasi.englishlab.net/wizard_baca_grande_1990.pdf
  174. China, Sinopec CCS Plant, Feb. 2023:  https://cen.acs.org/business/investment/Sinopec-completes-China-first-large-carbon-capture-plant/100/i5
  175. Self Sabotage the Electric Grid: WSJ January 2023:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/america-self-sabotages-its-electrical-grid-renewable-fossil-fuel-power-11672685320
  176. The Christmas Grid Emergency: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-christmas-electric-grid-emergency-11672091317?mod=article_inline
  177. Capital Research Testimony by Scott Walter May 2022: https://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/2022-May-4-Testimony-Finance-Subcom-IRS.pdf
  178. Capital Research Center, Green watch: https://capitalresearch.org/category/green-watch/
  179. NRDC Activist Facts, Influence Watch: https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/19-natural-resources-defense-council/
  180. Donn Dears website, Politics of Energy Policy part 2 and links to purchase his books: https://ddears.com/2022/08/08/the-politics-of-energy-part-2/
  181. Ron Clutz “Science Matters”, website and his take on green Energy: https://rclutz.com/2023/03/17/multiple-choice-question-re-green-energy/#like-30057
  182. Dr. Roy Spencer Website on Atmospheric Science https://www.drroyspencer.com/
  183. Slavery and Child Labor at the Core of Elites’ Green Energy Obsession, by H. Sterling Burnett,   https://heartland.org/opinion/climate-change-weekly-464-slavery-and-child-labor-at-the-core-of-elites-green-energy-obsession/
  184. American Suppression of Fossil Fuels Courts a National Security Disaster, By Ronald Stein P.E.  https://heartland.org/opinion/american-suppression-of-fossil-fuels-courts-a-national-security-disaster/
  185. WSJ The Real Price of Wind and Solar, Renewables Cost More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/renewable-energy-balancing-costs-united-kingdom-energy-bills-9795e48d?mod=opinion_lead_pos4
  186. World’s Climate Scientists Told to Cover Up the Fact the world has not warmed in 15 years, Daily Mail, UK: https://www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2425775/amp/Climate-scientists-told-cover-fact-Earths-temperature-risen-15-years.html  
  187. TED Talk Nuclear Power Is Our Best Hope to Ditch Fossil Fuels | Isabelle Boemeke on the need for more nuclear power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESAaz9v4mSU
  188. WUWT March 20th, 2023, UN- IPCC Climate Warming Report: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/20/ipcc-issues-their-annual-final-climate-warning/
  189. David Blackman Energy Absurdity , EU Renewables, March 25, 2023: https://open.substack.com/pub/blackmon/p/sundays-energy-absurdity-about-those?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  190. Ed Ireland SubStack on Gas Pipelines, March 21, 2023: https://edireland.substack.com/p/energy-factoid-the-least-us-interstate?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  191. Texas Grid Stability example: https://edireland.substack.com/p/the-texas-power-grid-was-minutes
  192. Who is Brave Enough to Enter the Oil Patch These Days? BOE Report by Terry Etam:  https://boereport.com/2023/03/21/column-who-is-brave-enough-to-enter-the-oil-patch-these-days-a-salute-to-the-few-courageous-and-needed/
  193. WUWT, March 22, 2023, World Energy Use Will Continue to Grow and so Will the Demand for Fossil Fuels: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/22/world-energy-data-confirms-fossil-fuels-will-dominate-future-global-energy-use/
  194. Ron Clutz, Science Matters on Greta Thunberg, March 23, 2023: https://rclutz.com/2023/03/23/greta-thunberg-phd-theology/#like-30179
  195. Climate Etc, Dr.  Judith Curry web site: https://judithcurry.com
  196. Utility Dive article on NuScale SMR: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nuscale-power-small-modular-reactor-smr-ieefa-uamps/645554/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20Weekly%20Roundup:%20Utility%20Dive:%20Daily%20Dive%2003-25-2023&utm_term=Utility%20Dive%20Weekender
  197. WUWT Summary of Technical Arguments with IPCC Report, March 27, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/27/weekly-climate-and-energy-news-roundup-545/
  198. The Great Food Reset, Unherd, EU by Thmoas Fazi, March 28, 2023: https://unherd.com/2023/03/the-great-food-reset-has-begun/
  199. George’s Musings (George Angwin) March 23, 2023 Replacing Fossil with Renewables: https://gtangwin.substack.com/p/renewables-only-grid
  200. March 29, 2023, Dr. Samuel Furfari, Hydrogen, A 100 year Old Windy Idea, Still Windy:https://blog.friendsofscience.org/2023/03/29/hydrogen-a-century-old-idea-and-still-windy/  
  201. Power Engineering Magazine, March 2023, Brown’s Ferry New Generator Field: https://www.power-eng.com/nuclear/browns-ferry-nuclear-reactor-back-in-service-with-a-new-main-generator/?utm_source=power_engineering_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023-03-31  
  202. Framatome You Tube video of steam generator replacement: https://youtu.be/RqGFI76yj9E
  203. Framatome Manufacturing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9WfWIKkXsc
  204. Bjorn Lomborg Science Direct, Jan. 20233: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162520304157
  205.  Transformers, WUWT Nov. 2022: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/03/14/power-transformer-shortage-is-wreaking-havoc-in-the-u-s/
  206. The interaction between heliophysics and the U.S. power grid, this technical webpage is a good place to start. https://www.aer.com/science-research/space/space-weather/
  207. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  208. Influencers of U.S. Energy Policy, January 4, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/04/influencers-of-american-energy-policy/
  209.  A good introduction to Grid vulnerability, June 18, 2020 by Chris Said, Ph.D. is at https://chris-said.io/2020/06/18/everything-ive-learned-about-solar-storm-risk-and-emp-attacks/  
  210. An assessment of threats to the American power grid” by Weiss and Weiss (2019) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13705-019-0199-y
  211. The web link for the 2008 DTIC report cited above regarding transformer vulnerability has changed. See page 41 of 208 of the report at https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA484672.pdf or http://www.empcommission.org/docs/A2473-EMP_Commission.pdf
  212.  “Ensuring Electricity Infrastructure Resilience Against Deliberate Electromagnetic Threats” https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47339
  213. Newsweek article on Transformer Attacks, Dec. 2022: https://www.newsweek.com/physical-attacks-power-substations-multiple-states-1765225
  214. Wind and Inadequate Batteries for Backup: https://stopthesethings.com/2023/03/24/permanent-no-hopers-batteries-no-solution-for-wind-solars-inherent-intermittency/
  215. Dick Storm presentation to ENERUM, August 2022: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_presentation-and-speakers-notes-from-august-activity-7068650158862827520-B-_W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktophttps://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7056884647858765824?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_feedUpdate%3A%28V2%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7056884647858765824%29
  216. Reuters, Old Nukes Threatened by Parts Obsolescence, April 2023: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nuclear-life-extension-plans-tested-by-obsolete-components-2023-04-05/
  217. China Permits Two Coal Plants each Week during 2022: https://energyandcleanair.org/publication/china-permits-two-new-coal-power-plants-per-week-in-2022/  
  218. Energy and Clean Air GEM: www.energyandcleanair.org 
  219. Energy Transfer Video, Life, it Takes Energy: https://ittakesenergy.com
  220. Alex Epstein, Fossil Fuels Improve Life: https://www.prageru.com/video/fossil-fuels-the-big-picture?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_6613857
  221. Why are Electric Bills Increasing if more installations of cheap renewable power are being installed?: https://www.prageru.com/video/why-are-utilities-so-expensive
  222. Daily Caller, Earth Day, Celebrating Failures 2023: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://dailycaller.com/2023/04/21/opinion-earth-day-celebrates-a-half-century-legacy-of-failure-mike-mckenna/&source=gmail&ust=1682352284111000&usg=AOvVaw0rbUb-Jii4B5UE4dV41uuU
  223. WSJ on What Drives the Division of Rural and Urban Voters, April 18, 2023: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-drives-political-polarization-geography-republicans-democrats-manufacturing-culture-elites-4256ab4c?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1
  224. NY Electricity Generation, “Non-Reassuring” Future, WUWT April 22, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/04/23/another-non-reassuring-report-on-new-yorks-energy-future/
  225. Dick Storm Blog, “Pillars of Modern Civilization, Energy & Food & Quality of Life”: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  226. Dick Storm Blog “Educating & Energizing the Public on the Impossibility of Powering America with Wind and Solar” March 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/03/20/educating-and-energizing-the-public-on-energy-policy-and-the-impossibility-of-powering-america-with-wind-and-solar/
  227. Canadian Pipeline Sabotage by Anarchists, Feb. 2023: https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/trend-of-escalating-violence-coastal-gaslink-decries-pipeline-sabotage-claims-on-anarchist-site/
  228. EPRI Post on the CAISO “Duck Curve changed to Canyon Curve” of Electric Load: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7056612841755181056-SCPK?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  229. CAISO Website: https://www.caiso.com/TodaysOutlook/Pages/default.aspx
  230. Our World in Data Carbon Intensity of countries of the world: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/carbon-intensity-electricity
  231. CFACT, “Why Net Zero Is Neither Possible Nor Desirable, the Canadian Example”: https://www.cfact.org/2021/07/12/why-net-zero-is-neither-possible-nor-desirable-the-canadian-example-part-one/ 
  232. Hackaday “New Renewables are Overwhelming the U.S. Grid” April 2023: https://hackaday.com/2023/04/17/new-renewable-energy-projects-are-overwhelming-us-grids/
  233. Dick Storm, LinkedIn Post of “America Has No Energy Policy”, ENERUM Presentation, August 2022:  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_storm-presentation-to-columbus-energy-forum-ugcPost-7056884646923440128-ZQLR?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  234. Harvard Wind Study shows Greater Environmental Impact & Land Requirements than Originally Thought for Renewables: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/10/large-scale-wind-power-has-its-down-side/
  235. Solar and Wind Turbine Materials Requirements, from LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/arihashahi_energy-renewableenergy-renewableenergy-activity-7053119817586778112-4XZy?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  236. Dick Storm Blog, Santee-Cooper IRP Comments: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  237. EIA April Energy Outlook Charts and Data, April, 2023: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/
  238. WUWT Military Urged to go Total Electric by Biden-Granholm, April 29, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/04/29/joe-biden-wants-every-us-military-vehicle-to-be-climate-friendly/
  239. The Right Stuff Climate Stuff, Tom Moser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-gHWcrCK7w
  240. Why Batteries Cannot Backup solar and Wind generation: https://stopthesethings.com/2023/04/29/grand-delusion-why-battery-storage-cant-fix-wind-solars-intermittency-problem/
  241. Blackrock and U.N. start of “ESG” Investing Policies: https://unherd.com/2023/03/blackrocks-tyrannical-esg-agenda/
  242. EIA 2011 Report on Energy, Good reference 1900-2011: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/pdf/aer.pdf
  243. NREL Report on Electrification to 2050: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/72096.pdf
  244. UN Climate News: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129892?_gl=1*1nhukiq*_ga*MTM1NjA2Njg4OS4xNjgyODY3NDQ5*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*MTY4Mjg2NzQ0OS4xLjEuMTY4Mjg2NzYzOS4wLjAuMA.. 
  245. UN-Climate page: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement#:~:text=The%20Paris%20Agreement%20is%20a,France%2C%20on%2012%20December%202015
  246. Our World in Data Charts of CO2: https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
  247. IEA Executive Summary 2022 World Energy Outlook: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2022/executive-summary
  248. EPA Air Quality, National Summary: https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-national-summary
  249. Yale Report on Deaths from “Blackouts” : https://environment-review.yale.edu/true-cost-power-outages-0
  250. Sutton Plant Implosion video, 2016: https://youtu.be/miSapiaJTpM
  251. Boardman Plant Implosion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0azahkPUVA
  252. 60 Minutes program on Vulnerability of Electric Grid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65siHaUPsRM
  253. EIA October 2022 Energy Outlook: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/05%20October%2027%20-%20EIA%20Annual%20Energy%20Outlook%202022.pdf
  254. EEI EV’s in market 2030: https://www.eei.org/News/news/All/eei-projects-26-million-electric-vehicles-will-be-on-us-roads-in-2030
  255. EIA NZE 2050 Report: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-06/IEA%2C%20Net%20Zero%20by%202050_1.pdf
  256. WUWT Energy Crisis creates a Food production crisis due to fertilizer shortages: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/05/11/entire-global-food-supply-at-risk-from-disastrous-response-to-so-called-nitrogen-crisis/
  257. ELECTREK article on Chinese EV’s to dominate market: https://electrek.co/2023/05/11/chinas-ev-surge-threatens-legacy-automakers-market-dominance/
  258. Dr. Judith Curry Review of CLINTEL report analyzing IPCC-AR6: https://judithcurry.com/2023/05/13/clintels-critical-evaluation-of-the-ipcc-ar6/ 
  259. CLINTEL website: https://clintel.org
  260. Capital Research Center, Green Watch: https://capitalresearch.org/category/green-watch/
  261. WUWT Disclosure of Billionaire Climate Extremists influencing state and Federal Climate policy, good links within the document, May 22, 2024: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/05/22/more-billionaire-climate-machinations/
  262. Biggest engine in the world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiwMJe9_vcQ
  263. LLNL Energy Flow Chart: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/sites/flowcharts/files/2022-04/Energy_2021_United-States_0.png
  264. Dick Storm Blog, May 16, 2023, U.S. Needs 100 Quads/year: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/
  265. Heritage.org interview, Keeping the Lights on,  event page is here https://www.heritage.org/energy-economics/event/keeping-the-lights-america-looking-ahead-power-grid-reliability and I believe the recorded video will be posted soon
  266. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant History, started in 1958: https://jackdevanney.substack.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-yankee-rowe?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  267. Energy Markets Time to complete new connections to Grid, Berkely Lab: https://emp.lbl.gov/queues
  268. Washington Post article on Grid connections: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/05/18/permitting-reform-clean-energy-debt-ceiling/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202023-05-18%20Utility%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:50602%5D
  269. Copied link of post of NERC Summer Reserves Warning May 18, 2023: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_two-thirds-of-north-america-is-at-risk-of-activity-7064912009884041216-DNHX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  270. Ron Clutz Blog, including You Tube of Jimmy Dore explanation of Google Biasing Propaganda on “Climate Change”: https://rclutz.com/2023/05/22/google-screens-your-climate-info/#like-31222
  271. WUWT on Smearing Journalists that do not agree with “Woke & UN-IPCC Manmade Global Warming narrative: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/05/23/regime-climate-censorship-enforcer-newsguard-the-tragic-case-of-zack-fishman/
  272. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, 60 years later, Fails Test of Time, WUWT: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/05/17/carsons-silent-spring-fails-test-of-time-new-york-times-verdict-in-2007/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carsons-silent-spring-fails-test-of-time-new-york-times-verdict-in-2007
  273. WUWT-Global Surface Temperature comparison of MSM and science based trend by data: https://wattsupwiththat.com/uah-version-6/
  274. Forbes article on Environmental Groups Harming the Poor, https://www.forbes.com/sites/tilakdoshi/2023/05/23/environmental-ngos-in-the-global-south-saviors-of-humanity-or-predatory-special-interests/?sh=78c19c9e59aa
  275. NextEra Energy web site: https://www.nexteraenergy.com
  276. Congressional Research Service State of Electric Utilities, 1973-1984: https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/99th-congress-1985-1986/reports/doc10b-entire_1.pdf
  277. Earth Overshoot.org on world population: https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/
  278. https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/
  279. Paul Harvey, 1964, “If I Was the Devil” You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9NoQHgjM_0
  280. Mining of Rare Earth Minerals has a Dirty Little Secret, by FEE, May 2023: https://fee.org/articles/green-energy-has-a-dirty-secret/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020_FEEDaily
  281. EPA opposes Petrochemical Industries in Louisiana using Taxpayer funds, Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidblackmon/2023/05/25/how-epa-funds-the-petrochemical-industrys-opposition/?sh=7c39025a7176
  282.  Rigzone-“Will We Hit Net Zero Carbon by 2050” May 30, 2023: https://www.rigzone.com/news/will_the_world_hit_net_zero_by_2050-30-may-2023-172906-article/?utm_campaign=DAILY_2023_05_30&utm_source=GLOBAL_ENG&utm_medium=EM_NW_F1
  283. Germany Loses Trust in Automotive Manufacturing of the Future, June 1, 2023: https://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/germany-loses-trust-in-its-future-as-the-worlds-automotive- leader/?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9717&pnespid=vONsDj0fa6YB3fWaozvrE4vTu0KuBJd4J.jlxrB69EVmIi05WkT6eEKuNWblScX1gKHYP2iqCw 
  284. The Decline of the American Empire, By “The Burning Platform” June 2023 : https://www.theburningplatform.com/2023/05/31/fall-of-american-empire-and-descent-into-a-new-dark-ages/
  285. Master Resource, Free Markets Energy Blog: https://www.masterresource.org/reading-list/
  286. Ed Ireland on China and EV’s June, 5, 2023: https://edireland.substack.com/p/electric-vehicle-boom-may-force-china?r=kv1a9&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
  287. Top Ten Energy Companies by Energy Digital : https://energydigital.com/articles/top-10-energy-companies-by-market-cap
  288. The Federal War on your Life-Style, WUWT, June 8, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/06/07/the-federal-war-against-your-lifestyle/
  289. Robert Bryce, No Uranium for Nuclear, June 9, 2023: https://robertbryce.substack.com/p/no-u
  290. Ken Braun on Leftist Organizations Funding anti Fossil Fuels: https://capitalresearch.org/article/nuclear-power-hating-hypocrites-part-1/
  291. World Economic Forum Doesn’t Even Hide their Intent to Create Decline of the Western World: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGsnBbvwcrFHbjLsNkzqTMKjvCP
  292. WEF Urban Mobility Paper, May 2023: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Urban_Mobility_Scorecard_Tool_2023.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email 
  293. David Blackmon Energy Absurdities: https://blackmon.substack.com/?utm_source=cross-post&utm_campaign=434821&utm_medium=email
  294. David Blackmon, Democrats Patiently Wait for Power Positions: https://blackmon.substack.com/p/the-energy-absurdity-of-the-week-031
  295. E&E News Democrats into Power Positions, May 2023: https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-green-new-dealers-became-washington-power-players/
  296. John Kerry Speech on “The Great Reset” New American, Nov. 2020: https://thenewamerican.com/john-kerry-talks-great-reset-at-world-economic-forum/
  297. The Great Reset movement toward World Totalitarianism, Hillsdale College Lecture by Michael Rectenwald: https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/what-is-the-great-reset/
  298. John Kerry Targets Agriculture at WEF Speech, May 2023, Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerry-targets-agriculture-part-climate-crusade
  299. WEF Limiting Private Cars:  https://www.internationalfreepress.com/2023/06/wef-document-calls-for-limiting-private.html
  300. WEF on Degrowth, June 2022: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/06/what-is-degrowth-economics-climate-change/
  301. WEF Calls to reduce vehicles by eliminating ownership, Aug. 2022: https://www.climatedepot.com/2022/08/01/world-economic-forum-calls-to-reduce-private-vehicles-by-eliminating-ownership/
  302. Sierra Club and Abortion Alignment, On the Issues, : https://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Sierra_Club_Abortion.htm
  303. U.N., Planned Parenthood and Sierra Club Alignment Sept. 2015: https://unfoundation.org/media/un-foundation-planned-parenthood-federation-of-america-sierra-club-announce-winners-of-first-ever-why-we-care-youth-emerging-leaders-for-reproductive-rights-contest/
  304. Sierra Club & NRDC Environmental Groups Urge Support for Affordable Care Act and Reproductive Rights, March 2017: https://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/03/environmental-groups-urge-support-affordable-care-act-and-planned-parenthood
  305. Sierra Club & Planned Parenthood Join Conferences to Explain Sex and the Environment. Nov. 2007, Catholic News Agency, : https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/11091/sierra-club-joins-planned-parenthood-to-offer-conferences-on-sex-and-the-environment
  306. Professor Michael Kelly, UK, June 2017: https://www.soci.org/news/general-news/professor-michael-kelly-lecture
  307. FERC Energy Regulator States, “Power Grid is Facing Dire Consequences Due to Coal & Gas Retirements”, “WUWT June 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/06/13/federal-energy-regulatory-commissioner-mark-christie-power-grid-is-facing-dire-consequences-due-to-coal-gas-retirements/
  308. Donations to DeSantis Election Campaign by Duke and NextEra Utilities, June 2023: https://jacobin.com/2023/03/ron-desantis-florida-utility-companies-power-shutoffs-republican-party
  309. Electrical Disconnection by Utilities, June 2023 : https://bailout.cdn.prismic.io/bailout/49a01c18-5c8d-4821-ae22-5ee09a089cba_Powerless+in+the+US_Report.pdf?ref=the-lever
  310. Dark Money from Utilities to Elected Officials or Candidates, The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/15/us-power-companies-political-lobbying-donations-nonprofit
  311. Electric Power Company Donations; https://www.energyandpolicy.org/campaign-finance-reports-reveal-utility-industry-contributions/
  312. Daily Signal list of companies that donate to Planned Parenthood, Aug. 2015: https://www.dailysignal.com/2015/08/19/more-companies-that-have-donated-to-planned-parenthood/ and
  313. https://www.dailysignal.com/2015/07/21/meet-the-41-companies-that-donate-directly-to-planned-parenthood/
  314. More companies that donate to PP: https://www.partnersforethicalcare.com/planned-parenthood-donors
  315. JTF donations of 25 million to Democrats: https://jtf.org/follow-the-money-planned-parenthood-donated-25m-to-democrats-since-2000/
  316. INTEL and others that promote Zero Population Growth and Planned Parenthood: https://www.christianpost.com/voices/meet-the-biggest-planned-parenthood-supporter-in-corporate-america.html
  317. Open Secrets Donations to Planned Parenthood, 2022: https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=Planned+Parenthood&tab=donors
  318. AMAC Article on Planned Parenthood Funding, 2017, over 962,000 abortions and $1.3 Billion in “Donations”: https://amac.us/may-not-support-planned-parenthoodbut-favorite-companies/
  319. 2nd Vote website of companies that contribute $1.3 Billion to Planned Parenthood, 2017: https://www.2ndvote.com/planned-parenthood/
  320. John Kerry on BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57135506
  321. John Kerry coordination with Green Groups, Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-probe-john-kerrys-ties-eco-groups-efforts-shield-oversight
  322. Robert Bryce Substack on the “Iron Law of Electricity” Increases in coal use around the world, June 17, 2023: https://robertbryce.substack.com/p/the-iron-law-of-electricity-strikes
  323. California Globe, California’s Electricity Policy Failure, June 18, 2023: https://californiaglobe-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/californiaglobe.com/articles/the-failure-of-california-electricity-policy-in-one-image/amp/
  324. World Bank report, June, 2023, De-Tx Development, Mis-Use of Fertilizers & DeGrowth:  https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/61d04aca-1b95-4c06-8199-3c4a423cb7fe/content?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  325. NJ ROI (Return On Info) : https://www.roi-nj.com/2023/05/17/roi-influencers/energy-utilities-roi-influencers/roi-nj-presents-the-roi-influencers-energy-and-utilities/?utm_source=ROI-NJ+MAIN+Newsletter+List+%282%2F4%2F19%29&utm_campaign=ee9cbf68df-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_06_20_02_53&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-ee9cbf68df-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
  326. Capital Research Video on Green Ties to China: https://capitalresearch.org/article/how-china-designed-american-environmental-policy/
  327. China Influence of U.S.  Green Groups and U.S. Environmental Policy, Capital Research Center video:  https://capitalresearch.org/article/how-china-designed-american-environmental-policy/    
  328. Capital Research Center on Teen Vogue Influence of young female voters on Democrat policies: https://capitalresearch.org/article/teen-vogue-training-young-female-leftists/
  329. Good Energy News Reference: https://oilprice.com
  330. German Industry Shutting Down and Moving, due to high energy process, CNBC June 21, 2023 : https://www-cnbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/06/21/high-german-energy-prices-are-seeing-some-companies-relocate-bdi.html
  331. EIA Notice of Change in Calculating/Reporting Solar Primary Energy to use 3412 Btus/kWh, June 23, 2023: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/change/
  332. WUWT Global Surface Temperature Chart 1880-2022: https://wattsupwiththat.com/uah-version-6/
  333. “Why Climate Change is Not an Emergency”, CO2 Coalition Presentations, May 27, 2023: https://co2coalition.org/media/why-climate-change-is-not-an-emergency/  
  334. Time Magazine, “The Modern World Can’t Exist Without These Four Ingredients. They All Require Fossil Fuels”, Vaclav Smil May 2022: https://time.com/6175734/reliance-on-fossil-fuels/
  335. ERCOT Dashboard: https://www.ercot.com
  336. EU Report and long list of references on the “DeIndustrialization of Europe” by forcing wind power on the citizens: 
    https://us1-campaign–archive-com.translate.goog/?u=a15449610a1df64c85f7499e1&id=5b33ebcfdc&e=59342c48f8&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=auto
  337. Causes of Blackouts in Europe, excellent paper, Jan. 2022: https://www-science–climat–energie-be.translate.goog/2022/01/07/les-blackouts-leurs-causes-et-consequences-economiques/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=auto
  338. Energy Institute Resources for Data and Statistics, June 2023: https://www.energyinst.org/statistical-review/resources-and-data-downloads
  339. NERC Summer Reliability Report, May 2023: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_SRA_2023.pdf
  340. Balancing Energy Security, Affordability, the Economy, Decarbonization and Security, Energy Policy Research Foundation: https://assets.realclear.com/files/2023/06/2210_eprinc_balancing_energy_security_affordability_and_decarbonization.pdf
  341. The Rise and Fall of the American Grid, American Affairs Journal, Fall, 2022: https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2022/08/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-american-electrical-grid/
  342. WSJ article on $400 Billion Loans for Green Energy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/green-energy-climate-loans-49fda73b?mod=hp_lead_pos7
  343. WSJ Small towns benefit in green IRA spending: https://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-legislation-inflation-reduction-act-small-towns-eb0ce798?mod=article_inline
  344. WUWT on the “Myth of Replacing Fossil Fuels”: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/07/03/the-myth-of-replacing-fossil-fuels/
  345. Brattle Group Podcast: https://energymarketspodcast.buzzsprout.com/1568110/13142849
  346. Nuclear Power in the 1960’s. Great info: https://whatisnuclear.com/news/2023-07-03-film-about-pm1-microreactor-in-wyoming.html
  347. National Center for Education Statistics, Degrees in 2021: https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=37 and https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cta
  348. America’s Power, Editorial on the Importance of Coal, July 10, 2023: https://americaspower.org/the-need-for-sensible-epa-rules/
  349. America’s Power Key Takeaways of Winter Storm Elliott Report on the importance of coal: https://americaspower.org/new-report-evaluates-the-performance-of-electricity-resources-during-storm-elliott/
  350. Net Zero Reality Coalition: https://www.cfact.org/netzerorealitycoalition/
  351. WUWT On National Academy of Engineering Summer Report on decarbonization, July 11, 2023: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/07/11/national-academies-climate-junk-summit-7-11-7-12-is-open-to-all/
  352. EPA Regulations will Destroy the American Power Grid, Ed Ireland Substack: https://edireland.substack.com/p/epa-proposes-anti-fossil-fuel-regulations?r=kv1a9&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
  353. Energy & Economic Prosperity of Various Countries of the world, There are no Rich Countries that do not Manufacture Products: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_electricity-income-activity-7084913097718562816-foX7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  354. Nuclear in the 1960’s. Our predecessors got lots of things done: 
    https://whatisnuclear.com/news/2023-07-03-film-about-pm1-microreactor-in-wyoming.html
  355. Robert Bryce Substack on “Carbon Myopia” and the need of 3 Billion people on the planet that need to be lifted from poverty: https://robertbryce.substack.com/p/carbon-myopia/comments
  356. I, Pencil, by Foundation for Economic Education, 1958: https://fee.org/resources/i-pencil/
  357. Rivotto Clean Energy Now: https://rivotto.webflow.io 
  358. Clintel Report, “There is No Climate Emergency” : https://clintel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/WCD-version-06272215121.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
  359. Daily Skeptic on John Clauser Slamming the Corrupt Science used to create a “Climate Emergency” : https://dailysceptic.org/2023/07/14/nobel-physics-laureate-2022-slams-climate-emergency-narrative-as-dangerous-corruption-of-science/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

The Era of Reliable, Affordable, Energy and Electricity Generation: Part 1

This is my Perspective of Proven, Reliable, Affordable & Abundant Energy & Electricity Generation during my lifetime. Here are some of the significant technical advances, changes, regulations, incidents, events and policies that have shaped energy and power generation over the last eight decades. Some personal experiences are interjected during this era just to show where I am coming from in my perspective. Part 2 will cover my thoughts on the impossible transition to renewables.

A Brief History of the Improved Quality of Life Since WWII

Dr. Euan Mearns wrote in WUWT this short summary of the history of energy and the “Energy Transition as Social Vandalism”(19). An excerpt from the concise and well written essay:

“The mid 19th century also saw the development of early internal combustion engines, although at that time there was insufficient fuel for a motor industry. The Spindletop gusher and subsequent discoveries changed all that. The world was now awash with oil without any real market. Then in 1908, Henry Ford rolled out his Model T to begin the age of the car and mass transit. The Wright brothers’ first powered flight in 1908 led quickly to commercial air travel and eventually to the jet age.

Unparalleled development came with the 20th century and the introduction of nuclear power plants whose uranium fuel contains more than 16,000 times the energy content of coal, oil and natural gas. At the same time, hydroelectric power rapidly expanded and natural gas (the most energy dense of the fossil fuels by mass) became more available for electricity generation and home heating and cooking.

The introduction of gas-fired central heating enhanced the well-being of populations. Whole homes would be heated by hot-water radiators, and no longer would families have to huddle round a dirty coal fire. By 2000, life expectancy in world population had risen to 66 years, 78 years in the now developed countries.”

Looking back, I am awed by the progress that was made for the Betterment of the quality of life for Humankind. I am proud of my small contributions along the way.

Some of the Significant Energy & Electricity Mileposts: 1940-2023

  • Pulverized coal firing for steam generation becomes the predominant method of power generation
  • Mechanical dust collectors are used for collection of particulates
  • 1941 B&W invents and develops Cyclone Burners to fire low fusion midwestern coal with more than 70% of the ash collected as a molten smelt
  • 1943 Combustion-Engineering invents and develops Tilting Tangential Firing
  • Electrostatic precipitators are applied to large coal plants
  • 1949 First G-E Gas Turbine for electric power generation in the U.S. installed at Oklahoma Gas & Electric Belle Isle Plant
  • 1951 U.S. Navy Admiral Rickover obtains funding from Congress to build the first nuclear powered submarine, Nautilus
  • 1953 President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” initiative
  • Supercritical pressure steam generators become common place
  • 1955 USS Nautilus puts to sea
  • 1955 First “Atoms for Peace Conference” in Geneva
  • Steam temperatures and power generation from Rankine cycle steam plant efficiency approaches 40% design efficiency
  • 1957 Shippingport Nuclear Steam System, the first U.S. Commercial Reactor is proven
  • 1957-59 Philo and Eddystone Ultrasupercritical Units are placed in service
  • 1970 – President Nixon signs law to form EPA
  • Coal pulverizer state of the art advances to single pulverizers with over 100,000 pounds per hour capacity
  • 1973 First Oil Embargo
  • 1977 U.S. Department of Energy is formed with the intention to lead America to energy independence
  • The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is begun
  • 1978 EPA Clean Air Act
  • 1978 President Jimmy Carter signs Energy Policy Act
  • 1979 Three Mile Island Incident
  • 1980 Energy Security Act
  • 1988 G-E Single Cycle Aeroderivative Gas Turbine achieves 41.9% efficiency
  • 1990 EPA-Clean Air Act Amendment
  • 1991-First Horizontal Drilling by Enid Company in OK
  • Low NOx Burners or other NOx reduction systems are installed on most coal plants across the U.S.
  • Flue gas desulfurization becomes standard for coal plants
  • Selective Catalytic Reactors are used to reduce NOx
  • 2010 Hydraulic Fracturing combined with Directional Drilling by Harold Hamm’s company greatly increases shale gas production in ND
  • 2012 The Shale Gas Revolution produces natural gas at lower cost/million Btu than coal
  • 2014 CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) units achieve over 60% efficiency
  • 2018 G-E CCGT (Combined CycleGas Turbine) Reaches 64% Efficiency
  • 2020 Natural gas electricity generation provides over 38% of U.S. electricity production
  • 2022 U.S. Congress passes IRA Law and Biden signs, it codifies green energy

Reasonable Cost Energy & Electricity Improves Quality of Life

This is a personal story of electricity generation. Here is my take on how “Living Better Electrically” came to be, during my lifetime. Here is a typical TV ad from circa 1962, the year I entered the workforce.

Electricity Generation 1962-2012 Living Better Electrically

This 50 year period was my personal career, most of which I spent working in the electric power generation business. Including equipment design, manufacturing, startup, testing, operations, maintenance, emissions reduction and upgrading of coal power production equipment. My specialty was large electric utility fuel burning and steam generating equipment. Upon graduation from Williamson in 1962 I was employed as an electrician then as a utility engineer at Mobil Oil Corporation. In 1966 I joined Babcock & Wilcox working in Barberton, Ohio as a Technical Assistant to the Project Engineer in the Nuclear and Special Projects Department. Projects that I worked on as part of the B&W team were the Duke Oconee Nuclear Steam Systems, numerous reactors, steam generators and pressurizers for Navy Nuclear Propulsion Systems and large heavy walled, high pressure, pressure vessels for the Petrochemical industry.

Duke, Oconee #1 Reactor Vessel at B&W Shop in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, from Duke Annual Report 1967

In the 1960’s electricity was very reasonable in cost and nuclear power was proclaimed by the AEC Head (Atomic Energy Commission) Lewis Strauss as soon to be “Too Cheap to Meter”. Commercial nuclear power generation had been proven at Shippingport and was growing exponentially in applications all across the country. The two most memorable engineering leaders that I remember visiting B&W’s Barberton facilities (while I worked there) were Admiral Rickover, the Father of the nuclear Navy and commercial nuclear power generation and Bill Lee, who at the time, was Duke Power Company’s VP of engineering. Mr. Lee was said to have favored the B&W Nuclear Steam System because it was slightly more efficient with the Once through Steam Generator providing a small amount of superheat that competing NSS (Nuclear Steam Systems) did not provide, to the steam supply to the turbine. Duke Power at the time, had commissioned some of the most efficient coal plants in the world and planned to extract the highest possible efficiency from their first nuclear powered steam supply system. This was logical to Mr. Lee and one reason he was attracted to the new B&W OTSG (Once Through Steam Generator) which was designed for a few degrees of superheated steam temperature. My previous blog post discussed the B&W, C-E and Westinghouse nuclear power manufacturing facilities here.

The Most Efficient and Largest Supercritical Coal Power Plants Built 1957-1975

The 1960’s were exciting times for coal fueled power plants too. Two Milestone supercritical power plants were built and started up during this time. The 5,000 psi Eddystone Steam Station (Philadelphia Electric) with a steam generator built by Combustion Engineering and the 4,700 psi Philo Plant (AEP) steam generator was built by Babcock & Wilcox.

Soon after these magnificent accomplishments was the 900 MW Combustion Engineering series of supercritical steam generators at Conemaugh & Keystone plants in western PA. Then the 1,300 MW supercritical steam generators built by B&W for AEP and TVA. Certainly impressive to me at the time with furnaces over 100 foot wide and operation at over 3,500 psi with superheated main steam at 1,000 degrees F. and also Reheated steam supply to 1,000 degrees F.

Duke Power designed, installed, operated and maintained the most efficient coal plants in the world with the additions of Marshall Units 3 & 4 on Lake Norman in 1969 and 1970.

Later, the Belews Creek coal plant was installed and between Marshall and Belews Creek competed for the highest efficiency coal plants in the U.S. Belews Creek Steam Station is a 2.24-GW, two-unit coal-fired generating facility located on Belews Lake in Stokes CountyNorth Carolina. It is or was  Duke Energy’s largest coal-burning power plant in the Carolinas and when it was operated on coal it ranked among the most efficient coal facilities in the United States. During 2006, it was the fifth most efficient coal power plant in the United States with a heat rate of 9,023 Btu/kWh (37.8% conversion efficiency). In 2008, it was the #1 most efficient coal power plant in the United States with a heat rate of 9,204 British thermal units per kilowatt-hour (2.697 kWh/kWh) or 37.1% conversion efficiency.

A Few of My Personal Experiences with Coal Plants in the 1970’s

My first foray into S.C. was as one of three startup engineers for the SCE&G Wateree coal plant in Eastover, SC. This is a coal fueled, two unit supercritical steam supply plant which uses two Riley Stoker supercritical steam generators. These are the only two supercritical steam generators built by Riley. They have been very successful and in fact, at this writing are still in service 53 years after the startup of Unit #1. After that in 1972 I was assigned as lead startup engineer at the 420 MW Sutton Unit #3 near Wilmington ,NC. This plant is shown below during steam line blowing in June 1972. Steam line blowing was one of my favorite activities in the startup of a new plant. The roar of the exiting steam at supersonic velocity was memorable and provided a sense of the enormous power of steam. Steam line blowing is a one time startup operation to remove grit and foreign debris from inside the superheater and reheater tubes and piping, so that when operation begins, solid particles of debris will not damage the steam turbine blades.

Following the startup of Sutton #3, in January 1973 I joined Carolina Power and Light Company as a senior engineer. My first assignment was as the lead startup engineer on Roxboro Unit #3. This is a 720 MW coal Unit with a unique design of two half capacity boilers and one common feedwater supply train with a blended single stream steam supply to one G-E 720 MW turbine rated at 2,400 psi 1,000 degree F. Superheat and 1,000 degree F. Reheated steam to the last 13 stages of the turbine. The Roxboro plant is shown below in a recent photo by Duke Energy. This plant was started up as CP&L and was later absorbed to be part of Duke Energy.

Reasonable Cost, Abundant, Reliable and Dispatchable Coal and Nuclear Provide the lowest Cost Electricity in the World

The Roxboro plant is still in operation and it is rated at 2462 MW generation capacity. Let me digress with a short anecdote. Back in the time frame of about 1975 I was involved in an ASME meeting in Niagara Falls, NY. As part of the group, we were given a tour of the Niagara Falls Hydro plant on the U.S. side of the river downstream of the falls. I was struck at the time with the realization that all of the water feeding several of the Great Lakes provides (on the U.S. side) about the same generation capacity as the Roxboro Thermal Plant did. A real world lesson in “Energy Density”. Roxboro’s four units are rated 2,462 MW, the Robert Moses Hydroelectric plant 2,300 MW. This comparison is one I find helpful when non-energy trained people ask why are coal plants necessary? It helps to explain the enormous energy density of a coal fueled power plant.

Niagara Falls, Robert Moses Hydroelectric Plant, about five miles downstream of Niagara Falls, From NY Power Authority website

Fuel Diversity Helps Keep Costs Down, All Fuels Are Important

I joined Riley Stoker in 1969 and worked at Tampa Electric on the final acceptance work of the Gannon Station Units 5 & 6. Then on to the SCE&G Waterree plant for the startup of Riley’s first and only supercritical steam generator. Wateree is still running today and it was very successful. After startup of Wateree #1, I was sent to the City of Lakeland, Florida to finish the startup of the 80 MW oil and gas fueled Power Plant #3 (now named McIntosh) The unique and difficult design of this unit was that it was a stand alone, single unit with no steam connections to another unit. It was fueled by heavy oil, #6 or also known as Bunker C. The oil required heating to about 220 degrees F. to reduce the viscosity for satisfactory atomization and complete burning in the furnace. Because there was no gas or steam connections, the startup entailed firing on Diesel fuel until the boiler had at least 1000 psi drum pressure. Then the stored energy of the boiler would be used to heat and circulate oil from the Heavy oil supply tank. It sounds simple enough, however when the new controls and safety interlocks were all in startup mode, unproven and with numerous glitches, steam pressure would be lost and the operation on diesel fuel would need to be repeated. Any field engineer with experience in oil firing Utility boilers knows the importance of steam or compressed air cleaning of the Ljungstrom regenerative air heaters to prevent fires. That is the reason I was sent to Lakeland. The previous startup engineer was not careful about airheater cleaning and both airheaters were destroyed by fires. I was sent to replace that unfortunate startup engineer.

Oil firing was common in the 1970’s because it was competitive with coal at $0.50/million Btu. After Lakeland I was sent to lead the startup of Jacksonville Electric Authority’s Northside #2. A 325 MW heavy oil fueled boiler. Then off to CP&L Sutton #3, a 420 MW fueled at startup with heavy oil and with provisions for future coal fuel. America’s power demand was rapidly growing, especially in the south where air conditioning and heat pumps were taking off in popularity. As I recall peak load growth was about 10% per year. To illustrate the rapid growth in electric demand, here is my recollection of the units added at CP&L over a five year period:

  • Robinson #2, 700 MW, 1970 (Nuclear)
  • Asheville Unit #2, 200 MW, 1971 (coal)
  • Sutton Unit #3, 420 MW , 1972 (coal/oil)
  • Roxboro Unit #3, 720MW, 1973 (coal)
  • Brunswick Unit #1, 836 MW, 1975 (nuclear)

During this time period (1970-1977) CP&L was a regional Utility separate from Duke Energy. The total installed capacity of CP&L back during this time was about 6,000 MW. Therefore, the rapid system load growth is illustrated by the addition of five generating units totaling 2,876 MW in generation capacity in just five years. It was a great time to be involved in the power industry… And then came the Oil Embargo and some difficult times for the industry.

City of Lakeland, Power Plant #3, Now there are three Units, including a 360 MW coal unit #3. Picture by Dick Storm about 1971

During 1973 the U.S. government supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War between Israel and the Arab nations.

At the time of the first oil embargo, 1973-1974, the EPA had been creating needed air pollution rules to reduce emissions from coal fueled power plants. Amongst the first pollutants to be addressed, was particulates. Before the Oil Embargo coal cost and oil cost per million Btus was about the same, right at $0.50 per million Btu. Therefore to reduce emissions fast, Utilities had an economic choice of converting coal plants to oil fuel which has nearly zero ash content or install millions of dollars of backend equipment, including electrostatic precipitators. Carolina Power and Light Company took the path of installing electrostatic precipitators on the newest units (Asheville #2, Sutton #3 and Roxboro #3) and converting the older, smaller coal units to being fueled by oil. Many utilities to the north, including VEPCO, PEPCO, Philadelphia Electric and others, chose the fuel oil conversion route to reduce particulates with less capital cost than installing electrostatic precipitators. This could be done with much lower costs to the consumer because the coal and heavy oil costs were about the same on the fuel cost/million BTU. About $0.50/mmb. Fuel cost is the largest single component of electricity production cost. Comprising between 75 and 92% of the production cost. Thus, when fuel costs escalate, so does the electricity production cost increase.

The Oil Embargo made an immediate fuel supply shortage for all petroleum products and including residual #6 heavy fuel oil. This is when, in my recollections, that major “Wheeling of Power” across state lines became common. The Utilities in the states to the north of CP&L were; VEPCO, PEPCO, Delmarva and Philadelphia Electric. They could receive coal generated electricity from Duke Power, CP&L and other southern Utilities across state lines using existing Transmission interconnections by wheeling power. This was before RTO’s (Regional Transmission Operators) were created.

The 1973-1980 time frame was difficult for Utilities and some had to cut once reliable dividends to stockholders and some went Bankrupt (Consolidated Edison in NY had a particularly difficult time) due to the volatile fuel costs.

National Energy Act of 1978

The energy shock of the oil embargo prompted Congress and the President to act on energy policy. Also during this time the Alaska Pipeline was approved and built(15). Jimmy Carter signed the first Energy Act in 1978.

America’s electricity supply has remained reliable and of reasonable cost for all of my lifetime. Below is a chart of world electricity prices in 2009 which shows the comparison of U.S. electricity prices to other industrialized countries of the world.

Shown on the chart of electricity costs above is Denmark and the Netherlands which were two of the first countries to implement wind farms for significant portions of their power generation.

America up to about 2012 used coal fuel for over 50% of our electricity production. Reasonable cost, reliable, abundant and dispatchable coal, generation powered the largest economy in the world. Reasonable cost electricity and GDP tend to parallel each other as shown on the graph below.

Coal Plant Efficiency Rankings

Up until the war on coal, coal plant designers, operators and maintenance personnel took pride in striving for the best overall efficiency. The best yearly coal plant efficiencies were typically from well run supercritical steam pressure units. Duke Power, PEPCO and AEP typically held the top positions. Duke Power’s Marshall and Belews Creek had repeatedly good years. Here is a typical ranking from 2013, Power Engineering Magazine:

I personally remember many meetings with Utility engineering management where the topic of discussion was modifications to the boilers and fuel burning equipment so that fuel changes could be made to reduce the production costs of power and at the same time, reduce emissions. One fuel change that was popular in the 1990’s was to convert coal plants designed for eastern Bituminous coal to fire western Powder River Basin fuel. This reduced emissions of NOx and kept production cost of power reasonable.

The Shale Gas Revolution

The combination of Hydraulic fracturing and Directional Drilling created an enormously large boost in U.S. natural gas production beginning about 2012. Natural gas prices at the Henry Hub dropped from a high of over $12.00/million BTU to about $2.00/million BTU in 2012. This abundance of natural gas fuel at this price, was competitive with well run, efficient coal plants. Then, the E.P.A. ramped up restrictions on coal plant emissions but the consumer was insulated from electricity price hikes because many natural gas CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) plants were being built and fuel diversity allowed the Utilities to switch generation from coal plants to new, highly efficient CCGT generating units.

The vastly increased supply of natural gas drove the price of gas down to below the cost of coal on a unit heating value basis. Gas dropped to below $2.00 per million Btu. Also during this time period, gas turbine-combined cycle plant efficiencies increased to the range of 60%. Power generation efficiencies over the years is shown on the graph below. The combination of low cost natural gas and enormous efficiency advantage of CCGT plants greatly increased the use of natural gas fuel for power generation. Keep in mind, the advantage of natural gas fuel is only an advantage when there are pipelines to provide the fuel and there is an abundant natural gas supply. This does not work well in all states, such as Massachusetts and Hawaii.

The combinations of low fuel cost, low Capital cost, low environmental emissions controls cost and greatly increased efficiency together made natural gas fuel more economically attractive than coal for new generating plants. The fuel of choice became natural gas for Utilities that had pipelines and sources of natural gas fuel. Coal fuel accounted for 50% of electricity generation in 2004 but was reduced to 23% by the increased use of more economical natural gas by 2019.

Duke Energy, Buck Station CCGT Plant

America is Blessed with Enormous Energy and Mineral Resources

America has plenty of Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuels to power our economy and our life styles. I have written other blog posts on the relationship of energy and economic prosperity. Specifically, our lifestyles and our industrial production requires on average, about 315 +/- 15 million Btus of energy each year per person This equates to about 100 Quadrillion Btus of energy per year for our country. This level of energy requirement has held steady for about twenty five years. More on the need for 100 Quads of energy/year are here, here, here and here (20, 21, 22, 23) . Up until the manufactured climate hoax and war on carbon, America enjoyed reasonable cost, reliable electricity and also gasoline, Diesel and Jet Fuel supplies. America became energy independent in 2020.

Energy Growth and Clean Air Too!

Protection of the environment is important to all of us, including me. In fact, much of my career was invested in improving efficiency and reducing emissions of coal generating plants. There has been steady progress in cleaning the air and water of the U.S. and I would be remiss if I did not show that during the preceding eight decades in spite of population growth, increases in the number of miles driven and the growth of the economy, the real pollutants have been drastically reduced from the levels of the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s. The chart below was prepared by the EPA.

Two of the Last Clean Coal Plants Built in America

Coal plants are robust, reliable and when properly maintained can run safely and reliably for over fifty years. Several of the plants that I have personal experience with were mentioned above. However, newer designs with greater efficiency and improved emission controls should be built to replace the aging plants. In 2008 there were plans for dozens of new, clean coal plants to be built. Two magnificent examples are the John Turk Plant and the (then called Cliffside) #6 Unit at Rogers Energy Center in S.C.

Duke’s Rogers Energy Center Unit #6 Startup 2013
AEP-John Turk Plant, Arkansas

Example of Many New Coal & Nuclear Plants, Planned and Should Have Been Built 2012-2022

Santee-Cooper Pee Dee Plant, Planned to Be Built near Florence, SC

The Pee Dee Energy Center is one example of dozens of new, clean, efficient coal plants that were planned but cancelled due to political pressure of the environmental activists. I predict that these plants will be sorely missed during the winter peak power generation periods in December 2023 and January 2024. So will the Summer Nuclear Units #2 & 3 be missed.

Slide of Summer 2 & 3 and Vogtle Plant Construction from Dick Storm USCB-OLLI Course

Summary

My contribution to the progress made in the last 80 years was very modest and I will quickly admit that. However, because I worked with many talented and visionary engineers and in hundreds of generating plants around the world, I had a very good position to observe the progress of the giants in our industry. Engineers with a Vision of abundant, clean and reasonable cost electricity generation. To mention a few of these giants: Admiral Hyman Rickover, Bill Lee of Duke Power, Mendall Long of CP&L, Bill McCall of Santee-Cooper and many more fine engineers like them. What were their goals? To improve the quality of life, security, safety, economic growth, ensure that reasonable cost power could be produced for decades into the future, provide Bulk Power at the lowest possible cost to attract industry, increase industrial output, provide good paying jobs in their service territory, and design power plants that provide environmental protection for all of the citizens.

During the last 80 years nuclear power became a reality and today about 19% of our electricity is generated from clean, carbon free nuclear power plants. Many are now over fifty years old, but still reliable and inexpensive producers of vital electricity.

Natural gas generation has progressed from the first simple cycle unit built by G-E in 1949 at about 25% efficiency to today’s combined cycle gas turbine plants that at optimum load points can operate at over 60% thermal efficiency. They are amongst the most efficient machines ever built, of any kind.

Ultra-supercritical, clean coal plants such as Turk and Rogers #6 have been developed to provide reliable, reasonable cost, clean and importantly, Dispatchable power generation. There should have been built more like these Why? Because fuel diversity is important when one fuel becomes short in supply. For example, the 1973-74 Oil Embargo. Today most of the Dispatchable electricity generation is from natural gas which of course, flows through pipelines. Pipelines are reliable but, fuel storage is not practical. Coal plants, on the other hand, can store several months fuel supply on site.

Fuel Diversity is important for electricity generation reliability. I am proud to have worked during these years to do my best to make a small contribution to the great progress that was accomplished.

Part 2 will describe the self induced end of reliability, affordability and dispatch ability of electricity generation. As Dr. Euan Mearns recently wrote in “Watts Up With That”….The “Energy Transition is Social Vandalism”(19)

It is my best hope that America and our politicians will wake up and understand the importance of primary energy from conventional sources.

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, October 4, 2023

References

  1. You Tube video of a “Living Better Electrically” ad hosted by Ronald Reagan, who was with the G-E Theater on Sunday nights for 8 years 1953-1962: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Lz1C53RwI
  2. NY Power Authority Facts on Robert Moses Hydroelectric Plant at Niagara Falls: https://www.niagarafallsinfo.com/niagara-falls-history/niagara-falls-power-development/the-history-of-power-development-in-niagara/robert-moses-generating-station/
  3. Duke Energy Roxboro Plant Info: https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/power-plants/roxboro-plant
  4. Duke Power Belews Creek Plant Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belews_Creek_Power_Station
  5. 1973-1974 Oil Embargo History, Arab-Israel War: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1969-1976/oil-embargo
  6. 1973 Oil Embargo by Federal Reserve: https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/oil-shock-of-1973-74
  7. Duke Power References of Oconee & Marshall Steam Plant Annual Report 1967: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1526/ML15261A046.pdf
  8. Power Magazine Feature article on the Top Plant, Duke’s Cliffside #6 which started up in 2013. The last new coal plant I can remember being commissioned for commercial service in the U.S. : https://www.powermag.com/cliffside-steam-station-unit-6-cliffside-north-carolina/
  9. Scientific American, March 2023, “Seven Ways Jimmy Carter Improved U.S. Energy Future, or At Least Tried to” : https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/7-ways-jimmy-carter-has-improved-americas-energy-future-or-tried-to/
  10. Power Magazine article on High Efficiency Gas Turbine Developments, 2018: https://www.powermag.com/efficiency-improvements-mark-advances-in-gas-turbines/
  11. POWER Magazine article on the History of Gas Turbines for Electricity generation: https://www.powermag.com/a-brief-history-of-ge-gas-turbines-2/
  12. Politico, 2015 article “Inside the War on Coal”: https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/
  13. Obama’s War on Coal 2008 article in Townhall: https://townhall.com/tipsheet/conncarroll/2014/04/01/obamas-war-on-coal-n1817140
  14. Explanation of Directional Drilling for Hydraulic Fracturing and production of Shale Gas, Drillers.com: https://drillers.com/directional-drilling-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know/
  15. National Energy Act of 1978, Energy Policy Act and PURPA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Energy_Act
  16. History of the Alaska Pipeline by the American Oil & Gas History Society: https://aoghs.org/transportation/trans-alaska-pipeline/#:~:text=Oil%20was%20first%20discovered%20in,renewed%20in%20November%20of%202002.
  17. New York Times, May 10, 1974, Con-Edison Declares it may go Bankrupt without help, due to Oil Embargo fuel cost escalations: https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/10/archives/con-edison-says-it-faces-bankruptcy-without-help-con-ed-says-it-is.html
  18. Congressional Report on Financial Condition of Utilities, 1970-1986: https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/99th-congress-1985-1986/reports/doc10b-entire_1.pdf
  19. WUWT, Oct. 3, 2023, “Energy Transition is Social Vandalism” :https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/10/03/the-energy-transition-is-social-vandalism/
  20. America Needs about 100 Quadrillion Btus of PRIMARY energy each year: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/
  21. Energy=Life as We Know and Enjoy it: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/  
  22. Energizing the Public to Understand the Importance of Primary Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/03/20/educating-and-energizing-the-public-on-energy-policy-and-the-impossibility-of-powering-america-with-wind-and-solar/
  23. Energy and Economic Prosperity: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/18/energy-and-economic-prosperity-2/
  24. Wake Up America:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/21/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  25. Dick Storm ENERUM, August 2022 presentation:  https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-storm-00557810_presentation-and-speakers-notes-from-august-activity-7068650158862827520-B-_W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktophttps://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7056884647858765824?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_feedUpdate%3A%28V2%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7056884647858765824%29

Keeping America Energized, Maybe 45Q will Help?

Recently I was interviewed by Peter Perri for his Podcast on “Energy Media”. We talked for about an hour and I expressed my opinion on America’s dismal… “Lack of a Rational Energy Transition Policy”. It is just a Decarbonization Policy without provisions for providing power generation until technology and build out of new nuclear catches up. However, Mr. Perri got me thinking and he offered some information regarding the IRA Act 45Q, Provisions for Tax Credits for coal plants that capture and store carbon dioxide (CCUS). That was new to me. I consider myself well read on energy news, but I sure missed 45Q. The CO2 credit is up to $85/ton of carbon dioxide captured and sequestered or utilized. Not that I agree with the legislation or the practicality of CCUS, but it shows some sanity of the policymakers, that they understand America may get around to using its vast, God given Treasure of coal.

Energy=Life as we know it and it takes about 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy to fuel our economy and our way of life. As a review of previous posts I have made, here is a summary of approx. how the U.S. uses about 100 Quads/year of Primary Energy. Many folks (those who are not technically trained) do not appreciate or understand the concepts of Primary and Secondary energy. An example is a video on hydrogen that I recently watched discussed hydrogen as a form of primary energy. Hydrogen is secondary energy and does not exist naturally in nature, it must be produced from primary energy.

  • 37% Electricity Generation
  • 27% Transportation
    • 26% Industrial Production
    • 10% Commercial and Residential

My point is it takes about 100 Quadrillion Btus to energize and make it possible for us to sustain our high quality of life, including keeping warm in the winter. Right here within our borders is the richest source of primary energy on earth. America’s Treasure of Coal. Why not use it to keep America Prosperous & Energy Independent? By the way, America and Canada have plenty of Uranium deposits in North America and few of the U.S. deposits are being used, but that is a topic for another day.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Sankey Diagram (below) shows the energy flows for 2021. Total energy use that year was only 97.3 Quadrillion Btus because of a slower economy. In 2019 energy use was over 100 Quads.

The “Leftists” and power hungry government Bureaucrats have done an effective job of Demonizing carbon dioxide. Their Rationale; By demonizing carbon, then we won’t use it. The demonization of carbon restricts use of a valuable natural resource. This combined with the fact that we now enjoy a high standard of living which coal continues to provide a significant part of our energy when it is needed makes one wonder; “What are the Policymakers thinking?” Coal is one of the most readily available, usable & affordable forms of energy that America is Blessed with. It is my prediction that coal will be more appreciated after a cold winter of 2013, including some Blackouts. With winter approaching and expected scarce reserves of electricity generation capacity, coal plants may achieve new acceptance by society. They did in Germany. My November 25th Blog post discussed coal as America’s Treasure. Let me start with a bullet list of the facts and statements, as I understand them. These points are the premise for my suggestion that coal fuel will (and should!) look good again. So will all conventional fuels, including coal, oil, gas and nuclear. Kindly take a glance at the LLNL chart above, note that less than 5% of America’s Primary Energy was provided by wind and solar in 2021. This after decades of tax incentives. It is unreasonable to expect that we can “Electrify Everything” and power “Everything” with electricity generated from wind and solar.

Energy Realism Facts

  • Everyone, including me desires clean air, clean water and a healthy environment
  • Sustainable Life, as we enjoy it, requires a lot of energy about 860,000-1,000,000 Btus of per capita energy each day
  • America uses and depends on about 100 Quadrillion Btus of primary energy each year.
  • Fossil Fuels provide about 79%-80% of the primary energy America depends on
  • Wind and Solar provided less than 5% of America’s total Primary Energy in 2021
  • New HELE Coal plants can provide reliable, Dispatchable and affordable electricity. HELE = High Efficiency Low Emissions. Replacing many of the retired coal plants with new HELE plants should be part of the transition to our reduced carbon future.
  • According to the “Coalition for a Prosperous America” America’s Domestic Market Share of “Made in U.S.A.” products has declined from 77% in 2002 to below 67% in 2022
  • Reshoring of American Manufacturing to recover lost Market share will require more use of Energy for reshoring of Industrial production. Opposite of German recent experience of lost Industry due to energy shortfalls
  • Currently in the U.S. , the largest carbon-free electricity generation is from nuclear power plants. Most over 40 years old.
  • Electricity generation uses about 37% of the U.S. Primary Energy
  • Transportation uses about 27% of the U.S. Primary Energy
  • The major forms of Energy within the U.S. Borders that can provide the equivalent of 100-150 Quadrillion Btu’s of energy supply for U.S. Energy Independence are: Uranium, Coal, Oil and Natural Gas.

Coal Power Potential to Provide 20+ Quadrillion Btus of Primary Energy

The total Primary Energy Flow chart shown below is from 2009. Back then, coal was the primary fuel for about 50% of America’s electricity generation. The U.S. used right at a Billion tons of coal/year and America’s Total Primary Energy Use was 102.75 Quadrillion Btus. The technology and Infrastructure remains to return to this coal generation capacity and to do it cleanly. We should be building new HELE Coal plants with future provisions for CCUS. This would be a Rational Energy Plan to embark on, (a transition plan) until new nuclear, hydrogen, storage and renewables technologies can advance to meet energy needs.

Reasonable Cost, Abundant Power and Clean Air Too!

The EPA has prepared a graphic below, this illustration shows the Results of cleaning the air in the U.S. Between 1970 and 2019, the combined emissions of the six common pollutants (PM2.5 and PM10, SO2, NOx, VOCs, CO and Pb) dropped by 77 percent. This progress occurred while the U.S. economy continued to grow, Americans drove more miles and population and energy use increased. The point is, the six public health related & objectional pollutants have been corrected. Further restrictions, rules and Regulations on coal power plants since 2019 are not for cleaning the air, they are for politically biased reasons.

Summary

Since 2010 over 102,000 MW’s of reliable, reasonable production cost, Dispatchable coal and nuclear plants have been shut down. Worse yet, another 14.9 MW’s of the remaining 200 GW coal plants are planned to be shut down in the next few years. The “War on Carbon” although misguided and anti-American, has been very effective. It is not possible to replace the approximatley 117,000 MW’s of Dispatchable, reasonable production cost coal and nuclear plants with wind and solar. For folks that do not work in the electric generating field, let me digress and compare what 117 GW of reliable power generation looks like. Almost everyone has visited Niagara Falls and are aware that most of the water runoff from all of the Great Lakes drains through the Niagara River and through the Robert Moses Hydroelectric Generating Station. The American share of that water flow generates about 2,500 MW’s of electricity. Therefore replacing the 117,000 MW’s of coal and nuclear plants shut down since 2010 would require almost 50 generating plants the size of Niagara Falls.

Replacing existing or recently shut down coal plants with carbon-free nuclear is technically possible. However, the supply chain for new nuclear plant design, permitting, construction and talent development will take years, maybe decades. I submit that for the near term of the next ten-twenty years, a Rational Energy Policy would be to build technically proven HELE coal plants. Yes, planning for CCUS and using the IRA 45Q provision may help? I know what will not. That is… Continuing the Mythical Net-Zero Carbon path of depence on wind and solar. All this will do is weaken America. America’s Treasure of Coal may be tapped, thanks to the provisions in the so called, Inflation Reduction Act, 45Q provision for CCUS.

Dick Storm, December 20, 2022

References for further reading and research:

  1. 14.9 GW of Coal Generating Capacity to be shut down in 2022, WUWT January 2022, David Middleton: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/01/12/us-to-shutter-14-9-gw-of-coal-fired-and-add-46-1-gw-of-utility-scale-solar-pv-in-2022/
  2. Nuclear Plant Shut Downs in the U.S. https://www.eia.gov/nuclear/reactors/shutdown/
  3. NERC 2022 State of Reliability Report, July 6, 2022: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/PA/Performance%20Analysis%20DL/NERC_SOR_2022.pdf
  4. The State of Carbon Capture and Storage, 2022: https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/State-of-the-Art-CCS-Technologies-2022.pdf
  5. WESCOM Podcast and links to Dick Storm presentations on their web site, Oct. 2022: https://linktr.ee/wescominc
  6. Donn Dears article on U.S. Energy Resources, July 2022: https://bit.ly/3J5OnTc
  7. Liberty Energy, “Bettering Human Lives Report” An excellent report that shows the relationship of energy to living a high quality of sustainable life: https://www.libertyenergy.com/betteringhumanlivesv2/
  8. Terry Etam article, “Attention Poor People, Step Away from Using Fossil Fuels, it is not for you, Stop Using it Anyway!” December 12, 2022, Excellent read with good references:  https://boereport-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/boereport.com/2022/12/12/column-attention-poor-people-step-away-from-the-fuel-its-not-for-you-and-stop-using-it-anyway-thank-you/amp/
  9. Donn Dears New Book, “Clean Energy Crisis” Available in January from Amazo, Here is an introduction: bit.ly/3HgryNU 
  10. Solar Superstars, WUWT April 2022, A review of how the “Energy Island” of Hawaii has changed with their version of Net-Zero Carbon, by David Middleton : https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/04/26/honolulu-hawaii-top-solar-superstar-in-the-usa/
  11. Hans Rosling TED Talk, “The Magic Washing Machine”: https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_the_magic_washing_machine
  12. Daily Signal article on Energy Policies and Consumer Energy bills:https://www.dailysignal.com/2022/12/01/a-hard-winter-looms-for-americans-energy-bills-and-wallets-blame-biden
  13. MSN article on the war on coal: /https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/why-the-war-on-fossil-fuels-is-causing-chaos/ar-AA14W2mb?cvid=4c345b4dc1084311a2da3833dc753e88
  14. NMA (National Mining Assoc) Website: https://mineralsmakelife.org/blog/
  15. Wind Turbines lasting half expected life, 12 years UK Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254901/Wind-turbines-half-long-previously-thought-study-shows-signs-wearing-just-12-years.html
  16. Mountaineer CCUS Project, Business Case, AEP: https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/resources/publications-reports-research/aep-mountaineer-ccs-business-case-report/
  17. Electricity Map of power production and CO2 in world: https://www.electricitymaps.com
  18. IEA Coal 2022 Report, Dec. 16, 2022: https://www.iea.org/news/the-world-s-coal-consumption-is-set-to-reach-a-new-high-in-2022-as-the-energy-crisis-shakes-markets
  19. World Report on Environment Dec. 11, 2022, by John Shanahan and others: https://issuu.com/johna.shanahan/docs/221029a_world_report_card_on_climate_energy_and_
  20. Chart of the Week, Majority Electricity Fuel, by State: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/chart-whats-the-top-source-of-electricity-in-your-state?amp%3Butm_medium=email&amp%3Butm_campaign=canary&_hsmi=238458171&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ZKMG7ftPsfldZhrW5x6MtMJkzGjNxD4L-AXAo4Gd_mepiPb8KHeqRQ7rVU-RrodbYNhOJ8MQbriwy3qgoTARkx9fDM9JRGgQCMVuYjG6ofYWbI9o&utm_source=newsletter
  21. Forbes: We Have Plenty of Nuclear Fuel, 2017: : https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/05/04/we-have-plenty-of-uranium-in-north-america/?sh=367854ef67ce
  22. Uranium deposits within the U.S.A. USGS : https://www.usgs.gov/centers/central-energy-resources-science-center/science/uranium-mineral-systems
  23. CO2 Coalition, Excellent facts and information on the facts regarding carbon dioxide in the environment: https://co2coalition.org