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Repeal the IRA! Protect America’s Lifeblood of Energy and Electricity Supply

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The Rise and Decline of nations throughout history is well documented. Here are my thoughts on the how close the U.S. came to a steep decline of freedom, strength and prosperity due to the un-American energy policies of Obama and Biden. Energy and electricity are the Life-Blood of our country’s productive capacity and prosperity. The harm of harmful policies are not felt until decades later, such as those Obama implemented, which I will cover later. The IRA should be fully repealed by Congress, otherwise, the American electric Grid unreliability and electricity costs will increase as has been experienced in Germany, Spain, Hawaii and the UK.

The Green New Deal aka IRA

Reasonable cost, affordable, reliable and abundant energy is one important resource that made America strong. America once had the most reliable, affordable, resilient and robust electric Grid. That is until the Green New Deal came along. Codified into the so called, “Inflation Reduction Act” of 2022. If Kamala Harris would have won the election in November, the decline of America would have certainly accelerated. Energy and reliable electricity are the Life-Blood of America. Thankfully, President Trump was elected and some of the un-American policies of the Democrat Party, Obama and Biden are being corrected. Congress is working on a draft to correct the IRA, however, so far it does not go far enough to abolish the IRA. Alex Epstein wrote an excellent summary, worth reading, here. The Full repeal of the IRA is needed to keep America’s Life-Blood of Energy and Electricity Reliable & Affordable. Not doing so puts America on the same path as Spain, Germany, Hawaii and California. Call it a “Spain Spiral”.

The Changing World Order

Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Investments fame has published a book, “The Changing World order”. He has also posted a website and You Tube presentation which is a fascinating 45 minute history lesson of the changing world order and the rise and fall of empires. Here is a screenshot of his focus on four empires, the Dutch, British, U.S. and a rising China. Historical to current times. Had Kamala Harris been elected, Dalio’s projection of the U.S. decline, might have come to be. Why? Because in these modern energy intensive times conventional forms of energy, oil, gas, coal and nuclear are the foundation of American strength and hegemony.

I recommend watching Dalio’s You Tube presentation and his book, “Changing World Order”. This is relatively new, published this month. Previously, I have written my views on the U.S. Self-Sabotaging of our energy and electrical generation capacity. Here, Here, Here, Here and more.

Democrat Party and Other Un-American Organizations

The Democrat Party energy policies, in my opinion, could not have been improved on by Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping themselves to weaken America. The “War on Coal” and a review of Obama, Biden and the Democrat controlled Congress un-American policies are covered in these three articles:

“The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”

“Are You Worried about the Future of the U.S.A.?    

 The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1

Here is a reminder of the lasting effects of regulations. Obama implemented the EV Mandate in August 2012. Obama’s EPA also forced the EPA Endangerment Finding. It took over a decade for the harm to become noticed by the general public.

The 2022 (wrongly titled) Inflation reduction Act actually codifies Obama and Biden “Green New Deal” policies. They need to be completely repealed. Alex Epstein and Ed Ireland have done excellent articles detailing the incomplete work of Congress to support President Trump’s promises. Here and here.

Learning from Others

President Trump understands the importance of energy independence and a reliable electrical grid. In fact, one of his first EO’s was to declare an energy emergency. He is correct in doing so. Why? Because under Biden and with the hateful energy policies of Obama still in effect, America was headed down the same path of Net-Zero Carbon that Spain, UK, Germany and other Western countries have followed. The results should be studied.

Conclusions

The U.S. is on a similar path as Germany, the UK and Spain if the Renewables subsidies of the IRA are not repealed. The CATO Institute has provided a summary of the costs until 2050. Worse yet are the risks of unreliable power supply due to too much intermittent, unreliable, non-Dispatchable solar and wind capacity.

President Trump was correct in his Executive Order of January 20th entitled, “Unleashing American Energy”.

Electricity demand according to most respected organizations, is expected to grow by 50% in the year 2050. That means an increase of reliable capacity of about 600,000 MW of new generating capacity. The only proven source of this enormous capacity is from nuclear, gas and coal generation. The natural gas expansion is limited by manufacturing capacity, nuclear takes decades to implement. New coal plant capacity should be included in the portfolio of new electricity generation capacity. If it is not, we may in fact, follow the de-industrialization path of Germany and lose the lead in AI. Congress should support the full extent, 100% of President Trump’s Executive Order to “Unleash American Energy”, including the building of new clean coal plants.

Dick Storm, May14, 2025

References and for further research

  1. Full text of Congress House Bill # 5376: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376/text
  2. CATO summary of IRA-2022: https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/budgetary-cost-inflation-reduction-acts-energy-subsidies
  3. Tax Foundation summary of costs for green energy: https://taxfoundation.org/blog/inflation-reduction-act-ira-credits-repeal-reform/
  4. President Trump’s EO, “Unleashing American Energy” Jan. 20, 2025: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-american-energy/
  5. Alex Epstein Substack article May 13 on the Importance of Repealing the IRA: https://open.substack.com/pub/alexepstein/p/why-the-proposed-phaseout-of-ira?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  6. Ed Ireland Substack on Repeal of IRA, May 14, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/edireland/p/congress-is-not-repealing-the-green?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  7. KGB Defector Yuri Bezmenov,  speech on You Tube on Indoctrination and Dividing western countries from 1980’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9TviIuXPSE
  8. Ray Dalio on the Rise and Fall of Nations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xguam0TKMw8
  9. “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/
  10. “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/
  11.  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/
  12. Fox News on Taxpayer funds to Democrats: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-shady-trial-lawyer-pipeline-funneling-millions-democrats-report
  13. 114th Congress, Majority Staff Report, Obama’s Carbon Mandate, August 2015: http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/USSEWP080415.pdf
  14. 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/
  15. 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/
  16. Charley Reese’s Last Column, “545 vs. 300,000,000 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/11/27/charley-reeses-last-column-a-classic-commentary-written-over-twenty-years-ago/
  17.  Why is Western Civilization Self Sabotaging the Primary Energy that Provides 80% of the fuel for America’s Life-Blood of Reliable Electricity, with the War on Carbon?.     : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/12/17/why-is-western-civilization-self-sabotaging-the-primary-energy-sources-that-provide-80-of-the-fuel-for-americas-life-blood-of-reliable-electricity-with-the-war-on-carbon/
  18. Musings on the Self-Sabotaging Energy Policies and a Reminder of the History of the Rise and Fall of Nations:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/01/13/musings-on-self-sabotaging-energy-policies-and-a-reminder-of-the-history-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-nations/
  19. The EPA “Endangerment Finding” and why it Needs to Go, Feb. 2, 2025: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-1ZW
  20. 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/
  21. Thomas J. Shepstone Substack on Dick Storm’s “Primer on How to Ensure Electricity Security (and How to Destroy It)”:  https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/a-primer-on-how-to-ensure-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 
  22.  Existing EPA-Endangerment Rules Impact South Carolina Electricity Costs and Will Cause Rationing if the EPA Endangerment Finding Isn’t Repealed  Feb. 28, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/28/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs-and-will-cause-rationing-of-electricity-in-south-carolina-if-endangerment-finding-is-not-repealed/
  23. David Siegel videos on Climate Change: https://www.cuttingthroughthenoise.net/climate-curious 
  24. The EPA Endangerment Finding Needs to Go! Thomas Shepstone publishing of Dick Storm article, March 9, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-epa-endangerment-finding-needs?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 
  25. The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, March 19, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/19/the-u-s-self-inflicted-electricity-generation-crisis-was-created-by-gongo-the-swamp-monster-here-is-how-to-end-it/
  26. Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
  27. My Letter to Senator Davis on Coal Power in S.C. April 1, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/03/response-to-palmetto-electric-request-to-contact-our-s-c-senators/
  28. The Solution to America’s Electricity Generation Crisis: Build New Coal Plants Now! https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/18/the-solution-to-the-nations-coming-electricity-reliability-crisis-build-new-coal-plants/
  29.  Clean Energy Crisis, May 2, 2025     https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
  30. Thomas J. Shepstone, edited version of Clean Energy Crisis on Substack, May 3, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-clean-energy-crisis-and-why-it?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  31.  Reality of Building 125 GW of New Coal Power Generation Capacity, Then and Now: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/ 
  32.    NMA Map of Electricity Prices and coal power in lower 48 states: https://nma.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/coal-gen-map-2023.pdf
  33. WSJ article on “Economic Growth Depends on Electricity, Not Oil”, March 27, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/economic-growth-now-depends-on-electricity-not-oil-40250941?st=cbzcRt  
  34. Bjorn Lomberg on the High Cost of Solar and Wind, Climate Change Dispatch, Jan. 2, 2025: https://climatechangedispatch.com/wind-solar-hidden-truth-behind-rising-electric-bills/
  35. Frazer Institute, “Hot Air, Cold Truths, Bjorn Lomberg, March 2025: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/hot-air-and-cold-truths-bjorn-lomborg
  36. Delaware County Insider, Wind and Solar are Expensive, Bjorn Lomberg, May 24,  2024: https://delawarevalleyjournal.com/lomborg-the-true-cost-of-wind-and-solar-energy/
  37. Yahoo Finance and National Post, March 2025, Bjorn Lomberg, Wind and Solar are Expensive: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/bjorn-lomborg-solar-wind-power-100008520.html
  38. Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling, Energy Bad Boys, Outstanding article on Phasing out PTC’s, May 16, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/gops-phase-out-of-ira-subsidies-isnt?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  39. Judge Glock comments on the IRA from City Journal:  Judge Glock
     https://lnkd.in/e-qtXsr4
     
#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Energy, Electricity, Economic Prosperity and Environmental Protection

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

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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/
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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

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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 book “Blue 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/
#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Education, Energy, Politics and Economic Prosperity

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?

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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%

Coal 20%

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

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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/