GREEN NEW DEAL = BLIZZARD OF LIES

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

Here is the reality of ESG investing, a disaster for those institutions who have trusted in the Green Dream.

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/How-Much-Has-Harvards-Fossil-Fuel-Divestment-Cost-It.html

"Harvard University made news last year when it announced that it had divested from the fossil fuel industry.

The energy sector has been the top-performing sector for the past 2.5 years.

Estimates put Harvard’s missed earnings because of its fossil fuel divestment at around $1 billion."

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ecocharger

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

Just received this from a relative in my email.

 "If your electric car runs out of power on the interstate, do you

walk to a charging station to get a bucket of electricity?"

 

I think the answer is, you phone roadside assistance and get a mobile charging station to come to your rescue.

Does that make sense? Of course, you would have to reach for your wallet, that would be an expensive service.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Ecocharger

[TailingsPond + 1,008]

3 hours ago, Ecocharger said:

Just received this from a relative in my email.

 "If your electric car runs out of power on the interstate, do you

walk to a charging station to get a bucket of electricity?"

 

I think the answer is, you phone roadside assistance and get a mobile charging station to come to your rescue.

Does that make sense? Of course, you would have to reach for your wallet, that would be an expensive service.

Almost like ICE vehicles can run out of energy too... fancy that. 

Running out of gas or battery charge is user error (poor planning).

[Ron Wagner + 710]

https://news.yahoo.com/utility-recommends-natural-gas-plant-212629326.html

 

Utility recommends natural gas plant despite objections

TRAVIS LOLLER and JONATHAN MATTISE

Fri, December 2, 2022 at 3:26 PM·4 min read

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation's largest public utility on Friday recommended replacing an aging coal burning power plant with natural gas, ignoring calls for the Tennessee Valley Authority to speed its transition to renewable energy.

TVA announced the completion of its environmental impact statement for replacing the Cumberland Fossil Plant near Cumberland City, Tennessee. The federally owned utility considered replacing the two coal-fired turbines there with solar panels but instead recommended a combined-cycle natural gas plant.

Solar and battery storage would be more costly, requiring transmission upgrades that could take a decade to complete, according to a news release from TVA. The decision still needs the approval of TVA President and CEO Jeff Lyash, who has previously spoken in favor of natural gas.

“Our focus is on ensuring that we provide affordable, reliable, resilient, and clean energy for generations to come,” Lyash said in the news release.

TVA’s plan would idle one unit of the coal plant by the end of 2026 and the second by the end of 2028. The utility says a natural gas plant there could be built and operational by 2026, with construction beginning as early as summer 2023.

The announcement drew backlash from groups that include the Center for Biological Diversity.

“TVA’s plan to build a new gas plant and pipeline in the midst of climate catastrophe is reckless,” Gaby Sarri-Tobar, with the group's energy justice program, said in a statement. "This is a slap in the face to the 10 million customers who rely on TVA and makes a mockery of the Biden administration’s clean energy pledges.”

President Joe Biden has said he wants a carbon-pollution-free energy sector by 2035. TVA has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2035, compared with 2005 levels.

Scientists, meanwhile, have warned that failing to meet Biden’s 2035 target will only lead to more intense and more frequent extreme weather events, as well as droughts, floods and wildfires. Teams of meteorologists across the world have predicted there is nearly a 50-50 chance that Earth will temporarily hit a global warming temperature threshold international agreements are trying to prevent within the next five years.

The TVA board of directors last year delegated any decision on Cumberland’s replacement to Lyash. He has said TVA will not be able to meet the 100% reduction goal without technological advances in energy storage, carbon capture and small modular nuclear reactors. The utility has its own aspirational goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

Those opposing the construction of a new gas plant have pointed out it will likely be around for decades, long past the 2035 decarbonization goal. They have also criticized TVA for not considering options that could decrease the demand for new electricity like improved energy efficiency and demand response — which helps customers change their usage patterns to flatten peak demand periods.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, has emerged in legislative hearings as a key critic of TVA. He said the utility should not be moving forward on the Cumberland decision while Biden's nominees for its board await Senate confirmation. Their installation would create a new board majority.

“The Tennessee Valley Authority is showing yet again that it is willing to lock its customers into expensive and volatile fossil fuel generation, rather than take this opportunity to adopt reliable renewable energy," Markey said in a statement Friday. “As the largest public power company in the country, the TVA has a responsibility to be a leader, not a laggard, in delivering clean, affordable power to its customers.”

Meanwhile, a permit application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is still pending for a 32-mile (51-kilometer) natural gas pipeline branch to link to the proposed new Cumberland plant. Kinder Morgan Inc. said one of its subsidiaries filed the application in July. Pending regulatory approval, construction would begin in August 2024, with an expected September 2025 for the pipeline to be in service, the company said.

TVA provides electricity to 10 million people in Tennessee and parts of the surrounding states of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

[TailingsPond + 1,008]

2 hours ago, Ron Wagner said:

https://news.yahoo.com/utility-recommends-natural-gas-plant-212629326.html

 

Utility recommends natural gas plant despite objections

TRAVIS LOLLER and JONATHAN MATTISE

Fri, December 2, 2022 at 3:26 PM·4 min read

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation's largest public utility on Friday recommended replacing an aging coal burning power plant with natural gas, ignoring calls for the Tennessee Valley Authority to speed its transition to renewable energy.

It's pretty easy to retrofit a coal plant to run off natural gas.  Definitely a step in the right direction.

Coal is filth.

[turbguy + 1,544]

7 hours ago, TailingsPond said:

It's pretty easy to retrofit a coal plant to run off natural gas.  Definitely a step in the right direction.

Coal is filth.

Yes and no. Coal is filthy.

Retrofitting one or both of those 1300 MW units is gonna take a significant amount of boiler heat surface modifications, if just substituting coal for nat gas, and the thermal efficiency would not exceed the original design.

You "could" gang up enough HRSG's (fired by CT's) to supply the existing ST's to get much better overall thermal efficiency.

[TailingsPond + 1,008]

44 minutes ago, turbguy said:

Yes and no. Coal is filthy.

Retrofitting one or both of those 1300 MW units is gonna take a significant amount of boiler heat surface modifications, if just substituting coal for nat gas, and the thermal efficiency would not exceed the original design.

You "could" gang up enough HRSG's (fired by CT's) to supply the existing ST's to get much better overall thermal efficiency.

Local company switched 3 plants and completely eliminated coal use.  Maybe "easy" was poor word choice.

https://globalnews.ca/news/8477926/transalta-coal-natural-gas-power/

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

The Green transition has just hit a speed bump, and is off the rails again.

 

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Volkswagen-Group-CEO-High-Energy-Cost-Make-New-EV-Plants-Unfeasible.html

"Rising costs of energy in Europe are making battery cell factories unfeasible.

Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schaefer: investments in German and EU projects will no longer make financial sense if policy makers fail to control ballooning energy prices."

Edited December 5, 2022 by Ecocharger

[Polyphia + 83]

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/heat-pumps-hyped-up-holiday-wish-lists-european-households-maguire-2022-11-30/

Yeah....green energy sucks.

"The main attraction of heat pumps - which use electric-powered mechanical energy rather than fossil fuels to heat and cool buildings - is their ability to convert one unit of electricity into 2.5 to 5.5 units of heat, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

That equates to a 250% to 550% efficiency range, compared with 80% to 85% efficiency for older fossil fuel boilers, IRENA noted in a report on heat pumps released this week."

"In the Netherlands, which relies on gas for roughly 70% of residential heating, hybrid heat pumps will become mandatory in all homes from 2026.

Farther afield and over the longer term, other countries across Europe are also expected to embrace heat pumps aggressively, with this year's European Commission's REPowerEU plan targeting around 20 million heat pumps to be installed in the European Union by 2026 and nearly 60 million by 2030, according to the EHPA."

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

On 12/3/2022 at 11:40 PM, TailingsPond said:

Almost like ICE vehicles can run out of energy too... fancy that. 

Running out of gas or battery charge is user error (poor planning).

Not necessarily poor planning....it is not easy to judge when a battery will run out and conk out. There will be many instances of EVs just running down on the highway, and needing a mobile charging station to come to the rescue.

[TailingsPond + 1,008]

29 minutes ago, Ecocharger said:

Not necessarily poor planning....it is not easy to judge when a battery will run out and conk out. There will be many instances of EVs just running down on the highway, and needing a mobile charging station to come to the rescue.

In British Columbia (where they have lots of hydro energy) the roadside rest stops have FREE charging stations, wifi, and washrooms. 

https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/electric-vehicles/ev-charging-station-map.html

You can drive all the way across Canada with an EV.  A charger every 250Km or less on the trans Can highway.

https://www.petro-canada.ca/en/personal/fuel/canadas-electric-highway

The infrastructure is already built!

Edited December 6, 2022 by TailingsPond

[Old-Ruffneck + 1,246]

20 hours ago, TailingsPond said:

You can drive all the way across Canada with an EV.  A charger every 250Km or less on the trans Can highway.

If you have a couple weeks time you certainly can drive across Canada. 

[Ron Wagner + 710]

On 12/5/2022 at 8:00 AM, Polyphia said:

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/heat-pumps-hyped-up-holiday-wish-lists-european-households-maguire-2022-11-30/

Yeah....green energy sucks.

"The main attraction of heat pumps - which use electric-powered mechanical energy rather than fossil fuels to heat and cool buildings - is their ability to convert one unit of electricity into 2.5 to 5.5 units of heat, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

That equates to a 250% to 550% efficiency range, compared with 80% to 85% efficiency for older fossil fuel boilers, IRENA noted in a report on heat pumps released this week."

"In the Netherlands, which relies on gas for roughly 70% of residential heating, hybrid heat pumps will become mandatory in all homes from 2026.

Farther afield and over the longer term, other countries across Europe are also expected to embrace heat pumps aggressively, with this year's European Commission's REPowerEU plan targeting around 20 million heat pumps to be installed in the European Union by 2026 and nearly 60 million by 2030, according to the EHPA."

In the late seventies I had a home in Auburn California which is West of Sacramento at 4,000 feet in the foothills of the Sierras. It came with a heat pump and was an all electric house. It worked fine in that climate. I would like to know of any technological advancements for colder climates. 

[Ron Wagner + 710]

12 minutes ago, Old-Ruffneck said:

If you have a couple weeks time you certainly can drive across Canada. 

Four or five days with an ICE vehicle. 

[Jay McKinsey + 1,490]

2 hours ago, Ron Wagner said:

Four or five days with an ICE vehicle. 

Electric Drive 2.0 Sets TransCanada Speed Record

Four days and 18.5 hours - the new record time in an electric car from coast to coast across the width of Canada - a 7,152 km (4,444 mile) journey on the TransCanada Highway - has just been set by two Canadian EV enthusiasts who love speed.

https://www.movinonconnect.com/news/electric-drive-transcanada-speed-record/

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

On 12/5/2022 at 9:01 PM, TailingsPond said:

In British Columbia (where they have lots of hydro energy) the roadside rest stops have FREE charging stations, wifi, and washrooms. 

https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/electric-vehicles/ev-charging-station-map.html

You can drive all the way across Canada with an EV.  A charger every 250Km or less on the trans Can highway.

https://www.petro-canada.ca/en/personal/fuel/canadas-electric-highway

The infrastructure is already built!

There are even more fossil fuel stations available than that, and you do not have to go to major highways to find them.

Driving off major routes will leave you at risk of running down your EV battery and getting conked out and waiting for a mobile charging station to arrive.

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

1 hour ago, Jay McKinsey said:

Electric Drive 2.0 Sets TransCanada Speed Record

Four days and 18.5 hours - the new record time in an electric car from coast to coast across the width of Canada - a 7,152 km (4,444 mile) journey on the TransCanada Highway - has just been set by two Canadian EV enthusiasts who love speed.

https://www.movinonconnect.com/news/electric-drive-transcanada-speed-record/

Again, off the major routes you will have a harder time finding a charging station.

And start dialing roadside assistance for a mobile charging station to arrive.

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

The Green dream has run aground where the rubber hits the road.

Italy is bailing out and asking for the rules to be scrapped.

It is all unraveling before our eyes.

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Italys-Transport-Minister-Asks-EU-To-Stop-ICE-Vehicle-Ban.html

"Italy’s Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has asked the EU Commission’s Transport Commissioner and his French and German counterparts to review the ban on ICE vehicle sales that is set to go into effect in 2035.

Salvini told Italian news outlet Ultimore that the proposed ban on the sale of fossil fuel-burning vehicles “makes no economic, environmental or social sense.”

Edited December 7, 2022 by Ecocharger

[TailingsPond + 1,008]

31 minutes ago, Ecocharger said:

Again, off the major routes you will have a harder time finding a charging station.

Possibly, but many hotels have them now too.

I'll agree that driving a EV in very rural areas may not be a good idea at this time. Luckily, most traffic is on major routes - by definition.

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by TailingsPond

[TailingsPond + 1,008]

39 minutes ago, Ecocharger said:

There are even more fossil fuel stations available than that, and you do not have to go to major highways to find them.

Agreed, but in rural areas they are often unmanned and run off card lock (farm gas). I've had to buy gas off a farmer while at a gas station before...

Saskatchewan is best avoided.

EV are best suited for city folk.

Edited December 7, 2022 by TailingsPond

[Ecocharger + 1,474]

7 hours ago, TailingsPond said:

Agreed, but in rural areas they are often unmanned and run off card lock (farm gas). I've had to buy gas off a farmer while at a gas station before...

Saskatchewan is best avoided.

EV are best suited for city folk.

Yes, EVs are of limited usefulness. Very limited. Like third car status.

[Jay McKinsey + 1,490]

Gasoline price is now down year over year. Wasn't someone here yelling at the top of his lungs all summer about how the price of gasoline  was going to the moon by the end of the year?

Edited December 7, 2022 by Jay McKinsey

[notsonice + 1,255]

55 minutes ago, Jay McKinsey said:

Gasoline price is now down year over year. Wasn't someone here yelling at the top of his lungs all summer about how the price of gasoline  was going to the moon by the end of the year?

The lunatics were calling Sleepy Joe's release from the SPR acts of a mad man......

Reality....Sleepy Joe is running the show ....Putin  and his pal in Saudi Arabia got outplayed

$2.50 to $2.75 is the new price for gas at the pump for the next couple of years with Sleepy Joe buying oil to fill back up the SPR at $70 or less per barrel. No layoffs in the US oil patch anytime soon. Sleepy Joe is  real Yankee Doodle Magaman.

 

[Jay McKinsey + 1,490]

Germany’s plugin electric vehicle share broke new records in November, gaining 39.4% of the auto market, up from 34.4%, year on year.

 

[Jeroen Goudswaard + 61]

On 11/27/2022 at 5:29 PM, Ron Wagner said:

Holding on to ICE vehicles makes total sense. EV's cost more over the lifetime. I have explained this many times. You have deaf ears. 

It all depends on future government intervention. For now, holding on is a good thing yes. But I would not recommend buying another one. Before you know, with a combination of ULEZs, additional environmental taxes, and no future planning permission for new fuel stations, you will be stuck with a lot of money in a worthless piece of steel.