Surprising science — There’s no such thing as clean energy. New research concludes that “clean energy” is, well, basically the “free lunch” that is never free. The study, Energy and Climate Policy—An Evaluation of Global Climate Change Expenditure 2011–2018, establishes that renewable energy is cripplingly expensive, hopelessly unreliable, massacres wildlife, destroys landscapes, destabilizes the grid, harms indigenous peoples, and causes climate change.
The authors demonstrate renewables – mainly wind and solar – do little if anything to reduce carbon dioxide emissions but are very good at wasting eye-watering sums of taxpayers’ money.
The world spent US$3.7 trillion on climate change projects over the eight-year period 2011–2018. A total of 55% of this sum was spent on solar and wind energy, while only 5% was spent on adapting to the impacts of extreme weather events. The lead author, Coilín Óh Aiseadha, states “It cost the world $2 trillion to increase the share of energy generated by solar and wind from half a percent to three percent, and it took eight years to do it. What would it cost to increase that to 100%? And how long would it take?” Even Gavin Newsome has come clean and says its time to get realistic about the failure of renewable energy as a viable alternative energy source to fossil fuels.
One of the rationales used for wind power is that it reduces man made climate change. But, the study shows it actually causes climate change at a local level, changing wind patterns, temperatures, precipitation, even causing flash flooding. For example, wind turbines can have significant local or regional effects on climate. Large-scale wind farms with tall wind turbines can have an influence on the weather, possibly on climate, due to the combined effects of the wind velocity deficit they create, changes in the atmospheric turbulence pattern they cause, and landscape roughness they enhance.
Do you think electric cars are the way to the future? Think again. I have blogged a number of articles refuting electric cars being clean, when you consider the whole life-cycle of the car. Take a look at cobalt mining, required to make batteries for e-vehicles. Mining has severe impacts on the health of women and children in mining communities, where the mining is often done in unregulated, small-scale, “artisanal” mines. Lithium extraction, also required for manufacturing batteries for e-vehicles, requires large quantities of water, and can cause pollution and shortages of fresh water for local communities.
Frankly, there is just WAY TO MUCH to summarize here. I am a humble conduit to greater knowledge. In addition to the Medium article and the original study referenced above, James Delingpole at Breitbart does a good job summarizing the study.
This is too rich. Its like the climate alarmist piñata has been whacked and the clean energy myth is raining down on us. And its not acid rain. Its way past time to get a grip. The bubble has been burst, and its time to have a fact-based discussion about energy.