Posted on 01/28/2016 10:14:36 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Politicians and environmentalists concerned about global warming are pushing policies to cut carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector. It's too bad they are pushing costly green energy technologies.
ExxonMobil's annual energy report shows just how expensive it is to use green energy to cut CO2 emissions. Replacing coal power, for example, with wind or solar energy costs upwards of $100 and $200, respectively, per ton of CO2 reduced. That’s much more expensive than replacing coal with natural gas or simply improving vehicle engine efficiency.
Pushing electric cars, however, is the most expensive way to reduce CO2 emissions, costing $800 per ton, according to Exxon.
Skeptics can just look at what the market is doing. Wind, solar and other green energy technologies still need billions in government subsidies every year to be competitive with conventional energy sources.
In fact, the main source of energy displacing coal (which is being hampered by low demand and onerous federal regulations) is natural gas. Utilities switching from burning coal to natural gas for electricity has been the main driver behind falling U.S. CO2 emissions in the past few years.
The business arm of billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer's political advocacy network worked behind the scenes with senior administration officials to undermine a study by a federally commissioned group that criticized environmental regulations, internal emails show.
Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), a Steyer-funded trade association, briefed senior administration officials on ways to preemptively debunk an anticipated study questioning EPA regulations' impacts on the U.S. power grid.
Leading AEE's effort was an executive who just months earlier had left a prominent position at the EPA. However, the agency says that he did not meet the statutory definition of a "senior official" and hence was not subject to lobbying restrictions placed on recently departed federal employees.
AEE is one of three politically oriented groups run out of and coordinated by Steyer's office. While his political and policy efforts garner more press attention, emails obtained by the Energy and Environment (E&E) Legal Institute through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal ways in which his coalition of green energy businesses also affects public policy.....[continued]
"...The West Virginia-Texas state coalition urged Roberts and the high court to issue an order that puts the Obama initiative on hold for several years while its legality is fought out in the lower courts. They insist the 1970s Clean Air Act did not authorize a broad regulatory attack on climate change.
How the high court responds to the emergency request could prove crucial to both sides. If the justices agree with the state challengers, it would halt EPA's enforcement of its most significant climate change initiative until after Obama leaves office."...
West Virginia Turns to Prayer as Obama's 'Clean Power' Looms
"CHARLESTON, W.Va.- There's little separation between church and the fossil fuel industry in West Virginia's coal country. Still reeling from recent mine shutdowns, the state legislature has set aside Jan. 31 as a "day of prayer for coal miners."....."
Still wondering why we want to cut back on plant food which helps keep the plants generating O2. Maybe somebody has something against O2. I call conspiracy dang it.
the funniest thing is that man’s CO2 amounts to just 0.00136% of the atmosphere- what the heck are we going to cut it down to? 0.00135%? Neither amount is capable of causing global climate change- period- there is only 1/1000’th’s of a point of CO2 in our atmosphere due to man- that’s it! 1/1000’ths of a point isn’t capable of causing anything- end of story-
trying to figure out the cheapest way to reduce CO2 emissions is an admission that CO2 is a problem, hence an admission that man made global warming\climate change exists.
How about this?
Trump likes ethanol - want's more mandated.
Trump likes EPA services - won't cut them (just make it more efficient).
Happy now?
bump
Global Warming on Free Republic here, here and here
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.