News & Articles on Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels ares not renewable, obviously. They are listed here for organizational reasons. I don’t write about fossil fuels–as a rule. However, fossil fuels and those who promote them are not going away quietly. Thus, I felt it necessary to include the topic to distinguish articles that are not about nuclear power or renewable energy.
As the oil and gas crisis drives the world economy towards another financial crash, green energy is the only viable future
By
David Toke
Let’s not make a secret of this. The world is hurtling at breakneck speed towards the worst-ever energy crisis. This will be worse than the oil crises of the 1970s. It could be worse even than the oil crisis of 2007-2012, the latter which triggered the global financial meltdown of 2008. Maybe it is small comfort to those billions of people around the world facing hardship in this developing crisis. However, out of the ruins we shall see a market and state-driven renewed drive towards installation of wind, solar, batteries and Electric Vehicles.
“Energy Security” Makes Us Less Secure. Renewables Are The Answer
By
Steve Hanley
Krugman notes that while the price of oil has increased, the price of gasoline has gone up much more quickly. Are oil companies taking advantage of the situation to extract additional profits? What do you think? The so-called US president — in his lucid moments — rails against renewable energy, probably because the fossil fuel industry has so generously supported his lunacy for their own private benefit. But Krugman suggested the UK and other European nations must be wishing they were getting an even larger share of their energy from renewables rather than natural gas, which would free them both from the idiocy of Trump’s delusions and the Middle East war.
Donald Trump: America’s Greatest EV Salesman
By
Jennifer Sensiba
Today’s spiking gasoline and diesel prices will push millions of people to seriously consider buying a new or used EV. When they do that, they’ll learn that they aren’t “soulless appliances.” Not only do they save money, but they’re more convenient if you can charge at home, and they have instant torque. They’re quieter, vibrate and shake less, and are generally just more pleasant to drive. In traffic, having access to one-pedal driving and HVAC without wasting gas idling make EVs the clear winner.
Paul Krugman: Renewable Energy and National Security–The wind and the sun don’t need to transit the Strait of Hormuz
By
External Source
Donald Trump’s attack on Iran will have many unintended and unforeseen consequences. One consequence even I wasn’t thinking about, but which is already clear after less than a week, is that Trump has made a strong new case for renewable energy. The usual argument for promoting solar and wind power is that relying on renewable energy avoids the environmental damage caused by burning fossil fuels. This environmental damage includes, but isn’t limited to, climate change. In addition, air pollution imposes shockingly large direct and immediate costs by harming our health and reducing our life expectancy. But now we know that there is another reason for nations to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels: security. In a dangerous world, it’s infinitely safer to rely on the sun and the wind than to depend on fossil fuels that must be transported long distances, from nations that are untrustworthy, often exploitative and located in regions that frequently devolve into war zones. . . Donald Trump, hero of renewable energy? Who knew?
Putin Tried to Freeze Ukraine. Instead, He Sparked an Energy Revolution.
By
Paul Hockenhos
n terms of a new, cutting-edge distributed energy system, Ukraine may be racing forward with the zeal of a new convert, but even the planned rollout of renewables in 2026 won’t keep most of the Ukrainian population safe from Russia’s depredations next winter. Wartime Ukraine has the will but not the financial resources to revamp its energy production on its own. The nation’s largest donor, the E.U., is already contributing nearly $200 billion to Ukraine’s budget for military expenditures and humanitarian aid, including energy. The speed with which Ukraine blankets its territory with distributed energy systems could make the difference between surviving another punishing winter—or succumbing to its cruelty.
Does clean energy generate too much waste? Hannah Ritchie checks the data on climate action
By
External Source
But when you put the numbers in context, the picture is clear: waste from green energy sources is better than the alternative. For example, when you burn coal, the leftover product becomes coal ash. Breaking down the data, Ritchie shows that coal generates 50 times more waste than solar power — and 500 times more than wind. Coal ash is also highly toxic. In the United States, some power plants may dispose of coal ash in surface ponds or landfills, or discharge it in waterways. Plus, the renewable energy waste problem may be solvable. Most parts of solar panels can be recycled, though countries need to invest in an efficient recycling system to make this happen.
