It is barely mentioned that Germany is in this position due to single purpose dedication to a climate agenda. After an insane amount of subsidies for renewables Germany still helped finance Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while littering their landscape with endless wind farms.
Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. Germany and Europe should have begun weaning off Russia energy then. But no, when it was suggested that they do so, Germany snickered.
As an aside there is a big bill coming due on the wind farms as well as they age out and become toxic trash. Will they be replaced? Some say not all. This will require more fossil fuels
Germanys energy policy can only be described as an abject failure due to the lack of balance on national, economic and environmental security.
For example, how many businesses will declare bankruptcy over the winter due to energy costs? How will skyrocketing energy prices impact the cost of goods and services provided by those businesses that can survive? How deep will Germanys recession be due to their self inflicted energy crisis?
What is even more bizarre is that the US is now following in their footsteps. So shortsighted unless of course it’s purposeful.
I should not have to point this out... However, Germany went 'all-in' promoting solar power in Germany. That was the very height of PC insanity. Germany is a northern, cloudy country. Germany is one of the worst places on Earth for solar power and yet Merkel made solar power a priority. Wind power (in Germany) is rather sane compared to solar power.
By the US, you mean specifically the current administration. If we have a disastrous winter, compounded by high fuel prices, fuel and food shortages, job losses, etc, the country will surely oust this administration in 2024.
Yes I mean this administration. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Trump, he would not have hamstrung energy supply before viable alternatives were available and then attempt to bandaid the situation by selling off oil from our strategic supply. No question energy supply and therefore costs play a large part in our current inflation and this administration's climate and ESG policies have exasperated the situation. I hope you are correct about 2024. Nov 2022 will help tell the story but hopefully it is not too late to repair the damage that is being done. Sadly I see too many people who accept on face value the excuses this administration gives and do not dig into the details. Reality escapes many as folks focus on a fairy tale instead of hard cold facts. This author proves that point.
We can diversify our energy supply and we should. But unlike Europe, our policy must include both the long and short term view. We must balance environmental, economic and national security in our quest to diversify. This is not being done. If we fall flat on one of these, we will fall flat on all.
I agree wholeheartedly. Protecting the environment and diversifying our energy sources are laudable goals, and I don't think any rational person would disagree. However, forcing changes through legislation that may do little more than enhancing the wealth of the players is not helpful.
Especially when those who are forcing it have zero understanding of economics and the free market and appear to have the foresight of a nat. In situations like this, the law of unintended consequences rears its head in the ugliest of ways.
Even if there is a massive message sent in the midterms, will the newly elected have the smarts and backbone to go after the administrative actions that are impacting supply or will our politicians continue to attack demand ensuring the hardest of landings? Will they be smart enough to realize the way to soften this self imposed recession will be to encourage investment with lower taxes and reduced regulation? Will they realize a key solution is for the government to STOP spending money and cut costs? Questionable.
Now if only the Biden Administration would admit the danger Europe’s in and stop kowtowing to Russian- and Emirati-back “environmental” groups, the U.S. could be helping to offset the shortfall. If the Dominion pipeline hadn’t been blocked by repeated fatuous injunctions filed by activists, we could already be exporting West Virginian natural gas from Norfolk, Virginia.
It is barely mentioned that Germany is in this position due to single purpose dedication to a climate agenda. After an insane amount of subsidies for renewables Germany still helped finance Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while littering their landscape with endless wind farms.
Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. Germany and Europe should have begun weaning off Russia energy then. But no, when it was suggested that they do so, Germany snickered.
As an aside there is a big bill coming due on the wind farms as well as they age out and become toxic trash. Will they be replaced? Some say not all. This will require more fossil fuels
Germanys energy policy can only be described as an abject failure due to the lack of balance on national, economic and environmental security.
For example, how many businesses will declare bankruptcy over the winter due to energy costs? How will skyrocketing energy prices impact the cost of goods and services provided by those businesses that can survive? How deep will Germanys recession be due to their self inflicted energy crisis?
What is even more bizarre is that the US is now following in their footsteps. So shortsighted unless of course it’s purposeful.
I should not have to point this out... However, Germany went 'all-in' promoting solar power in Germany. That was the very height of PC insanity. Germany is a northern, cloudy country. Germany is one of the worst places on Earth for solar power and yet Merkel made solar power a priority. Wind power (in Germany) is rather sane compared to solar power.
This is a case of when virtue signaling trumps common sense.
By the US, you mean specifically the current administration. If we have a disastrous winter, compounded by high fuel prices, fuel and food shortages, job losses, etc, the country will surely oust this administration in 2024.
Yes I mean this administration. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Trump, he would not have hamstrung energy supply before viable alternatives were available and then attempt to bandaid the situation by selling off oil from our strategic supply. No question energy supply and therefore costs play a large part in our current inflation and this administration's climate and ESG policies have exasperated the situation. I hope you are correct about 2024. Nov 2022 will help tell the story but hopefully it is not too late to repair the damage that is being done. Sadly I see too many people who accept on face value the excuses this administration gives and do not dig into the details. Reality escapes many as folks focus on a fairy tale instead of hard cold facts. This author proves that point.
We can diversify our energy supply and we should. But unlike Europe, our policy must include both the long and short term view. We must balance environmental, economic and national security in our quest to diversify. This is not being done. If we fall flat on one of these, we will fall flat on all.
I agree wholeheartedly. Protecting the environment and diversifying our energy sources are laudable goals, and I don't think any rational person would disagree. However, forcing changes through legislation that may do little more than enhancing the wealth of the players is not helpful.
Especially when those who are forcing it have zero understanding of economics and the free market and appear to have the foresight of a nat. In situations like this, the law of unintended consequences rears its head in the ugliest of ways.
Even if there is a massive message sent in the midterms, will the newly elected have the smarts and backbone to go after the administrative actions that are impacting supply or will our politicians continue to attack demand ensuring the hardest of landings? Will they be smart enough to realize the way to soften this self imposed recession will be to encourage investment with lower taxes and reduced regulation? Will they realize a key solution is for the government to STOP spending money and cut costs? Questionable.
We can only hope.
Now if only the Biden Administration would admit the danger Europe’s in and stop kowtowing to Russian- and Emirati-back “environmental” groups, the U.S. could be helping to offset the shortfall. If the Dominion pipeline hadn’t been blocked by repeated fatuous injunctions filed by activists, we could already be exporting West Virginian natural gas from Norfolk, Virginia.