Overselling Renewables: The Northwest and Here

Visiting the wind turbines
Lempster NH

Overselling Renewables: Northwest Version

I also blog at Northwest Clean Energy. Many of my posts are in support of Columbia Generating Station, the nuclear plant owned by Energy Northwest.

A professor at Stanford, Mark Z. Jacobson, promulgated an untested vision for using wind, water and solar (not even any biomass) for ALL the energy requirements of the entire country, by 2050. Yes, electricity, transportation, heating, industrial energy…all by wind, water, and solar.

Jacobson's SolutionsProject promotes this untested vision.  The project team is headed by an Executive Director, as most not-for-profits include. The other team members are a Creative Director, a Producer and a State Program director.  Creative Director? Producer? Well, I suppose, if  you haven't got facts, you need showmanship.

Jacobson writes his (basically fictional) report on a state by state basis.  My most recent post at Energy Northwest blog examines his ideas for Washington State: If more wind is the answer, what was the question? There are some nice comments on the post. I hope you will read it.

Overselling Renewables: Local Version

All over the country,  anti-nuclear people adore Jacobson's fictions.  For example, one of the commentators on this Boston Globe article about Pilgrim closing refers to Jacobson's words on renewables-for-Massachusetts as the reason we don't need Pilgrim.  (Alas, I can't find the comment now, but I read it yesterday. There are 98 comments as I write this post.)

Meanwhile, Vermont has a 90% percent renewables-for-everything "plan" that is only slightly less aggressive than Jacobson's ideas. Vermont only goes to 90% renewables, not 100%. Also, Vermont allows biomass. For an up-to-date look at how this plan is being accepted by the people of Vermont (it's pretty much hated), read Bruce Parker at Vermont Watchdog.

Parker went to a review meeting about the Vermont green energy plan. At that meeting, the Vermont Department of Public Service spokesman admitted the Vermont plan would have no effect on global warming, and also said that the Vermont plan was not aimed at setting an example to the world.

The spokesman faced angry Vermonters who don't know why we are covering our ridges with big roads and wind turbines, if it isn't going to do any good anyway.  Read Parker's report Vermont's green energy plan to have no impact on global warming. (The report has 198 comments as I write this post).

Note: Parker has had several guest posts at this blog, for example: Vermont town protests renewable energy credits for MA and CT

Overselling Renewables, National Version

Renewables are being oversold all over.

Meanwhile, nuclear power is demonized. Nuclear is the largest provider of low-carbon electricity in the United States.

Perhaps some day, we will wake up.  I hope so.