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on August 28, 2020
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Michael Shellenberger: Stop Blaming Climate Change For California’s Fires. Many Forests, Including The Redwoods, Need Them

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

The following article originally appeared in Forbes. It was written by Michael Shellenberger. Fires have burned 1.3 million acres of California’s forests over the last month. That’s one million acres more than burned last year, and is an unusually high number for this early in the fire season. California political leaders including Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, blame climate change. “If you are in denial about climate change, come to California,” Governor Gavin Newsom told the Democratic National Convention. “11,000 dry lightning strikes we had over a 72 hour period [led] to this unprecedented challenge with these wildfires.” The...

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on August 27, 2020
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Solar Panels Are Starting to Die. What Will We Do With The Megatons Of Toxic Trash?

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

Most people seem to believe that wind and solar panels produce no waste and have no negative environmental impacts. Unfortunately, these people are wrong. In reality, everything that humans do has an environmental impact, whether it be mining, using a coal-fired power plant, or even tourism. When it comes to energy and environmental policy, the real question to ask is not "will there be an impact?" but rather, "can the impacts be minimized?" and "do the benefits outweigh the costs?" Because everything has an effect on the environment, it is important that everyone understands the impacts of all energy sources so we...

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on August 26, 2020
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Why Transitioning to Renewable Energy Leads to Power Outages

Written by Mitchell Rolling
in Energy

According to Xcel Energy, the largest electric utility company in the state of Minnesota, the closing of large “baseload” power facilities in favor of renewable energy sources like wind and solar could have serious consequences, including power outages and widespread blackouts in the future. Indeed, with recent rolling blackouts hitting California – home to the most solar capacity of any state in the country – we are already seeing these consequences play out in real life. Baseload power facilities are typically fuel-based generators – such as coal facilities like Sherco and AS King and nuclear facilities like Monticello and Prairie Island –...

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on August 26, 2020
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Xcel Should Skip the Solar and Wind and Plan for A Nuclear Future

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

Last weekend the Minneapolis Star Tribune ran an article entitled Xcel Looks At New Nuclear Options As it Moves to Carbon-Free Power Goals. The article explains that nuclear energy is critical to Xcel Energy's carbon free energy plans and the role that newer nuclear reactors could play in their energy portfolio. It is very telling that Xcel wants to build new nuclear power plants because according to a recent filing with Minnesota regulators, the company clearly knows that building a grid to operate on high levels of wind and solar penetration is a recipe for the kind of blackouts that recently affected 2...

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on August 23, 2020
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ITTe257: California’s Green Energy Blackouts, DNC was a Joke

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQrXmofhKI The Heartland Institute's Donald Kendal, Justin Haskins, and Jim Lakely are joined by Isaac Orr in episode 257 of the In The Tank Podcast. The Democratic National Convention just wrapped up, and, as you would expect, it was full of hilarity and Marxist dogma. Also, the ITT crew talk about how California’s rolling blackouts gives us a taste of what to expect with the Green New Deal....

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on August 21, 2020
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Xcel’s Electric Vehicle Scheme Will Give Wealthy Liberals More of Your Money

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

Last weekend, the Minneapolis Star Tribune wrote an article about Xcel Energy's plans to increase the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road by giving rebates of up to $2,500 to people who purchase EVs. These rebates, which would most likely be paid to wealthy urban liberals, would be paid for using your money. Xcel Energy is NOT a Private Company It's always important to remember that Xcel isn't really a private business, they are a government approved monopoly. As an Xcel customer, you have no freedom to choose another provider if you want to shop around for a better deal....

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on August 20, 2020
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Statewide View: California Car Mandates Not Right for Minnesota

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

The following article originally appeared in the Duluth News Tribune. Statewide View: California Car Mandates Not Right for Minnesota Isaac Orr This week, the Center of the American Experiment crisscrossed the state of Minnesota to help educate residents about the Walz administration’s attempt to impose California’s car mandates on Minnesotans. These California car regulations would increase the cost of driving for Minnesotans up to $2,500 per vehicle while having zero measurable environmental benefits. The regulations would be all pain and no gain. They would put California — specifically the unelected bureaucrats on the California Air Resources Board, or CARB — in charge of deciding...

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on August 19, 2020
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Walz Delays Line 3 Again, Proving Modern “Environmentalism” Has Little To Do With The Environment

Written by Isaac Orr
in Energy

Today, the Walz administration plans to file an appeal that will again delay the replacement of the aging Enbridge Line 3 oil pipeline. This project would provide thousands of good paying, union jobs and make the environment safer for future generations by reducing the risk of an oil spill in Minnesota. Unfortunately, modern "environmentalism" has little to do with improving the environment. Not About the Environment or "The Science" The most important thing to know about Walz's decision to delay the project is that it has nothing to do with the potential environmental impacts of the pipeline. In fact, the Minnesota Public...

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