{"id":313433,"date":"2024-03-27T09:56:44","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T08:56:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=313433"},"modified":"2024-03-27T09:56:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T08:56:46","slug":"wind-and-solar-the-grand-illusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=313433","title":{"rendered":"Wind and Solar The Grand\u00a0Illusion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"531\" data-attachment-id=\"313449\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313449\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1396%2C1025&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1396,1025\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2quote-star-trek-scotty-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=723%2C531&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?resize=723%2C531&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C752&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?resize=300%2C220&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?resize=768%2C564&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C881&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?w=1396&amp;ssl=1 1396w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/rclutz.com\/2024\/03\/25\/wind-and-solar-the-grand-illusion\/\">Science Matters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rclutz.com\/author\/ronaldrc\/\">Ron Clutz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"723\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RqppRC37OgI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mark Mills explains the many ways the deck is stacked against those gambling on Wind and Solar energy to replace hydrocarbon fuels.&nbsp; The transcript is below in italics with my bolds and added images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Have you ever heard of \u201cunobtanium\u201d?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>It\u2019s the&nbsp;<strong>magical energy mineral<\/strong>&nbsp;found on the planet Pandora in the movie, Avatar. It\u2019s<strong>&nbsp;a fantasy in a science fiction script<\/strong>. But&nbsp;<strong>environmentalists think they\u2019ve found it<\/strong>&nbsp;here on earth in the form of wind and solar power.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>They think all the energy we need can be supplied by building enough wind and solar farms; and enough batteries.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The simple truth is that we can\u2019t. Nor should we want to\u2014<strong>not if our goal is to be good stewards of the planet.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#e81515\" class=\"has-inline-color\">To understand why, consider some simple physics<br>realities that aren\u2019t being talked about.<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>All&nbsp;<strong>sources of energy have limits<\/strong>&nbsp;that can\u2019t be exceeded. The maximum rate at which the<strong>&nbsp;sun\u2019s photons<\/strong>&nbsp;can be&nbsp;<strong>converted to electrons is about 33%.<\/strong>&nbsp;Our best solar technology is at 26% efficiency. For&nbsp;<strong>wind<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>the maximum capture is 60%<\/strong>. Our best machines are at 45%.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>So,<strong>&nbsp;we\u2019re pretty close to wind and solar limits<\/strong>. Despite PR claims about big gains coming, there just aren\u2019t any possible. And wind and solar only work when the wind blows and the sun shines. But&nbsp;<strong>we need energy all the time. The solution we\u2019re told is to use batteries.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#e81515\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Again, physics and chemistry make this very hard to do.<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Consider the\u00a0<strong>world\u2019s biggest battery factory<\/strong>, the one Tesla built in Nevada. It would<strong>\u00a0take 500 years<\/strong>\u00a0for that factory to make\u00a0<strong>enough batteries to store just one day\u2019s worth of America\u2019s electricity needs.<\/strong>\u00a0This helps explain<strong>\u00a0why wind and solar currently still supply less than 3% of the world\u2019s energy,<\/strong>\u00a0after 20 years and billions of dollars in subsidies.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"511\" data-attachment-id=\"313436\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313436\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?fit=1754%2C1240&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1754,1240\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-371\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?fit=723%2C511&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?resize=723%2C511&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?resize=1024%2C724&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?resize=300%2C212&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?resize=768%2C543&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?resize=1536%2C1086&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?resize=1200%2C848&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?w=1754&amp;ssl=1 1754w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-371.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Putting aside the economics, if your motive is<strong>&nbsp;to protect the environment, you might want to rethink wind, solar, and batterie<\/strong>s because, like all machines, they\u2019re<strong>&nbsp;built from nonrenewable materials.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Consider some sobering numbers:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>A single electric-car battery weighs about half a ton<\/strong>. Fabricating one\u00a0<strong>requires digging up, moving, and processing more than 250 tons of earth<\/strong>\u00a0somewhere on the planet.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"480\" data-attachment-id=\"313438\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313438\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?fit=1600%2C1062&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1600,1062\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-372\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?fit=723%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?resize=723%2C480&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?resize=1024%2C680&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?resize=768%2C510&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?resize=1536%2C1020&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?resize=1200%2C797&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-372.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Building a single 100 Megawatt wind farm,<\/strong>&nbsp;which can power 75,000 homes requires some<strong>&nbsp;30,000 tons of iron ore and 50,000 tons of concrete<\/strong>, as well as&nbsp;<strong>900 tons of non-recyclable plastics<\/strong>&nbsp;for the huge blades. To get the same power from&nbsp;<strong>solar<\/strong>, the amount of cement, steel, and glass needed is&nbsp;<strong>150% greater.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Then there are<\/strong>\u00a0the other minerals needed, including elements known as\u00a0<strong>rare earth metals<\/strong>. With current plans, the world will need an incredible<strong>\u00a0200 to 2,000 percent increase<\/strong>\u00a0in mining for elements such as cobalt, lithium, and dysprosium, to name just a few.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"679\" height=\"611\" data-attachment-id=\"313439\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313439\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-373.png?fit=679%2C611&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"679,611\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-373\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-373.png?fit=679%2C611&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-373.png?resize=679%2C611&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313439\" style=\"width:760px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-373.png?w=679&amp;ssl=1 679w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-373.png?resize=300%2C270&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Where\u2019s all this stuff going to come from?<strong>&nbsp;Massive new mining operations<\/strong>. Almost none of it in America, some imported from places hostile to America, and some in places we all want to protect.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Australia\u2019s Institute for a Sustainable Future cautions that a global \u201cgold\u201d rush for energy materials will take miners into \u201c\u2026<strong>remote wilderness areas [that] have maintained high biodiversity because they haven\u2019t yet been disturbed.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>And\u00a0<strong>who is doing the mining?<\/strong>\u00a0Let\u2019s just say that they\u2019re\u00a0<strong>not<\/strong>\u00a0all going to be\u00a0<strong>union workers<\/strong>\u00a0with union protections.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"745\" data-attachment-id=\"313441\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313441\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-374.png?fit=932%2C960&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"932,960\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-374\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-374.png?fit=723%2C745&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-374.png?resize=723%2C745&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-374.png?w=932&amp;ssl=1 932w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-374.png?resize=291%2C300&amp;ssl=1 291w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-374.png?resize=768%2C791&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Amnesty International paints a disturbing picture: \u201cThe\u2026 marketing of state-of-the-art technologies are a stark contrast to the<strong>&nbsp;children carrying bags of rocks.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>And then the mining itself&nbsp;<strong>requires massive amounts of conventional energy,<\/strong>&nbsp;as do the energy-intensive industrial processes needed to refine the materials and then build the wind, solar, and battery hardware.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Then there\u2019s the waste.<\/strong>\u00a0Wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries have a\u00a0<strong>relatively short life; about twenty years<\/strong>. Conventional energy machines, like gas turbines, last twice as long.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"407\" data-attachment-id=\"313442\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313442\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-375.png?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1024,576\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-375\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-375.png?fit=723%2C407&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-375.png?resize=723%2C407&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-375.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-375.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-375.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>With current plans, the International Renewable Energy Agency calculates that<strong>\u00a0by 2050, the disposal of worn-out solar panels<\/strong>\u00a0will constitute over<strong>\u00a0double the tonnage of all of today\u2019s global plastic waste.<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Worn-out wind turbines and batteries<\/strong>\u00a0will add\u00a0<strong>millions of tons more<\/strong>\u00a0waste. It will be a whole new environmental challenge.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"500\" data-attachment-id=\"313443\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313443\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?fit=666%2C500&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"666,500\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-376\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?fit=666%2C500&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?resize=666%2C500&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313443\" style=\"width:760px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?w=666&amp;ssl=1 666w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-376.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Before we launch history\u2019s biggest increase in mining, dig up millions of acres in pristine areas, encourage childhood labor, and create epic waste problems, we might want to&nbsp;<strong>reconsider our almost inexhaustible supply of hydrocarbons\u2014the fuels that make our marvelous modern world possible.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>And technology is making it easier to acquire and cleaner to use them every day.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"589\" height=\"715\" data-attachment-id=\"313445\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313445\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-377.png?fit=589%2C715&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"589,715\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-377\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-377.png?fit=589%2C715&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-377.png?resize=589%2C715&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313445\" style=\"width:760px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-377.png?w=589&amp;ssl=1 589w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-377.png?resize=247%2C300&amp;ssl=1 247w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 589px) 100vw, 589px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It would take a wind farm the size of Albany county NY to replace the now closed Indian Point nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The following&nbsp;<strong>comparisons<\/strong>&nbsp;are typical\u2014and instructive:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>It costs about the same to drill one oil well as it does to build one giant wind turbine<\/strong>. And while that&nbsp;<strong>turbine generates the energy equivalent of about one barrel of oil per hour,<\/strong>&nbsp;the<strong>&nbsp;oil rig produces 10 barrels per hour<\/strong>. It costs less than 50 cents to store a barrel of oil or its equivalent in natural gas. But you need&nbsp;<strong>$200 worth of batteries to hold the energy contained in one oil barrel<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#e81515\" class=\"has-inline-color\">Next time someone tells you that wind, solar and batteries are<br>the magical solution for all our energy needs ask them<br>if they have an idea of the cost\u2026 to the environment.<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cUnobtanium\u201d works fine in the movies. But&nbsp;<strong>we don\u2019t live in movies. We live in the real world.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>I\u2019m Mark Mills, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, for Prager University.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"710\" data-attachment-id=\"313447\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=313447\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?fit=1080%2C1060&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1080,1060\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image-378\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?fit=723%2C710&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?resize=723%2C710&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-313447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?resize=1024%2C1005&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?resize=300%2C294&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?resize=768%2C754&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image-378.png?w=1080&amp;ssl=1 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Next time someone tells you that wind, solar and batteries are<br \/>\nthe magical solution for all our energy needs ask them<br \/>\nif they have an idea of the cost\u2026 to the environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":313449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691827879,691827877,691823109,691827878,691824290],"class_list":{"0":"post-313433","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-battery-factory","9":"tag-grand-illusion","10":"tag-hydrocarbon-fuels","11":"tag-simple-physics","12":"tag-wind-and-solar-energy","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2quote-star-trek-scotty-1.jpg?fit=1396%2C1025&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1jxn","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":346439,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=346439","url_meta":{"origin":313433,"position":0},"title":"Grand Wind &amp; Solar \u2018Transition\u2019 Built on Massive Subsidies and Even Bigger\u00a0Lies","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/10\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The wind and solar \u2018industries\u2019 were built on lies and run on subsidies. The electricity that the occasionally produce has no commercial value, simply because it can\u2019t be delivered as and when power consumers need it. And because their output can\u2019t be controlled, producers get paid a fortune to produce\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Australia nuclear power\"","block_context":{"text":"Australia nuclear power","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=australia-nuclear-power"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Screenshot-2024-10-12-151109.png?fit=1175%2C663&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Screenshot-2024-10-12-151109.png?fit=1175%2C663&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Screenshot-2024-10-12-151109.png?fit=1175%2C663&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Screenshot-2024-10-12-151109.png?fit=1175%2C663&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Screenshot-2024-10-12-151109.png?fit=1175%2C663&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":325469,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=325469","url_meta":{"origin":313433,"position":1},"title":"Wake Up: Energy Transition Not\u00a0Happening","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/05\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Next time someone tells you that wind, solar and batteries are the magical solution for all our energy needs ask them if they have an idea of the cost\u2026 to the environment.","rel":"","context":"In \"electric vehicles (EVs)\"","block_context":{"text":"electric vehicles (EVs)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electric-vehicles-evs"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":353468,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=353468","url_meta":{"origin":313433,"position":2},"title":"Wind and Solar Can\u2019t Support the Grid","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/12\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In October of 2025, the isolated small city of Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia with a 36 MW load (including the large nearby mines) could not be reliably served by 200 MW of wind, a 53 MW solar array, significant residential solar, and a large 50 MW battery\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Australia\"","block_context":{"text":"Australia","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=australia"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0shots-of-broken-hill-v0-osnob0ij7l9a1.webp?fit=1080%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0shots-of-broken-hill-v0-osnob0ij7l9a1.webp?fit=1080%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0shots-of-broken-hill-v0-osnob0ij7l9a1.webp?fit=1080%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0shots-of-broken-hill-v0-osnob0ij7l9a1.webp?fit=1080%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0shots-of-broken-hill-v0-osnob0ij7l9a1.webp?fit=1080%2C720&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":338031,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=338031","url_meta":{"origin":313433,"position":3},"title":"Why Nuclear is Cheaper than Wind and Solar","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"30\/07\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Wind and solar supporters have a nasty habit of pretending that their preferred energy sources are the \u201ccheapest forms of energy.\u201d The problem, of course, is that they use unrealistic Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) estimates\u2014see Cooking the Books for wind and solar\u2014and they conveniently forget to mention the large\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"electric grid\"","block_context":{"text":"electric grid","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electric-grid"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0energy-4030427_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C796&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0energy-4030427_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C796&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0energy-4030427_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C796&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0energy-4030427_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C796&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0energy-4030427_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C796&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":191332,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=191332","url_meta":{"origin":313433,"position":4},"title":"The Stampede of the Green Lemmings","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/03\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Viv Forbes No country on Earth relies entirely on wind\/solar energy, but Australian politicians aim to achieve this miracle. They are leaders in the Stampede of the Green Lemmings. Solar energy has a huge problem. 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The ideologue never lets the facts get in the way of radical, self-destructive policies, especially when it comes to energy.","rel":"","context":"In \"cost-benefit analysis\"","block_context":{"text":"cost-benefit analysis","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=cost-benefit-analysis"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Renewable-Energy-Micro-Grid-Landing-Image-2-e1629853933871.webp?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Renewable-Energy-Micro-Grid-Landing-Image-2-e1629853933871.webp?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Renewable-Energy-Micro-Grid-Landing-Image-2-e1629853933871.webp?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Renewable-Energy-Micro-Grid-Landing-Image-2-e1629853933871.webp?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0Renewable-Energy-Micro-Grid-Landing-Image-2-e1629853933871.webp?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=313433"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":313450,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313433\/revisions\/313450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/313449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=313433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=313433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=313433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}