The first 100+ days of the second Trump administration (it’s now actually 113 days) have seen a near total abandonment of the fantasy that this one country’s government can change the weather and “save the planet” by suppressing use of hydrocarbon fuels and impoverishing the people. Biden administration “climate” and energy policies amounting to thousands of pages in regulations and hundreds of billions of dollars in grants and subsidies to uneconomic energy projects have been swiftly reversed. Examples in just the past few weeks include:
- The announcement by the Department of Energy just yesterday (May 12) of no fewer than 47 regulatory reversals, covering everything from ovens. to dehumidifiers, to clothes washers and driers, to shower heads, to dishwashers, and much, much more.
- Rescission of hundreds of grants from the Department of Energy for so-called “green energy” projects.
- Similar rescission of hundreds of grants from EPA, supposedly to fund “greenhouse gas reduction” and “climate justice” initiatives.
- Commencement by EPA of a process to undo the “Endangerment Finding” — a regulatory action that underlies essentially all climate and energy regulation by that agency — and some 30 other climate and energy actions of EPA.
And these are just examples. There are many more.
At this point, you would think that the blue states might take the hint. As a blue state, you had thought that you were embarking on an energy “transition” with the full backing and support of the federal government, complete with its vast powers and its infinite checkbook. Sure, this was going to cost trillions of dollars; but it was almost all their money, not yours. If somehow it all didn’t work out, you were not going to be the main one on the hook. Now, all that has changed. In the blink of an eye, there is no more support to be had from the infinite deep pocket. Not only is the federal government no longer your partner and financial sugar daddy, but it is even taking steps to obstruct and hinder your efforts.
So going forward, is there any point? As a lone blue state, you don’t remotely have the resources to expunge fossil fuels from your energy system on your own. Maybe, would it be best just to lie low for a few years and wait for the next friendly administration in Washington?
Well, if you are New York, that is not how you react. Your religious fervor is such that you are now prepared proceed totally on your own to defy the laws of physics and thermodynamics. Even as the federal government is telling New York to take a hike, here are some of the latest antics on the climate front from New York officials and climate activists:
- The State’s 2025-26 budget just got enacted on Friday, May 9. ESG Today reported excitedly on Monday (May 12) that the budget includes “over $1 billion investment in decarbonization.” Excerpt:New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the state’s 2025-2026 budget on Friday, which included more than $1 billion in climate change-focused investments, including funding to lower emissions from buildings and accelerate the rollout of electrified transportation. . . . Key climate-focused allocations in the new budget include $450 million targeting reductions in building emissions, including investments in energy-efficient retrofits and clean heating technologies like heat pumps, more than $200 million for thermal energy networks, $250 million to support electric school buses, fast-charging stations and a NYSERDA rebate program for installing EV charging stations, as well as $200 million for renewable energy expansion and grid modernization. Nobody is impolite enough here to mention that $1 billion is chump change in the effort to get rid of hydrocarbon fuels. If you were serious about the effort, the number would be more like $1 trillion. But don’t worry, nobody reading this stuff has sufficient numeric competency to understand that.
- New York City Comptroller Brad Lander — who is also a candidate for Mayor in the current election cycle — fancies himself a leader in the climate movement. Lander put out a statement on April 22 (“Earth Day”) setting forth his position:New York City Comptroller Brad Lander decried threats from the Trump administration to dramatically roll back climate progress and stood with climate activists from New York Communities for Change, 350 NYC, and Fridays for Future to announce new actions by the Comptroller’s Office to reduce New York City’s emissions. . . . [T]o stand strong against federal rollbacks, Comptroller Lander is demanding more from the asset managers who manage funds for the New York City Employees Retirement System (NYCERS), Teachers Retirement System (TRS), and Board of Education Retirement System (BERS).
- In a prior statement on March 26, reported in Net Zero Investor, Lander vowed that the City “will not retreat one inch” on its climate program, despite the actions of the Trump administration.
- Our local environmental activist groups brook no dissent from climate orthodoxy. On March 31, a group of four climate activist organizations sued the State government in an effort to force faster progress on greenhouse gas reduction goals. From New York Focus, March 31:Four environmental and climate justice groups filed a lawsuit Monday in a state court, claiming that New York is “stonewalling necessary climate action in outright violation” of its legal obligations. By not releasing economy-wide emissions rules, the suit alleges, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, or dec, is “defying the Legislature’s clear directive” and “prolonging New Yorkers’ exposure to air pollution … especially in disadvantaged communities.” It’s the first lawsuit to charge the state with failing to enforce the core mandate of its 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or clcpa: eliminating nearly all of New York’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
So, there is plenty of bluster from local politicians and activists. But despite that, I can’t find a word as to how they plan to meet the greenhouse gas reduction and green energy mandates of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, now that all federal backing is withdrawn. As just one element, there was supposed to be 9000 MW of offshore wind built to replace on-shore fossil fuel power plants. Now the Trump administration is obstructing the offshore wind development. I haven’t been able to find a word from New York elected or energy officials on how they plan to transitions the energy supply if they can’t build the offshore wind facilities.
So we move forward with our officials in a state of bluff and bluster and denial, and no plan of any kind to meet the impossible mandates of the Climate Act. We all know that this is doomed to failure, but it will likely be a couple of years before we see the failure unfold.
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A theory needed to be tested. It was and it has failed.
Seems a bit like our high speed train boondoggle – I guess there are people and entities that stand to make a packet no matter if it fails.
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No politician or bureaucrat wants to solve the problems that created their jobs.
Back in 1992 I was deeply involved in local politics, we were fighting the siting of a California state prison in our High Desert community (2 miles from my house, I was motivated). Anyway, we kicked butt and squashed the effort. At the victory party I raised my glass and said something like “yea for us, now we can dissolve our team and go back to normal quiet lives”. I could not believe the visceral rejection of my toast – those people were so invested they couldn’t see it was over. I kept my mouth shut, I knew we were done.
People get the craziest ideas. NY’s actions are like my mother who believed one of the significant actions needed was to minimize the amount of toilet paper used. Of course, paper towel was banned in the house.
“At this point, you would think that the blue states might take the hint”
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The devil isn’t going close up shop and go quietly into the night.
Thank you Francis! Please keep up the fight. Iberia does not seem to have had an effect on NY. Prepare for the worst, probably next winter.
Probably botched the upload, but as of this moment total non-hydro renewables in NYS are less than 10% of supply per NYISO. Interesting to note that right now the Locational Marginal Prices (LMP) are about $10 lower in New England (per NEISO) than in NY, notwithstanding that the latter has better access to natural gas supply.
New York State looks downright rational and moderate to those of us trapped on the Left Coast.
True believers never take the hint. It’s the prime feature of being a true believer.
You’ve read the Eric Hoffer book, “The True Believer,” right?
For those who haven’t read it, the gist is: Fanatics attach themselves to a cause because the fanatic is missing something inside, a sense of purpose, a mission to preach, etc.
The cause itself matters little; only that the true believer feel passion. If you can make a pain in ass of yourself for a cause that can’t win, all the better. You’ve got your Life’s Work cut out for you.
Winston Churchill summarized the case this way: “A fanatic — someone who can’t change his mind, and won’t change the subject.”
Not following the herd proves that one is part of the elite. Or at least that is the rationalization.
“a couple of years before we see the failure unfold” … and the money will be long gone …
The 2026 race for governor here in NY will be the real test, I expect. I think most NYers still do not yet grasp the energy train wreck just ahead, but signs are starting to flash red.
Why is it that politicians are indistinguishable from used car salesmen except in the cut of their suits? Or snake oil salesmen for that matter.
As soon as they separate you from your money, you not longer are visible to them.
It’s the same in Wokeachusetts.
Sad but true. The allegedly “best educated state in the U.S.” is enthralled by a math-free, Laws of Thermodynamics-free fantasy. Otherwise apocalypse looms!
Doubles Down
Just like our mad Ed…
Ed Miliband is set to lose his seat to Reform at the next election, the most comprehensive analysis of this month’s local election results has found.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/05/14/reform-could-oust-miliband-in-labour-election-wipeout/
Its the only language they understand.
Unfortunately, mate, there’s a long time between now and the next GE.
Let’s hope Reform capitalise on the Labour train wreck.
As they are connected to the regional high voltage transmission grid, New York gets to lean on their neighbors to meet demand. I suggest an experiment. Let New York run an isolated system, they can keep their interconnection with Hydro Quebec as it’s a “renewable” source but no other connections to the outside world. Let’s see how that works out for them.
“Comptroller Lander is demanding more from the asset managers who manage funds for the New York City …”
… fiduciary responsibility to investors be damned.
Halt all gasoline and diesel sales in New York. Halt all natural gas, propane and oil deliveries in New York. Find a way to see that New York only gets electricity generated by wind and solar. The issue will be solved in one or two weeks.
One or two days!
“Now, all that has changed. In the blink of an eye, there is no more support to be had from the infinite deep pocket.” Unfortunately, this is not true. Based on what I read in the WSJ today about the budget, funding for wind and solar will continue for several years — long enough for it to be renewed by the Dems. I’m baffled as to why this is happening. Cut off the damn money spigot NOW!
Sovereign risk is the key issue for any project that relies on continuing government sponsored subsidies for its profitability. The proponents of those projects need to be expert at protecting against sovereign risk. The buyout of contracts will usually be as much as letting the project proceed. My understanding is that Trump is prepared to support committed projects but the offshore wind projects are under review.
All the new “renewable” projects in Australia that the Labor Federal Government has signed Australia up for are confidential. No one but the individual proponents and a few government officials know what burden Australian taxpayers will bear for the hundreds of new projects now in the pipeline.
Don’t count your your Net Zero reality chickens until they’re hatched. Green politicians of both parties in New York state, the New England states, California, Oregon, and Washington state are counting on big spender GOPe politicians in the US Congress to thwart President Trump’s efforts at killing the Green New Deal by not rescinding and fully repealing 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act.
For one example, my own GOPe Congressman here in my district in Washington state — a man who is corrupt to his core and whose net worth is now ten times what it was before he was first elected to Congress — this man supports GND spending as a means of keeping certain well-heeled contributors to his Congressional campaigns happy in pursuing their solar and wind power business ventures.
Once you’ve started drinking the Kool Aid the only salvation is failure. Let’s see how much NetZero tax money these states can get out of their peoples’ taxes before they revolt.
Separation package grants and freebies running out and all that freedom shrinking? Leprechaun Land wants YOU with the pot of gold and rainbows-
Ireland hopes to entice academics as US becomes ‘a cold place for free thinkers’
“ [T]o stand strong against federal rollbacks, Comptroller Lander is demanding more from the asset managers who manage funds … “
Translation: Take More Risk.
I don’t know, Northeast states/cities are already beginning to experience brownouts/blackouts, the failure is here in real time and will only get worse.
Expensive Wind and Solar Systems
The over-taxed, over-regulated taxpayers and ratepayers are paying at very high c/kWh for electricity and Heat Pump heating/cooling and for EV driving.
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They pay for:
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1) all sorts of highly subsidized, expensive wind/solar systems that disturb the grid with weather-dependent, variable, intermittent electricity, which has caused expensive brownouts/blackouts, as in Spain/Portugal, and many other places, over the years.
2) all sorts of grid expansion to connect all these far-flung wind/solar systems to the grid,
3) grid reinforcements to ensure the grids do not crash during periods with higher levels of wind/solar power
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In cases of too much wind/solar power, it needs to be curtailed; Owners still get paid for what they could have produced.
In cases of too little wind/solar power, other generators need to increase outputs to meet demand, 24/7/365.
Synchronous Inertia Serves to Stabilize the Grid
Closing down traditional plants (nuclear, gas, coal, hydro), with rotating generators that provide SYNCHRONOUS inertia, de-stabilizes the grid; a death sentence for the grid.
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Wind/solar systems provide ZERO SYNCHRONOUS inertia, because their variable outputs are digitized, then reconstituted into an artificial sine wave with the same phase and frequency as the grid.
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Connections Between Grids
Almost all grids have connections to other grids for import and export purposes.
Those connections usually are high-voltage, direct-current lines, HVDC
Such connections transfer power, but transfer ZERO SYNCHRONOUS inertia to other grids.
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Reactive Power
No AC grid can operate without reactive power
Wind/solar systems take reactive power FROM the grid
All traditional power plants provide reactive power TO the grid
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The weather-dependent, variable/intermittent, wind/solar feed-ins to the grid often create transmission faults.
Those faults can be minimized with synchronous condenser systems to provide reactive power TO the grid.
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Any energy systems analyst would know Spain/Portugal-like blackout problems would eventually happen, before a single wind/solar system were connected to the grid, but naive, woke, non-technical enviros do not want to listen to the pros.
Full speed ahead over the cliff, you go, unless all this wind, solar, battery nonsense is stopped dead by taking away the overly generous subsidies.
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Net Zero to reduce CO2 by 2050 is a very expensive suicide pact.
We need higher CO2 ppm in the atmosphere for increased greening of the world, to support abundant fauna, and to increase crop yields to feed 8 billion people.