President Biden's net zero goal will result in higher electricity prices, instability to the grid and higher taxes to pay for the tax incentives renewable energy is demanding despite tens of billions of lavish subsidies and mandates already in place.
Let's look elsewhere for guidance.
Germany's vision of a clean environmentally friendly energy system is in reality morphing into an environmental dystopia of catastrophic proportions, reports Pierre Gosselin. 1
A German Government report is so explosive that the government auditors see the Energiewende as a 'danger' for all of Germany. The scathing report on renewable energy makes readers aware that its Energiewende-the mandated transition to renewable energy- was and continues to be expensive, making the country's residential electricity prices the highest of Europe and costing the country billions in future network costs, as well as exposing the country to energy supply shortfalls that puts it at risk for blackouts. 2
Germany consumers have the highest power bills in Europe.
Transition to more solar and wind power has slowed down.
For a long time, Germany showed the world how renewable energy could be added to make up a substantial share of the power mix. Now it takes twice as long to build a wind park in Germany compared with the US. Complaints from locals, a lack of space, stricter environmental standards and a longer permitting process are just some of the reasons growth is slowing.
In a last push to save her fading reputation as 'The Climate Chancellor' before stepping down after next month's election, Angela Merkel announced Europe's strictest emissions goals. But the green power revolution she fronted for almost two decades is running out of steam just as the electrification of the economy will increase demand.
A supply squeeze would send power prices soaring for the many thousands of companies that make up the backbone of the economy. Wholesale rates have already jumped almost 60% this year to their highest level sine 2008. That increase will feed through to the nation's 40 million homes already paying the highest bills in the European Union, partly to fund the energy transition. 3
The closing of coal fired power stations and nuclear power plants is a done deal by the end of 2022 (for nuclear power) and 2030 (for coal power). But the power from wind and sun in Germany is only 10% for solar and 25% for wind. The rest of the power will be bought from coal and nuclear power plants abroad (Romania, Poland, France, Belgium...) But the closure of fossil fuel plants in other nations too means that availability could be limited during harsh winters, just when the power is needed the most. 4
President Biden needs to pay attention to the needs of Americans and their energy costs for energy poverty is not limited to third world countries. Germany and other parts of Europe are beginning to discover this.
References
Pierre Gosselin, “Germany's enviro-dystopia: wind parks devastating rural regions at catastrophic proportions,” notrickszone.com, December 1, 2020
“Germany energy taxes to go green with Energiewende lead it to go bust,” naturalgasnow.org, April 15, 2021
Vanessa Dezem and Josefine Fokuhl, “Germany flirts with power crunch in nuclear and coal exit,” bloomberg.com, August 23, 2021
“Will Germany become a third world country?”, saltbrushclub.com, December 17, 2020
Jack Dini is author of Challenging Environmental Mythology. He has also written for American Council on Science and Health, Environment & Climate News, and Hawaii Reporter.
