sition to fossil fuels is underway // (John Hinderaker).
Since a long time, I have been writing that the supposed transition from fossil fuels into “green” energy is impossible, unlikely, and cannot happen. Vijay Jayaraj, at Watts up With That, points out that the opposite is true. Links omitted
Despite all the hype surrounding solar and wind, the world’s dependence on fossil fuels is growing. Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, stated last week that the world is “transitioning towards coal.”
This is not a headline you will see in The New York Times.
Saad Al-Kaabi (Qatar’s Energy Minister) says that many countries, especially in Europe, which were strong advocates for green energy and a carbon-free future, have made a sudden, sharp U-turn. Today, coal burning has reached its highest level since 2014.
They are correct. They are right. In 2022, global coal demand will surpass 2013’s record levels. According to the International Energy Agency, “Global coal consumption is expected to rise by 0.7 percent to 8 billion tons …..” The European Union’s coal consumption is expected to increase by seven percent in 2022, on top of the 14 percent increase in last year.
The IEA states that coal will remain a highly sought-after energy source because of rising gas prices after 2030, which will make existing coal-fired power more economically. Global energy demand is expected to grow by 47 percent between now and 2050. Oil will continue to be the main source of energy.
The United States has huge, almost inexhaustible, coal reserves. There has been a shift from coal to renewables in recent years to coal to natural gas. But this could be changing:
Analysts project a “huge gas-to-coal fuel transformation in power and industrial sectors” in Europe. Gas to coal is not the right term, but gas-to-renewables. In fact, the European Union’s first half 2022 saw a 16 percent increase in coal consumption. In June, 7.9 million tonnes of thermal coal were imported by European countries. This is more than double the amount in 2017. The annual coal imports are expected reach 100 million tonnes by the end, which is the highest level since 2017.
Even in the most advanced economies of the West, such as the UK and Germany, fossil fuels still dominate as the only reliable source of energy. Germany will be the third largest importer of Indonesian coal in 2023. This is just below India and China.
According to AP, coal is keeping the lights on in Europe.
You can find more information at the following link.
Saad Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s energy minister, says that European “green” policies are responsible for high energy costs and that leaders in the West don’t have a plan. Energy shortages have forced them back to the most reliable sources of energy — coal and oil. They are now trying to secure energy security for winter. Many believe that there will be power blackouts both in the UK, and Germany.
My opinion is that we should not accept the transition to fossil fuels. We should celebrate it. This is my next post.
