Common Sense Energy: Putin Wins, Europe Loses, Biden Clueless

While it is uncommon to feature the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate who galavants around the globe in a private jet that emitted 116 metric tons of carbon emissions over the past year, this week’s “Common Sense” nonetheless features John Kerry.

A broken clock is right twice a day, and Kerry is correct in his claim that “50% of the [carbon] reductions we have to make are going to come from technologies we don’t have yet.”

Technology for renewables will need great improvement, from battery storage to charging infrastructure. That is why renewable energy is not currently competitive with oil and gas in terms of reliability, cost, and supply.

Until the technology comes along, it would be unwise to transition away from oil and natural gas. Doing so would lead us back into the dark ages.

Despite the Keystone Pipeline being such a threat to the world that President Joe Biden literally shut it down on his first day in office, he had no problem waiving sanctions this week against Russian pipelines in Europe.

POLITICO: The Biden administration plans to waive sanctions against an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who heads the company that is building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, two people with knowledge of the move said Tuesday.

The move to invoke a national security waiver for penalties targeting the company Nord Stream 2 AG and its head Matthias Warnig will be included in a report on Russian sanctions the State Department plans to deliver to Congress on Wednesday, according to the two people.

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An honorable “Nonsense” mention goes to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who also enjoys flying around in carbon-producing private jets.

The governor recently wrote an op-ed insisting on shutting down a critical pipeline that provides energy to the upper peninsula and tens of thousands of jobs in the Great Lakes region.

National Review: She hasn’t presented a strong case for why we should shut down infrastructure that provides 65 percent of the propane used by Michigan residents in the state’s upper peninsula. Instead, she resorted to tone-deaf adages coined by environmental groups, such as “oil and water don’t mix.” She also suggests that the jobs and the energy that people need to power their lives should be sacrificed in favor of her plan to protect a portion of the Great Lakes from an oil spill.

There’s a reason for hope.

A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 69% of Americans agree that maintaining energy independence is more important than banning fracking!

A majority of Americans – Republicans, Democrats and Independents – understand that energy independence is critical for our national security, and that attacking low-cost American energy will hurt the working class more than the wealthy.

More on the poll HERE.

Americans are now paying 60% more for gasoline now than they were a year ago. The current national average is $3.04/gallon. It was $1.90/gallon one year ago.

House Hearing On Clean Energy On Public Lands: On Monday, May 24, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a hearing on “Expanding Clean Energy on Public Lands.”

House Hearing on the CLEAN Future Act: On Tuesday, May 25, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change will hold a hearing titled, “The CLEAN Future Act and Drinking Water: Legislation to Ensure Drinking Water is Safe and Clean” The CLEAN Future Act calls for $565 billion in new spending and 100 percent “clean” electricity by 2035.

House Hearing On DOE Science And Energy Research: On Thursday, May 27, the House Science, Space, and Technology will hold a hearing on the Department of Energy’s “Science and Energy Research Enterprise.”

FERC Tech Conference With ISO New England: On Tuesday, May 25, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a technical conference on wholesale markets administered by ISO New England Inc., which oversees the bulk of New England’s electrical grid. The conference will include a “Discussion of Long-Term Options and Centralized Procurement of Clean Energy.”