June 23rd, 2023

• Stay up to date on all things energy by visiting the TEA Newsroom.
• Natural Gas CARES: it is the world’s Cleanest, Affordable, Reliable Energy Source.
• Musk strikes again: Tesla’s win on EV charging could split the industry.
• In some fights over solar, it’s environmentalist vs. environmentalist.
• Biden touts his climate credentials in California.
• Climate extremists urged to be more “aggressive” with their plans.
• Groundbreaking youth-led climate trial comes to an end in Montana.
• How the debt deal would modernize outdated NEPA reviews.

The affordable energy issue seems to be the one area where Republican leaders (and presidential hopefuls) agree. It also is quite important to average citizens, recent data reveals.

The Empowerment Alliance hopes that is the case. But if a GOP presidential candidate is not touting the importance of domestic energy at the forefront of the campaign, he or she is disqualified in our eyes. GOP candidates should adopt TEA’s Common Sense Energy agenda outlined here.

By the numbers

• Nearly 100 million voters list energy affordability as critical to their livelihood and well-being. And 79% want cheaper affordable energy, reports one survey.
• This makes it clear why low- and middle-income families, business owners and farmers need a Clean, Affordable and Reliable Energy Source (CARES) like natural gas. Those groups comprise the majority of all Americans.
• Over 60% of all households in the US live paycheck to paycheck and nearly half of them have less than $1,000 saved for unforeseen expenses.

Affordability is crucial for families struggling with monthly bills and inflation. That’s why the answer is natural gas. It is affordable and abundant with nearly a century’s worth underground.

A number of well-connected influencers are helping the campaigns with their energy policies. That’s all well and good, but we encourage these folks to keep TEA’s platform top of mind as they formulate their respective campaign strategies.

The Heritage Foundation is crafting a plan to staff up a Republican White House with experts and foot soldiers who can hit the ground running with conservative energy policies. The goal is to target as many failed Democratic climate and energy policies as possible.

But this time, they say they must do it more quickly and efficiently. Additionally, the plan would eliminate the UNELECTED career bureaucrats at federal agencies, such as the EPA and the Department of Energy, who slow that progress to a halt.

Bottom Line: Unleashing American energy is a winning message that – once implemented – will provide relief to Americans who need it the most. Presidential hopefuls should take note.

German coal is ready to plug the gap in the wait for more gas-fired power.

The problem

German importers of coal for power generation and steelmaking are ready to provide supplies until the completion of new gas-fired plants, plugging a gap left by the country’s nuclear exit.
Though the electricity system in Europe’s biggest economy is making the transition to cleaner energy, coal helped it to avoid energy shortfalls last winter when Russia turned off most of its gas exports. Operators and regulators say that despite high European gas inventories and low prices, further Russian supply cuts, a cold winter and increased Asian buying of liquefied natural gas (LNG) could again leave Europe short of gas.

The country went all-in on renewables, but that’s not been nearly enough. They simply can’t meet the demand.

It has overtaken China to become the second most attractive country in the world for renewables investment, behind the United States. To compound the problem, Germany is now in a recession.

Beware, Americans. This is what happens when you invest in unreliable and costly wind and solar projects. It’s failing there and it will ultimately fail here.

By the numbers

• Germany has spent nearly $500 billion on wind and solar power.
• It isn’t working. Their dependence on fossil fuels declined from 85% to 79% over the last 20 years.
• Germany is aiming to have renewables make up 80% of its energy mix by 2030.
• Currently, they account for 46%, up from 41% at the start of 2022, the report said.

The US held its top position in the index, supported by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year, which earmarks a whopping $369 billion for investments in energy security and climate change.

Keep in mind, natural gas accounted for 39.8% of total U.S. energy production in 2022. Wind, by contrast, was at a meager 10.2%.

We must not fall for the green-at-any-cost crowd’s hallucinations and empty promises. Wind and solar are inexpensive and inefficient, as well as environmentally destructive.

Bottom Line: Germany shut down reliable energy in favor of renewables and they now are back to coal. With our abundance of natural gas, there’s no excuse for the U.S. to make the same mistake.

For the third week in a row, gas prices haven’t moved an inch. The national average for a gallon of gasoline remains at $3.58. This time last year, the average was over one dollar higher, with drivers paying $4.94 per gallon. As we mentioned last week, Washington has been challenging California for the highest average in the nation. This week, WA passed CA to take home the top spot, with an average of $4.96 per gallon. That’s the first place finish that no one wants!

North American Electric Reliability Corporation Meetings: On Tuesday, June 27, and Thursday, June 29, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation will hold an extreme cold weather grid operations, preparedness, coordination standard drafting team meetings.

“Unregistered foreign interests have no place in manipulating organizations that influence America’s environmental, natural resources and energy policies, and it’s Congress’ duty to conduct thorough oversight of this situation.”

— Congressman Bruce Westerman to Fox News.