Unicorn Farts will Save Us

Energy crisis grips the world

Some Chinese provinces are rationing electricity, Europeans are paying exorbitant prices for liquefied gas and Lebanon has run out of centrally-generate electricity. Furthermore, India is close to running out of coal and in the United States, the price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.25 on Friday, up from April’s $1.27.

From the “lets make it worse” brigade.

‘The wrong response to this would be to slow down the transition to renewable energy,’ Timmermans said. ‘The right response is to keep the momentum and perhaps even look for ways to increase the momentum.’

63 Replies to “Unicorn Farts will Save Us”

      1. I agree as well, but, unfortunately, that’ll never happen. There’ll be endless wailing and lamentation at the “suffering of our eastern brothers and sisters” if that was done.

        Those same blubberers, on the other hand, will willingly be the recepients of continuous economic and political BOHICA.

        1. It getting worse each day…

          https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/india-faces-rolling-blackouts-coal-shortage-forces-power-plants-adopt-emergency-measures

          When your using massive quantities per second, it takes small amounts changes or small disruptions to start the snowball rolling which usually gets much worse over time.
          Being reliant on other countries to a ‘just in time system’ sucks when it collapses and fails as your stock gets sucked dry.

      2. You and Art are both a pair of driveling idiots. Cutting off eastern Canada means you lose all market share which you now have. Since you have nowhere else to ship your products. This stupidity keeps coming up time after time throughout the past 40 years. Even Peter Lougheed recognized that it was ultimately pointless nihilism.

        1. I don’t know. Maybe a small sort of “break” might be the face slap eastern numpty’s need.

    1. Good plan….and with that tax revenue, we could subsidize our own fossil fuel use in Alberta much like Quebec does with electricity.

  1. Energy prices have been going up, most of mine are still a little underwater since 2015 but getting there!

  2. It really is a death cult.

    They’ll never admit they’re wrong, or acknowledge basic human dignity let alone the suffering and death they cause when they achieve control.

    1. It’s the same thing with Covid. The government “medical experts” will never admit they were wrong from the start….well maybe not wrong as much as corrupt.

  3. Barring infrastructure problems, I don’t think Western Canada has much to worry about. But, I see having an emergency home generator as a good insurance policy to make sure we have heat, a outlet to charge phones and water (we have a water storage tank). We also make sure the bbq and camper have adequate propane to be able to cook in case of a prolonged power outage.

    Don’t rely on unicorn farts or good government decision making to save you…there is no evidence of either existing these days.

  4. It’s too late to admit they’re wrong now. Their idiocy has permeated every corner of government, corporations, and the human psyche’. Just let it all fail. Just let the world’s economic systems collapse … spreading mass poverty … weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    For the wages of sin are death.

    We’ve TRIED to wake these believers in ghosts from their nightmare … but they won’t wake up

  5. Seems many so-called conservatives share the same goal as the Davos gang; both are into shutdowns.

  6. Imagine if the captain of the Titanic upon realizing he just hit an iceberg said ; “lets hit many other icebergs, but harder this time! Because that will keep us from sinking !! ”

    That is basically how the average leftists thinks.

    If something does not work or creates dangerous problems, they do more of it.

    1. Biden is going to be Carter multiplied by Obama.

      Uh, no. More like Carter raised to the power of O’Bummer.

  7. Access to energy is the key to controlling industrial civilization. The activists who are the vanguard of the anti-industrial revolution (Big Green) are the major force behind the CAGW hysteria and compliant politicians for a reason. They don’t care that the first hurt are the poor. That ensures more redistribution of wealth, killing the middle class. They want planetary humanity significantly reduced in numbers and living standards. The institutional left has delivered all the ignorance and hysteria necessary to nurture a complicit and totally ignorant voting Eloi. Energy poverty is the first step. Total poverty is the end game for all but the global elite.

  8. The Daily Mail article quotes “‘There’s a pervasive anxiety about what may or may not happen this winter, because of something we have no control over, which is the weather.’. I would suggest that he could swap “climate” for “weather”. It also links to an article in the Washington Post “An energy crisis is gripping the world, with potentially grave consequences How China and Europe are catching the brunt of it”. If the Post is printing it, the situation must be so grave they can’t hide it…

  9. Timmermans should be taken out and shot forthwith. How is what he’s suggesting any different from Stallin’s forced famines? These authoritarians truly believe the ends justify the means and damn the consequences.

    1. Until the matter of energy storage is dealt with, renewable energy systems will not be economically feasible. Current battery technology is inadequate and a lot of the output is wasted.

      1. As an engineer you should appreciate that by its very name, “renewable”, it is inherently “low density” unless you mean geothermal or hydro which is near its practical limits (not many valleys left available / desirable to be damned up). Wind and solar are barely positive in terms of (life cycle) return on energy and the more of them built, the more “input energy” consumed which is mostly fossil fuel, making their widespread use likely physically impossible. Their grid parasitism is on top of that problem. Any transition from fossil fuels (inevitable over the long term) that, under existing technology, that doesn’t involve nuclear power as the primary destination source of widespread energy, is the road to energy poverty and de-industrialization (which is the goal of most Greens).

        1. I’d wager that the same amount of “input energy”, as you call it, would be needed for any other form of power generation.

          I confined my research to stand-alone systems where back-up energy will be required. Battery technology is constrained by the charge and discharge currents. Wind turbine generators are often idle because of their design as they won’t operate if the wind speed is less than the cut-in value. In many locations, that occurs most of the time as the wind blows well below that number. Photovoltaic arrays are, of course, restricted to daylight hours and can only produce power if there is sufficient insolation.

          At the same time, the load demand needs to be taken into account. In a metropolitan setting, there are peaks at around, say, 8 AM and 6 PM. Maximum insolation occurs at mid-day. The wind speed peaks late in the afternoon.

          The configuration of a renewable system needs to take those factors into account.

          1. In theory, you could use a continuous variable transmission to get some output out of them when they are under their optimum speeds, but that’s adds complexity, and cost…

            though it would also probably alleviate the power required by them to rotate the blades, and power the control equipment

          2. “Wind turbine generators are often idle because of their design as they won’t operate if the wind speed is less than the cut-in value.”

            IIRC don’t they also have to shut down if wind speed gets much more than that?

        2. both wind and solar are net negatives, since they need to be backed up by an equivalent amount of energy production for when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine

          1. That’s why I emphasized the economic feasibility. The final configuration of a renewable system should be based on cost trade-offs.

  10. Are the shortages by design? A world does not go energy poor suddenly. There must be a great effort by many governments to deprive the proles of energy. Weird.

    1. You’re absolutely right. It’s the Red Adair approach. Blow the fire out with a massive explosion and start over from scratch. I’m beginning to feel so much more “progressive” already.

  11. We do not have the technology and resources to rely solely on intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind. They can provide a fraction of our energy grid, but nothing close to the majority, much .

    Therefore we will continue to depend on traditional dispatchable energy sources such as hydro, nuclear, and fossil fuel for most of our electrical energy for many more decades, and possibly forever.

    That’s the reality. That’s what the numbers tell us. Anything else is wishful thinking, and we can not afford wishful thinking.

  12. Timmerman’s approach is a classic example of Jordan Peterson’s description of an ideologue. To the ideologue the only possible response to a problem is more of the same. Since the ideology cannot be wrong, a failure on the part of the ideology can only be ascribed to either not enough of the ideological solution, or more ominously the mendacious efforts of external forces: “wreckers, saboteurs, counter-revolutionaries” etc, etc. Kulaks and Nepmen anyone?

  13. Can someone help me out here? I read that this whole shit-storm started after China stopped buying coal from Australia because it was mad the Ozzies shut down for covid (or something to that effect).

    So China starts buying coal and LNG on the open market and this drives the price up, leaving the poor countries (like Lebanon) and the unprepared (like the UK and the EU) without a normal stockpile of energy.

    Sounds good. But wtf happened to all the Ozzie coal? Did the Ferengi eat it or something? How can it be that every country in the world suddenly has no energy? And don’t BS me with renewables. The difference between last year and this year is negligible. Is it a delivery problem and not a supply problem?

    We are told the Lebanon problem is self-made – they just can’t afford to buy the stuff. We are told the EU would not commit to more energy from Putin’s pipeline. But why am I paying $1.79 for premium gas at the pump at $79.00 oil in Canada?

    1. Insane Green groupthink has gone viral. The Chinese finally concluded that they won’t miss the several millions that will freeze to death in the dark this winter.

      In North America, Insane Green will be more deadly than Covid.

  14. When something “doubles” from 1% to 2%, not a single kilowatt hour unsubsidized by taxpayers, still requiring backup from hydroelectric, nuclear and fossil fuel electrical generation, all three fought tooth and nail, you see the watermelon law of intended consequences in action.

    Jack up the cost of all alternatives to demonstrably useless wind and not ready for prime time solar to create the illusion of value.
    Eternally subsidized. Every time that has been withdrawn or significantly reduced, the wind and solar industries quickly collapsed.
    Like French farmers they’re in it for the subsidy, not production. Like Bombardier in the business of statist largesse, not manufacture.

    Like law enforcement fascists wokeidiots, watermelons say society is irredeemable also must be destroyed. It’s their malignant ideology that must be snuffed out, easily done by withdrawing from the rent seekers the taxpayer loot they covet above anything else.

    In order to enable that, taxpayers, citizens and parents must take power back, at meetings, protests and election campaigns.

    Sadly that has not happened. The right always finds a way to harpoon itself. Harper had Grits on the ropes but “progressive conservatives” saved them. I held out hope there is a place for progressives in a healthy democracy. Sadly that hope is now dashed.

    Our response to ever encroaching and interventionist government is just say no. If you take away their power, you take their money.

    As far as apologizing for or acknowledging error, not the statist way, but doubling down on those errors with coercion is their default.
    It keeps them in power and the trappings of prestige that go with it. Did the Pelosi’s really time the market with 10 get rich quick IPOs?
    Not in your life, liberty or wallet. The citizen is nothing more than a serf, tied to the landlord, doing all the work and given a pittance.

    What a tragic joke to hear the left spout on about being for the little guy against the big bad corporations, or to hear these self-interested and mendactic ignoramuses think they can adjudge what is real and fake news. Ron Lemon’s claim, yes of the worst Russia ranters, that his ilk who have nothing whatsoever in common with the vast swath of citizens get to decide truth and lies is abominable.

    How can any statist truly claim to oppose what they are, big labour, government, business and now education? Because we let them.

    1. Well said Shamrock, You reflect my musings much more adequately than I can.

      We little folk don’t really have much say in how our existence is ruled and abused.

  15. “An unusually cold winter in Europe…”

    All this was known. We are at the beginning of a new grand solar minimum which has been obvious from the astronomical evidence for the past decade. Any grand solar minimum means colder global temperatures for about two decades. Assorted morons like Timmermans (EU climate chief which makes him a moron by definition) didn’t want to believe it because it contradicts his fairy tale about global warming.

    But SDA has its own group of utter morons which talk about embargoing energy supply to eastern Canada. The rank stupidity of imagining you can solve a global problem by a local embargo is breathtaking.

    1. Your economic arguments as to why energy embargoes to Eastern Canada are bad are absolutely true and based on solid reasoning.

      I think you might be missing something though. The reason people are advocating for embargoes is because of frustration and anger. The eastern half of Canada keeps voting in political parties whose mission seems to be to destroy Alberta and Saskatchewan’s economy. The amount of jobs lost, suicides and families destroyed is directly related to the voting decisions of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. They don’t seem to give a damn about us because there are no consequences for them. Perhaps if they too feel some pain, they’ll rethink what they’re doing to Alberta and Saskatchewan.

    2. I think the stupidity is more local than you think. Nobody here who wants to embargo energy is thinking of solving a global energy crisis. I would put it down to revenge, more than anything. As in let us Eastern Bastards freeze in the dark. Personally I think it’s a great idea. Follow it up with a 200% tax and why separate. Just play the Putin card. Of course I have a forest behind me and 2 wood stoves, plus 3 fireplaces. So I’m not rooting for the home team (routing?).

      1. To a large extent I agree with both of you. I would simply note for LC that there has been a large rise in frustration and anger, and its related outcomes in broken families, suicides, increased drug abuse, which have been exacerbated by the rise of Covid-19 and the abysmal way in which ALL governments have handled it. And in general the opposition parties have been worse (you just have to look at the communist idiocies put out by the Ontario NDP, or the rancid silliness of Jagmeet Singh).

        As to the eastern provinces, it’s not that they are voting to destroy western Canada. Rather, they are voting what seems to be in their immediate short term political interest. In the case of Atlantic Canada, that means securing more federal funding for anything and everything, even though it largely comes from other people’s taxes. Ontario’s situation is complicated by having to absorb the bulk of Canada’s immigration, both legal and illegal, and the ruthless pandering done by most political parties in that regard. The result is an extremely complex electoral situation which has spread to even confounding western Canadian provinces. (Hence the reason why Haheed Nenshi seems to be the only electable Mayor of Calgary.)

        Steve, these are serious thoughts needing far more detailed discussion elsewhere. You are right about the emotion: revenge. Which is about as useful as Iago’s revenge against Othello.

        1. My Shakespeare is very rusty but as I recall Othello is mostly about jealousy. What is happening in Western Canada is frustration.

      2. I’ve got a wood stove and recently I had a transfer switch installed to run power from my genny.
        I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see anything but darkness and cold on the horizon.
        And its always the poor who get fucked over first, foremost and hardest.

      3. ” … I would put it down to revenge, …”

        I’m thinking more along the lines of an education.

    3. I live in Ottawa and let me tell you if a city of fuckholes ever needed a sissy slap, its here.
      But you’re right.
      Alberta and Saskatchewan need to separate and act like Russia does toward Europe: play the long game and get rich while you’re at it.

  16. Let us see now.
    Remember the boom in North Dakota, Bakken formation?
    Only a more than year ago the oil and gas were plentiful, prices went down and as soon as they had a new president, in Dakota the producers were going bankrupt. Would suggest here that there is something nefarious going on here. The gas didn’t just evaporate, it’s still there.
    There is a scheme going on that I can’t put my finger on.
    North America has abundance of gas and oil. If there is any draw back, it’s the delivery options.
    Of course, gas is delivered by a pipeline, the American president in his lack of conscience does not know and does not care, it’s not him, nor the congress that are going to pay high prices and will have no lack of supply. When you think about it, it is they that should bloody freeze in the dark, they are doing everything inhumanly possible to bring the supposed ‘crisis’ on.

    There maybe problems in China and Europe, it is my sincere hope that the Chinese freeze in the dark, no problem there. Europe is getting the taste of their future; hope they are paying more and more for the Ruski gas, good for the Ruskis. Lebanon? All of their neighbors have oil and gas enough to burn the stuff up, its their doing, no sympathy here.

    Then you have the wind turbines, I have mentioned this some years ago in this space.
    To synthesize hydrogen is rather expansive, conventional power generation would be a waste of energy. The use of wind turbines to synthesize hydrogen as a means of storage of energy would be a good idea. I don’t know the mechanics and efficiency of this, though it would seem that it can be productive. Hydrogen is volatile gas and there are some dangers of it going puff-big-bang, if for example they tried it in Burkina Faso.
    The drawback, as the greenshafters just discovered is that the wind patterns change. When you have hundreds of wind turbines in places like Crowsnest Pass, where wind blows something fierce, it has to affect the wind patterns and change not only weather, it changes the cycle of life that was used to the blow. One can understand that the greenshafters want it to be that way. They can say in a circular way that it is something else, like coal, oil and gas.

    As for solar, this is completely counterproductive in the long run. Takes acres and acres of land. The solar panels wear out and replacements are more expansive, there is not enough intensity in it, the only advantage is that dc power is more efficient to transport.

    A short story.
    Maybe 12 years ago, in the deep south Okanagan, was helping out a guy with carpentry. There is a house near spotted lake, it was wired up to be 100% self sufficient in power, had solar panels, batteries, inverter, the whole shebang, as some would say. The job was to dismantle the off grid. Did not get to talk to the owner so I don’t understand and don’t know why.

  17. Perfect.
    The funny thing about “renewable energy” from wind and solar is the change in lifestyle it brings.
    No more do you plan your tasks,hit the switch and have your invisible slave provide the power to perform those tasks..
    Now you must check the battery bank charge,test the wind and pray for cloud free skies.
    And be prepared to shut down your tools or appliances should conditions change.

    You have now left the industrialized world of cheap abundant energy..moving back in time to the days of living as the weather dictated.
    This is progress..as defined by our Progressive Comrades.
    Who demonstrate a benefit to our civil society, very similar to rust on steel.
    Faster Deeper darker.

    For those who own their own dwellings,there are some very simple and cheap “cheats” that you can use to run your essential devices off of a small generator.
    Always turn off the main breaker in your panel,before indulging in home remedies to the long periods of darkness.
    Government supervision of our Utility’s has brought them to their knees.
    Regulated into the dark.

  18. Problem nowadays is the urbanization and dumbing down of society, no wonder most city folk vote for Liberals, their knowledge of the energy grid is press a button and have heat and hot water, they have no concept of where it comes from (hint nat gas). They live in ghetto style apartment blocks, they get all their food and goods and services from box stores, if they had to survive for 2 days on the land with no cell phone they’d just shrivel up and die! If cities lost power the people would be eating each other within days, they are so far detached from reality, I almost want it to happen so we can thin the herd.

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