Did Obama endorse rolling blackouts?
posted at 1:30 pm on August 5, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Barack Obama repeated his call for a 15% reduction in electrical demand in Youngstown, Ohio, and held California up as a model for the rest of the nation to follow. Claiming that the Golden State made great strides towards efficiency, Obama apparently forgot the travails California went through:
Finally, I will call on businesses, government, and the American people to meet the goal of reducing our demand for electricity 15% by the end of the next decade. This is by far the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to reduce our energy consumption – and it will save us $130 billion on our energy bills. One report found that right here in Ohio, improvements in energy efficiency can help save homes and businesses $1.5 billion in energy costs by 2020.
The state of California has implemented such a successful efficiency strategy that while electricity consumption grew 60% in this country over the last three decades, it didn’t grow at all in California. There is no reason we can’t do the same thing all across America.
Let’s emulate California? First, California didn’t cut their demand; they only kept it from increasing. Next, people may remember how well California’s energy policy worked over the last two decades. The aging infrastructure, price mandates, and botched privatization led the state into years of rolling blackouts, where utilities simply cut off supply in order to compensate for an inability to meet demand. Governor Gray Davis got recalled from office over the issue, but the blackouts continued for years afterward.
And again, California never did reduce demand, not even by 5%, let alone 15%. I’m not sure Californians would feel like a great example of an energy policy that worked, and I doubt the rest of the nation feels differently. And Obama once again repeated his pledge to get a million more plug-hybrids (at 150 mpg!) on the road while cutting electrical demand, a neat trick that Obama still hasn’t explained.
Obama also talked about jobs, but for some reason didn’t mention the jobs that would get created through a responsible energy policy:
The payoff from these investments in renewable energy sources will be renewable energy jobs across Ohio and across America. Now, I know that over the past eight years, you’ve lost more 236,000 manufacturing jobs in this state. But I also know that Ohio has the second highest potential of all fifty states to create new wind energy manufacturing jobs – and investing in wind power could increase workers’ wages in Ohio by more than $3.5 billion through the year 2020. I also know that with the right investments, this state could save $24 billion a year that you spend importing energy, and instead, power two million homes using wind power.
Eventually, when mass-production sources of energy are found, it will result in jobs. Those will come much later than even Obama’s pessimistic predictions of oil production from domestic drilling, at least ten years out and maybe more than that. Domestic drilling, however, would create jobs now. ANWR alone would create 750,000 jobs, and deep-sea drilling more than that. It would create American jobs at home as investments increased in our own resources — and could easily be done at the same time and in parallel to work developing energy sources of the future.
Why not do both? Obama never explains that, just as he never explains how we’ll cut 15% of our electrical demand while transferring vehicles to electricity.
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Ed,
That’s very true, and note that domestic drilling is creating jobs now. Indeed, in the recent Labor Department employment report you cited last week, while most areas have declining employment numbers there are two areas where employment numbers are actually rising:
Health care and…mining
Employment in mining rose by 8,000 in June. Support activities for mining and oil and gas extraction accounted for most of the increase. Mining employment has expanded by 208,000, or 42 percent, since its most recent low in April 2003.
Buy Danish on August 5, 2008 at 4:11 PM
You forgot the difference between freedom and tyranny. Oops! They’ve got the tyranny thing down quite well. It’s the freedom (and free will) part that really gets them.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on August 5, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Obama has to be a moron, only explanation.
Chakra Hammer on August 5, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Ed, better be careful. The left saw phallic images and the anti-Christ in McCain’s advertising. You’ll be next on their list as the latest racist. You used a word that contains “black” in your question.
Entelechy on August 5, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Yeah, I agree. Like I said when I read the idiotic intro to his Berlin speech with its helter skelter list of geographical names, if somebody handed me this speech and told me I’d be delivering it to the public, I’d throw it away. The scariest thing is that I watched a bit of it on CNN and people behind him were nodding along enthusiastically.
Even dumber than Obama, or just excited to be sheep sent to the slaughter?
funky chicken on August 5, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Brazil Forges Ahead With New Nuclear Plant
Brazil is getting Nuclear power plants but we cant WTF!!!!!!!
Chakra Hammer on August 5, 2008 at 4:41 PM
**Pats Chakra’s back** There There.
Didn’t you hear that the “alternative fuel” they made was making people sick and choking the vehicles and these vehicles are not working well in high altitudes. And also they want to use natural Gas to make into fertilizer for… wait for it…. food!
Sighs, **Pats back** it is ok… they are seeing the light! I know we need to as well…. but you just can’t fix stupid!
upinak on August 5, 2008 at 4:45 PM
You know, Coloradans (natives, not the CA morons who have started taking over) aren’t fond of CA either, because of water rights issues.
This commercial does rather write itself, doesn’t it?
“The Obama plan for the US: follow California!”
video of Obama saying it followed by
“rolling blackouts, stealing energy from WA, OR, and other surrounding states, stealing water from CO.”
snort
funky chicken on August 5, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Here’s another study that seems to say The Dunce has his numbers wrong.
RW_theoriginal on August 5, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Yeah, I believe that California’s electricity consumption is going up by 1000 MW per year. They’ve dropped their per capita consumption, but not their actual consumption.
geoff on August 5, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Maybe if they kicked out some of the illegal aliens they could save some electricity.. ;)
Chakra Hammer on August 5, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Does that go for other countries as well? I have an influx of eur-asians coming here.
upinak on August 5, 2008 at 6:19 PM
Well, of course. Or am I the only one here who watches “Black Gold?”
yes, I probably am ;)
Connie on August 5, 2008 at 6:30 PM
I haven’t had a chance to watch it.
But I am not sure you are being sarcastic or not.
upinak on August 5, 2008 at 6:33 PM
Obama- all his energy is in excuses.
Shockingly dull.
profitsbeard on August 5, 2008 at 6:42 PM
He’s safe now.
MB4 on August 5, 2008 at 6:50 PM
I actually watch it occasionally. TruTV is my default when there isn’t anything else on late night and I’m trying to stay awake for Red Eye. “Black Gold” gets down and dirty with the crew and boss. I know a guy who did it for a living for awhile and I can picture him right there. He’s nice, but wildman crazy.
Connie on August 5, 2008 at 6:52 PM
Yeah, Caleeefornia did a GREAT job on electricity. And the final bill has yet to be paid. Seems there are some GREEDY CANANDIANS who still expect the state to pay outstanding debts for electricity purchased during the ‘gaming period’. Oh, and don’t forget the reductions is usage THAT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE SOME BUSINESSES FOLDED AND OTHERS LEFT THE STATE.
Yeah, go ahead, emualte Caleeefornia.
GarandFan on August 5, 2008 at 7:27 PM
OBLAHBLAH, you are an absolute effing idiot, and don’t know diddle squat about the rolling blackouts in California.
The first clue is why Gov. Gray Davis got recalled, and Arnold Schwarzenegger got elected? Next clue, is WHY did the dumb, stupid democrat governor foolishly spend 30 billion in state surpluses for energy? I’m still angry Gray Davis was left so easily off the hook, and not doing serious jail time.
byteshredder on August 5, 2008 at 7:49 PM
You guys are too hard on NObama - you just need to have “hope” that his ideas will work!
Example: I heard his speech about how proper tire inflation would negate our need for any oil drilling whatsoever, so I followed his lead! I did some rough calculations and figured that if I put 450 psi of air pressure in my tires, I would no longer need any fuel whatsover!
I had no success in reaching this goal on my first few attempts… upon considerable reflection (while still in my hospital bed), I came upon the idea to create tires out of welded titanium mesh to withstand this incredible pressure; I promptly ordered a set from a fabricator I found on eBay.
Today, I put them into action and the results are incredible! I was actually able to inflate them to 1,322 psi… as a result, I now have to stop my 1973 Ford Pinto every 60 miles or so to siphon off all of the fuel it has been creating - I have been giving it away at gas stations as I sing the praises of NObama.
I am now trying to fit car with a larger tank so that it will enable me to drive +250 miles before having to stop and dump all of the excess fuel.
electric-rascal on August 5, 2008 at 8:53 PM
As soon as we get manufacturing businesses moved out of the country (like California did for their state) then we’ll be using lots less energy.
And with unemployment, less people will even have jobs to drive to.
Win-Win situation there. Less energy, and less gas usage. I bet gas prices will fall as soon as we can drive the economy to collapse. Win again.
This plan just keeps looking better. What could possibly go wrong?
Heck, the collapse of all manufacturing industries (and other power hungry industries like concrete, fertilizer, etc.) will probably set off a chain reaction of economic collapses and even more unemployment.
Win again.
Damn, this plan has everything. And with the mass of unemployed, people will be eating less (also known as starving) reducing America’s Obesity epidemic… win again.
Damn, this plan has everything. I’m supporting Obama from here on out. What an amazing plan.
gekkobear on August 5, 2008 at 9:35 PM
Uh excuse me… EXCUSE ME!!! I want you to know the use of the term BLACKOUTS has very strong racist overtones…. let’s call them WHITEOUTS
CYNOP…AKA John Wiley Price, Dallas City Commish…
CynicalOptimist on August 5, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Obama’s October surprise…Dylithium Crystals.
soundingboard on August 6, 2008 at 3:58 AM
Yup.No doubt they would blacklist him.
soundingboard on August 6, 2008 at 4:08 AM
Ok, yet another of the Obamessiah’s bloviated claims brings me back to current policy in New Zealand.
The current Labour govt horribly botched “privatisation” (yes, with scare quotes) in the late 1990’s by spinning off what used to be ECNZ (Electricity Corporation New Zealand Ltd) into four SOE’s (State Owned Enterprises, majority owned by the Govt), a single lines company, and then sold off two generation networks which became completely private. Hold that thought.
NZ generation is currently 61% renewable power and 39% thermal (roughly). Almost all of the renewable power is hydro. Hold that thought too.
In 1991, a drought led to severe rationing by industrial users and pleas for voluntary reductions by residents. At the time, NZ was 85% hydro. Storage levels in the lakes fell to approx 750GWh, enough to continue only for a couple weeks without forcing rolling blackouts. This event was supposed to be a “1 in 100 year” event. Hold that thought too.
The generators that were spun off from ECNZ kept regional market areas, with little overlap. Trustpower, the national grid operator, is prevented by law from operating generation facilities of more than 1MW (basically, tiny little cogen schemes). Keep that in mind too.
And finally, scenario is complete, and all those “hold that thought” comments come together, as follows:
* More “100 year” drought events in years 2001, 2003, 2006, and 2008.
* Generation update: although more thermal generation is brought online between 1991 and 2008, capacities are relatively small. Largest coal-fired station (Huntly, 1000MW) is constrained from operating on warm days when cooling water outfalls reach 24degC. Smaller diesel-powered stations in North Island are taken offline due to asbestos concerns. Successive “big” hydro schemes fail to become reality due to various issues with hydro (problems securing water rights and environmental concerns about long-term changes on ecosystems due to hydro plants - one which imho, is finally becoming visible). Wind power comes online but is relatively miniscule; also there is anecdotal evidence that during the La Nina weather cycle, wind capacity dropped along with rain - not good news for wind operators).
* After 2003, NZ Govt created the EC (Electricity Commission), funding it by levy (yes, a pretty name for a tax) paid by all users. EC stiffs the market by mandating “dry year” spare capacity be built, at ratepayer expense. This facility (Whirinaki; diesel-fired) is very expensive to operate, among other inefficiencies.
* EC continues to report in “dry years” that although spot power prices are high (this time around, spot prices routinely exceeded NZ$500MWh during the “dry” season, for weeks), that the grid has excess generation and therefore cost of building new generation capacity is too high. However it never takes into account the economic losses of constrained capacity - this season alone, over NZ$3bn.
* Govt has now placed a moratorium banning any new thermal generation from being built in NZ, to allow it to meet its [artificial] Kyoto targets. NZ has enough lignite coal in the South Island alone to power additional generation for approximately 250 years, but thanks to the GHG crowd, they cannot touch it.
* Govt has also precluded significant upgrades to capacity due to requirements of its Resources Management Act, which mean that environmental concerns make any new proposals extremely difficult to get off the ground, never mind the thermal ban.
* Oddly enough, the four SOE’s and two private generation companies are raking in cash hand over fist, posting their highest profits ever, in dry years due to excessively high spot prices; yet, somehow, EC thinks there is no business case to allow new private investment into the grid.
* Finally, let’s pour more salt onto this wound: EC artifically fixes sale price of the “dry year” station at Whirinaki when it operated this past season, at $289/MWh; however, due to high fuel costs, its true operating price was well over $400/MWh. This artificially lowered price was used to create the business case that “proved” new generation would not be cost effective; then EC recovered its costs via levy to ratepayers.
I know this is a long rant. At the same time, NZ has created the screwed-up socialist market that Obama and his Democrat environmentalist friends want to inflict upon the US grid: artificial market manipulation that kills new growth, destroys wealth, and gives the Govt carte blanche to continue screwing with the market in the name of “helping” it. The net result will be higher and higher prices, higher economic losses (including job losses and more companies relocating operations offshore), and overall lowered quality of life, all so they can play God over the unwashed masses.
But then again, most of you guys know this about Obama and his cronies already.
-Wanderlust
Wanderlust on August 6, 2008 at 5:02 AM
Oh, one more set of statistics for you (figures are NZD):
* Cost of installed generation, coal: $1,500/kW.
* Cost of installed generation, wind: $3,300/kW.
* Cost of installed generation, solar: $10,000 - $15,000/kW.
NZ has geothermal power generation but capacities and availability is relatively low (new plant coming online this month is only 90MW).
Thanks to wind and solar having no storage tank (e.g., similar to “run of river” hydro), operational efficiencies are as follows:
* Coal, 98%
* Hydro, 98% (assuming no drought, that is)
* Wind, 38 - 42%.
I don’t have a figure on solar, but not only is it genearlly lower than wind (unless the plant is located in a desert), it comes with the fact that PV cells are made using Big Oil. Oops.
Final statistic, from a Rio Tinto Coal press release back in 2005: pound for pound, uranium is 26,000 times more efficient than coal.
I once asked an “Environmental Management” instructor at the Freeman Business School (Tulane University) a question regarding efficiencies: in an earlier speech, he had claimed that the US was “horribly inefficient” and he encouraged his audience to “find ways to become more efficient”.
So, after having browsed an Encarta article on atomic theory one day, I posed the following question to him:
The response I got:
“Uh, wow, I never thought about that…I’ll have to think on it…”
And he never came back to me with an answer.
Imagine that…
/rant OFF
Wanderlust on August 6, 2008 at 5:22 AM
(er, Rio Tinto Coal should read, Rio Tinto Ltd…sorry)
Wanderlust on August 6, 2008 at 5:23 AM
If the Messiah is elected, and with a socialist-democrat majority in Congress, after the Tire Police come around and check to see if our tires are properly inflated, then we will have energy rationing. That’s what socialism does. You can take that to the bank (and have it taxed).
abcurtis on August 6, 2008 at 8:26 AM
I remember when our illustrious governor from the 90’s, L. Douglas Wilder, slum lord, wanted Virginia to meet California emission standards for cars. Doesnt California have the worst air pollution in the country? But Doug is a socialist-democrat so what can we expect?
abcurtis on August 6, 2008 at 8:31 AM
YES,
and Did Obama endorse rolling “black-INS”?
.
You’re not invited.
shooter on August 6, 2008 at 3:01 PM
I posted this in another thread… just a bit of off the cuff research showing the stupidity of some of these energy policys…
1 Barrel of oil = 1640.8 kilowatt hours
US used 9,468,000 barrels per day 7/25/08 for motor gasoline.
Or 15,535,094,400 Kilowatt hours equivalent in gasoline for transportation, PER DAY, or 15.5 Billion Kilowatt hours per day.
Total electricity generated by US in 2006, 4059 BILLION Kilowatt hours,
Or 11.12 Billion Kilowatt hours per day.
So, we would have to increase electricity generation by a factor of about 140% to meet our transportation requirements by going to all electric.
Romeo13 on August 6, 2008 at 5:29 PM
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