The renewable energy zealots have never publicized where their renewable energy idea originally came from. It has now been reported that it came from the Nazis. But in 1936 the Nazis had the good sense to reject it as one of their guiding principles for their energy supply. They realized that it would cost too much. All costs and no benefits. As a result almost no one understands where the idea came from. The first German language article on global warming appeared in 1941, authored by a man who later that year became the chief meteorologist for the Luftwaffe High Command and continued publishing alarmist papers for many years.
At the urging of the Greens, Germany revived the renewable energy idea in recent decades. But it has proved an unmitigated disaster. Electricity prices have increased by a factor of three and appear likely to move ever higher. Fossil fuel use has increased, not decreased. And this has not helped Germany’s slow growth economy over the last few decades.
Renewable Energy Zealots Are Now Trying to Bring Their Idea to the US
The climate alarmists have long been trying to bring the idea to the US and other countries, even though the US is on the verge of becoming the leading supplier of fossil fuels to the world. The US has decreased CO2 emissions more than any other country in the world by allowing the market to operate without undue government interference except in some “blue states,” which insist that government knows better. Fortunately, the US has so far largely avoided wasting enormous resources by over promoting renewable energy.
Those favoring renewable energy first advocated using it primarily because of the volatility and unreliability of oil from the Middle East; later they argued that the US would soon run out of oil and natural gas so the US must reduce their use in favor of renewable sources. (Remember Obama’s foolish claim that we could not drill our way to lower gasoline prices?) Now that the US has greatly increased sources of oil and natural gas thanks to drilling using new technology (thus obviating the need for depending on the Middle East), renewable energy advocates have fallen back on their claims that fossil fuel use must be reduced to avoid catastrophic anthropogenic global warming. There have long been strong doubts about this claim and it has now been shown that global warming in recent decades can be explained entirely by natural factors that humans and their governments have no influence over except possibly by highly speculative and controversial geoengineering.
There Is No Remaining Rationale for Government Intervention
So there is no remaining rationale for government intervention in the energy markets to subsidize or encourage renewable energy, which is much better described as unreliable energy. It is long past time for governments in general and the US Government in particular to end its subsidies for unreliable energy and let the markets themselves decide where to allocate energy resources rather than governments. The renewable energy craze would soon die if the subsidies were eliminated as being of no great help to humans and their need for reliable, low cost energy.
Mr. Archibald suggests that if readers have ever wondered about the intellectual origins of renewable energy and global warming, these began with the Nazis. He points to some interesting examples of writings by technologists during the Nazi period, as evidence.
However, the actual origin of the global warming/CO2 hypothesis is generally credited to Swedish physicist/chemist Svante Arrenhius, circa 1896. This is not to say the Arrhenius idea did not later beguile at least one German meteorologist, but we cannot fully blame Nazis for Global Warming.
Since Hitler wanted to conquer much of the world, he needed lots of energy. Not surprising some of his engineers thought 1,300 foot high wind towers. Coal has been mined in Germany for centuries and deposits deplete. Der Fuhrer wanted exploration of new ideas, one among these atomic energy.
Germany today provides remarkable contrast to China. China has long relied on domestic coal too, and on hydro power, building massive dams. Yet going beyond these sources, China is aggressively boosting nuclear energy too, en route to greater energy self sufficiency, while Germany aims to exit nuclear. Germany will rely on the kindness of free trade with foreign energy suppliers.
To add facts or clarifications about Germany. Circa 2007, there was a decision to eliminate government subsidies to hard coal production. Much remaining domestic coal production is soft or brown coal, called lignite. An EU web site about coal in Germany: https://euracoal.eu/info/country-profiles/germany/
In 2015, oil enabled 33.6% of energy produced, coal 24.7%, gas 21.1%, nuclear 7.5%, and renewables contributed 12.5%.
About 70 percent of energy consumed had to be imported. Germany is dependent on outside suppliers of energy. Foreign suppliers contribute 98 percent of oil used, 90 percent of gas, and 90 percent of hard coal.
Given most energy is imported, the domestic supply of renewable energy may be highly valued, partly because indigenous supplies of energy are relatively modest.
Given an essay on German energy policy, it is interesting to look at the unusual German policy regarding nuclear energy.
First some numbers on operating plants, plus ones under construction, by country:
USA 99 plants, 2 under construction
France 58 and 1
Japan 54 before Fukushima, now 42, with 2 under construction
China has 36, 20 under construction.
Russia 36 and 7
South Korea 25 and 3
India 22 and 6
Canada 19
Ukraine and UK each 15
Sweden 10
Germany down to 8, with these due to close by 2022.
We see the USA, France, and Japan have been leaders on nuclear energy, China is surging, followed by Russia, South Korea, India, Canada. In amazing contrast, Germany is headed in the other direction. Because Germany still needs energy, exiting nuclear energy means more reliance on coal. It also justifies renewables, because renewables offer the alternative to coal (in addition to imported Russian gas).
Germany is a very unusual country, on the energy front. Though a major economic power, it is dropping nuclear for coal and pricey renewables. The climate change story is given much allegiance, perhaps to justify pricey renewables. Meanwhile Germany car firms with government ownership falsely understate diesel emissions. Claimed allegiance to the environment, rising prices, coal burning, with climate change supplying political cover for the status quo.
Clever to note Hitler’s folks were thinking about energy diversification too, not just Merkel.
It can also be fairly said that engineers search for sources of electricity. Much industrialization during the 19th century owed to harnessing water power, as done at Niagara Falls, NY, by Westinghaus and Tesla, among others. Buffalo became the first city in North America to install electric street lights, as a result. The natural endowment of a stupendous water fall was harnessed to generate electricity via falling water turning turbines.
The Dutch famously invented wind mills as a means to advance their society. They did not do this out of fear of dirty fossil fuels, climate change and rising seas, rather they built windmills to generate electricity. This was practical for them, centuries ago.
Germany has not had large natural endowments of petroleum, though it has been blessed with abundant coal. When Hitler attacked other nations, petroleum deposits in Romania and the USSR may well have been among his economic goals. Energy sources are needed to get stuff done. Hence not surprising German engineers during the Nazi era explored technological innovations in hydro electricity, wind power, and combustion of hydrogen gas, to supplement coal, still beloved by Merkel’s Germany to this day!