Energy Matters

  Energy Intensity Matters As you’ve probably noticed, we’re in the midst of a world-wide energy transition from carbon-emitting fuels to green renewables. In the midst of such upheaval, we shouldn’t be surprised by the effects of human resistance to change, and human doubts about successful change. But when fear of change is coupled with the resistance of powerful industries and their political friends, the rhetoric can get out of hand. In times like these it’s especially important to analyze alarmist rhetoric quantitatively whenever possible. One of the most popular arguments is that renewables simply cannot suffice to meet our needs. We recently heard an interview with U.S. Congressman John Curtis (R. Utah.) in which he expressed just such skepticism. He claimed to have spoken to Singapore’s representatives at the U.N. climate summit: “They told me if they put a solar panel on every house, on every business, on every square empty piece of land, that would produce about 10% of th...

  Now You’re Cooking With - Induction! When we met a scientist/college-professor/ environmentalist friend on the ski trail a few days ago, we somehow got on the subject of induction cooking stoves, only to find that he’d never heard of them. We said: Wait, WHAT?? Should we maybe revisit the subject? (previous column November 2020) It probably came up because recently there’s been quite a hub-bub about gas stoves, thanks to a commissioner from the Consumer Products Safety Commission stating that he thinks there’s a need for regulation to reduce the hazards connected with burning gas unvented in homes. In an interview he said, “Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.” Though the Chair of the CPSC stated that no such ban is planned, many immediately assumed the federal government was about to snatch away their gas stoves.  This all came up partly because recent studies have shown that there is a significantly higher rate of childhood asthma and...