How Progressives Enrich Oil Companies

Net-zero goals will remain unrealistic absent permit reform.

By Mario Loyola. He teaches environmental law at Florida International University. Excerpts:

"President Biden wants a clean electricity grid by 2035, but under current permitting standards, only a fraction of the necessary infrastructure would break ground in time. And to achieve a clean grid by 2050, experts believe that more than one million miles of high-voltage transmission lines will have to be added to the grid."

"The reality is that climate activists’ own policy positions help fossil-fuel producers and hurt everyone else. They want to wean Americans off oil and gas by constricting supply. But constricting supply boosts prices and maximizes profits.

Activists’ push for “net zero” electricity is even more counterproductive. As Texas, California and now Europe have learned, there is a limit to how much renewable power like solar and wind can be deployed while still maintaining a stable grid.

Activists dream of getting to 80% renewable energy on the road to “net zero.” But even at about 34% renewable, the California grid is unstable: If there is an overabundance of solar electricity during the day, either solar panels are shut off or utilities pay other states to take the excess energy. There also have been blackouts at night, especially when demand for air conditioning is high."

"California recently voted to phase out gasoline cars by 2035. That’s impossible without major grid expansions."

"without some unforeseen revolution in battery technology, at least half of the added grid capacity will have to come from nuclear power, coal or natural gas. But given the sometimes decades-long permitting odyssey for a nuclear plant in America, California’s environmentalists are headed for a reality check: The transition to electric vehicles will be nearly impossible without quickly building dozens of new coal and natural-gas plants."