Alex Epstein

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

The next 7.5 years are scheduled to be a bloodbath of reliable capacity retirements. There are 93 GW of announced coal plant retirements, plus up to 92 more GW are at risk retiring early due to new EPA rules. That's almost ⅕ of our already-scarce reliable capacity shut down. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Will batteries make unreliable solar/wind reliable? No. Battery storage is expensive and can only provide a given "capacity" (e.g., 1 GW) for a few hours, and only then if fully charged. Planned batteries are nowhere near enough to compensate for solar and wind's unreliability. https://t.co/TRHzVx7Zqf — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

This year grid operators planned on retiring about 15 GW of reliable capacity and replacing it with only about 12 GW of reliable generation—which has recently become 10 GW as two nuclear units have been delayed until 2023. Every decline in reliable capacity makes the grid worse. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Our reliability problems are scheduled to get far worse Looking at the publicly announced plans of utilities, which are largely determined by government policies, we are scheduled to see many more shutdowns of reliable power plants in favor of unreliable solar/wind. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Our government is making the problem worse Governments need to recognize the reliability crisis and fight it. Instead, they are planning to make the problem far, far worse via policies that will shut down many more reliable power plants while increasing electricity demand. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

The 2020 blackouts in CA also show the danger of “reliability chicken.” CA retired lot of in-state reliable electric generation capacity and hoped that favorable weather conditions and other available imports from other states would save them. Again, hoping doesn’t work. https://t.co/5SV6qr0muq — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

The Feb 2021 blackouts in TX show how dangerous “reliability chicken” can be. TX’s grid planners hoped it wouldn’t get very cold and that the wind wouldn’t falter too much so their lack of reliable capacity (and resiliency investment) wouldn’t be exposed. But hoping doesn’t work. https://t.co/QMRKWYAjOM — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Decreasing reliable capacity as demand increases is “reliability chicken”: trying to get away with minimal reliable capacity, then hoping the weather cooperates—not increasing demand by getting too hot or too cold, and not decreasing supply by being too cloudy or too calm. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Nationally, as demand has increased over the last 10 years we have seen a decline in reliable capacity (gas, coal, oil, nuclear, hydro, battery storage) by 5%. https://t.co/Rf0GpUeHYr — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Grid operators around the country are warning us that we are retiring too many reliable power plants. MISO—the Midcontinent Independent System Operator—recently released this chart, showing a decline in “accredited capacity” “due to thermal retirements” and increasing solar/wind. https://t.co/f6noJjAryL — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Since at any given time solar and wind can go near zero, using them as replacements for reliable power plants doesn’t work. For example, TX’s February 2021 disaster was caused by solar/wind disappearing and inadequate investment in reliable power plants and their weatherization. https://t.co/GNfFpXYVPE — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

The root cause of our grid’s reliability problems is simple: America is shutting down too many reliable power plants—plants that can be controlled to produce electricity when needed in the exact quantity needed. And it is attempting to replace them with unreliable solar and wind. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Ominously, our grid is in an increasingly fragile state. Not only have we recently had statewide blackouts in CA (2020) and TX (2021), this summer shortages are occurring all around the US. FERC Commissioner Mark Christie puts it bluntly “We’re heading for a reliability crisis.” — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

A reliable grid is a foundation of our quality of life. Our lives depend on ultra-reliable electricity for the refrigerators that preserve our food, the water treatment plants that keep our water drinkable, the A/C that keeps us cool, the factories that produce our goods, etc. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

How to solve our electricity crisis America's grid is in decline and about to get far worse due to policies that 1) reward unreliable electricity, 2) prematurely shut down coal plants, 3) criminalize nuclear, and 4) force EV use. Here’s what’s happening and how to fix it. 🧵👇 https://t.co/F48el9i8G5 — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

“The Manchin GND gives billions to left-wing causes. It includes $billions for undefined ‘environmental justice.’ The WH-commissioned report on EJ... says we must ‘sunset investment by 2030 in fossil fuels, plastics…and nuclear energy’!!!” https://t.co/BfnaEKrY1M — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Anyone know Hugh Jackman? I'm a big fan of his and would love to send him a copy of Fossil Future. Even just a few chapters will make clear what methodological garbage the Gates book is... — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Heat waves — 4 facts 1. Cold-related deaths far exceed heat-related ones 2. Fossil fuels have helped bring climate deaths to all-time lows 3. Anti-FF policies make air-conditioning less accessible 4. We'd have way more non-carbon power if "greens" hadn't criminalized nuclear — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

#FossilFuture https://t.co/U5stzI1wDj — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

In 1972 the prestigious Club of Rome projected that growth in consumption would have exceeded the available resources of many minerals, including natural gas and petroleum, by today. #Catastrophizing https://t.co/gdHyWIpX9o — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Get #FossilFuture: https://t.co/KvYDUsAy35 Watch @CindyDrukier’s interview of me on @NationSpeaksTNS on @EpochTVus. — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

“my view [of fossil fuels’ climate impact] is, it's good or bad depending on how good or bad that warming and also greening is for humans, plus all the benefits of all the energy that comes with it.” With @CindyDrukier https://t.co/0kC74Up6pl — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

“I just read the first few chapters of Alex Epstein's new book which does something radical. He looks at the tremendous benefits of fossil fuels to the flourishing of humans along with the harmful side effects.” Get Fossil Future here: https://t.co/KvYDUsA0dx https://t.co/Ju3MDBLAlD — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

“The developing world overwhelmingly uses fossil fuels because that is by far the lowest-cost way for them to get reliable energy. Unreliable solar and wind can’t come close. That’s why China and India have hundreds of new coal plants in development.” https://t.co/caJtfOIdZB — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Good question from Larry Kudlow today: Are those who 1) make electricity scarce but 2) mandate EVs just "nuts"? No. "When people do something that makes no sense if you care about benefiting human beings, my suspicion is they don't really care about benefiting human beings." https://t.co/BKFucE3Ieb — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

PS I am a Seinfeld trivia champion. One of my proudest accomplishments of 2021. https://t.co/tYHzkNv2CG — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Every time I see one of these I say "Newsom!" in the same voice @JerrySeinfeld says "Newman!" — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

“So fossil fuels, unlike, say, an antibiotic or a vaccine, they can cure their own side-effects, which is a really amazing thing.” Watch the full interview with @DanCrenshawTX on Hold these Truths Podcast: https://t.co/HJdRDBdJfe Get Fossil Future: https://t.co/KvYDUsA0dx https://t.co/gGMHvr60RR — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

“activist academics writing to reassure Congress about 80% 'clean electricity'... effectively lied to Congress by telling them that we could follow the example of other countries that achieve the number via nuclear, hydro, and imports.” https://t.co/gq6C9R8yBX — PolitiTweet.org

Alex Epstein @AlexEpstein

Get #FossilFuture: https://t.co/KvYDUsAy35 Watch the full interview with @michaeljknowles: https://t.co/0Nc9bOpI8u — PolitiTweet.org