Coal, gas and oil still dominate energy mix

The stark reality is that despite the tens of trillions of dollars that have been thrown away on useless wind and solar, coal, gas and oil still account for 80 per cent of global energy usage.

Those petrol prices spiking up to around $2.40 a litre are actually telling us something pretty simple but also rather profound. People want petrol. And gas. And coal. Because they, well, work.

That’s to say real, actual – like about seven billion - people; and not idiot, spineless politicians, business so-called leaders, climate catastrophists and other mixed assorted loons, who broadly grew up believing ‘Chicken Little’ was a generational prophetic truth-teller. Why are petrol prices going up?

Because Russia and OPEC have barely tweaked their combined output; but given the unrelenting demand for oil – have you driven an EV lately? No? Neither have I – oil prices have surged above $US80 ($127) a barrel.

It doesn’t help that we’ve basically closed down almost all our domestic refining; leaving us hostage to foreign supply lines and any games played with refining and global commodity trading.

Something similar has happened to the gas price on the international market. Indeed, in Europe prices surged as much as 40 per cent. Somewhat bizarrely, because of threatened strikes at Chevron and Woodside gas export plants in WA. Gee, wouldn’t it be nice if our European customers got to experience some of the shortages and price hikes that our inept politicians have foisted on us. Oh, I forgot. Of course, they already have. In very cold spades.

Coal prices are a lot lower than they were a year ago, but they are still at substantial, very profitable levels. If we were to believe all the exaggerated claims about the tidal wave of ‘free’ renewables sweeping the globe; heck, you should be struggling to give coal away gratis.

The bottom-line reality, the truth, is that despite the tens of trillions of dollars – yes, tens, of, yes, trillions – that have been thrown away on useless wind and solar in collectively soft-headed developed countries, coal, gas and oil still add to over 80 per cent of energy usage globally, according to the International Energy Agency. OK. So those tens of trillions have managed to lift the wind and solar share to closing on 20 per cent? Well, short answer, no. And emphatically no.

Petrol price surge shows people still want petrol.

Again, according to the IEA, nuclear provides around 5 per cent of global energy, and old-fashioned hydro – the original renewable, but now a very dirty word in fashionable Dark Green circles – a further 3 per cent. We’ve basically prohibited both – apart that is, from Malcolm Turnbull’s mad, bad and utterly insane Snowy Two hydro, that’s chewing up $20bn, and rising, and indeed may never actually be finished – along with coal and gas.

The next biggest chunk in the global energy mix is the very dubious – on both economic and environmental grounds – biofuels, at about 8 per cent. That’s bio-diesel, bio-ethanol and such like. Wind and solar: just 4 per cent. That’s all the payback for the tens of trillions of wasted dollars. And even that over-states their real contribution and their cost. Because you have to keep a second, real, power station running for when…..well, you know the rhyme. The $2.40 petrol price is just another step along the way to the future being forced on us, while three billion Chinese and Indians laugh all the way to their fossil-fuelled future.

Originally published as Coal, gas and oil still dominate energy mix