Top 4 Tips and Tricks for Surviving an Energy Crisis

It's Wednesday. Here's what we're looking at today: ships trapped in Ukraine war trouble global supply chains, Biden bans Russian oil and gas, kibosh on rooftop solar moves to Desantis's desk, Germany refuses to save its nuclear plants, Connecticut's shakey grid inspires thoughts on repealing its nuclear moratorium. 

Headlines

• Hundreds of ships trapped by Ukraine war, endangering sailors and global supply chains. (WSJ)

• Elon Musk seeks to terminate 2018 fraud settlement with SEC. (WSJ)

• Chinese tycoon behind nickel short faces billions in losses. (BBG)

• McDonald's temporarily closes all of its locations in Russia. (NYT)

• The hydrogen stream: Ukraine invasion raises price of gas-powered grey ammonia. (PVM)

Fossil

• Bunker fuel prices enter four-digit territory for the first time. (S247)

• US gas prices hit a high: $4.17 a gallon. (NYT)

• US shale cannot offset loss of Russian crude in the short term. (OP)

• Biden bans imports of Russian oil, natural gas. (WSJ)

• Oil price rally hits plastics. (OP)

Renewables

• Nearshore wind farm to be dismantled. (OWB)

• Florida clampdown on rooftop solar heads to Governor. (E&E)

• Chinese PV industry brief: wafer prices rise as Aiko solar halts shares offering. (PVM)

• Saudi minister appears to signal 15GW, two-year clean energy push. (PVM)

• California clean energy advocates urge regulators to "go big" with offshore wind goals. (UD)

Nuclear

• Russian invasion taking its toll on Ukrainian nuclear workers. (ANS)

• Pakistan's Karachi-3 connected to grid. (ANS)

• Hinkley Point C Unit 1 reactor building takes shape. (WNN)

• Belgian greens make u-turn to consider nuclear plants extension. (Reuters)

• Germany vetoes nuclear power extension, aims for LNG terminal in 2024. (Reuters)

Grid

• New nuclear? Plan for zero-carbon electricity grid stirs talk at lifting CT's nuclear moratorium. (CTI)

• War in Ukraine highlights vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure. (DW)

• New US government forecast shows on-site energy double. (MGK)

• More insurance companies sue ERCOT, energy providers over billions in winter storm damage. (BJ)

• PG&E, GM initiative will pilot use of electric vehicles to power homes in northern California. (UD)

Top 4 Tips and Tricks for Surviving an Energy Crisis

Biden just sanctioned Russian oil. The average national gas price  (at the time of writing) is $4.17. It's still cold in a lot of America, so we can probably expect heating bills to spike. Given that this course has been charted, I thought it might be helpful to collect some of the advice that's been proffered by those with their hands on the rudder.

1. Buy a Tesla or Something

Pete Buttigieg recommends Americans by EVs so they "never have to worry about high gas prices again." This will benefit rural Americans who have to drive a lot, he points out. You get could get a discount of $12,500 in transportation costs!

Never mind where the electricity comes from. Or this from the NY Post: "According to Kelly Blue Book, the average price of a new electric vehicle as of October of this year was $55,676. By contrast, the average price of a new compact car was $25,240 — less than half that amount. The average price of a new compact SUV was $34,122, while the electric vehicle price was even higher than that of the average new sports car ($44,981)."

2. Reduce Your Economy's Energy Intensity to Zero

Brian Deese, the National Economic Council Director, had this wisdom to impart on the public:

“The only viable path to energy independence for the American economy is to reduce the energy intensity of our economy overall and ultimately to reduce it to zero and get us in a position to where we are no longer reliant on fossil fuels."

We can only hope to free ourselves from the shackles of Russian oil and gas not by expanding domestic production but grinding our entire economy to a halt. As many have said before him: the only way out is through. 

Biden himself agrees. 

3. We Can Do Both (Kind Of?)

Sec. Granholm went onto CNBC to clarify the administration's position: we should be "accelerating" the green revolution AND expanding domestic fossil fuel production. Which the fossil fuel industry just isn't willing to do it turns out. After all, consider this: 

Why isn't the fossil fuel industry doing anything? This is a crisis. If only there was an explanation. 

4. Stop Being Poor

This one's the most important.

Crom's Blessing

Ohio Valley fracking pad.