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THE TRUMP ENERGY PROGRAM

From Time magazine, I begin with a slew of Trump topics.  You can read the details.
This site began as a renewable energy and environment blog, and has evolved to just about any subject.  I try to keep Wednesdays for sci-tech, with perhaps a monthly focus on energy.  More recently, I've drawn from the Energy Matters info sent to me by the American Energy Society.  I'm inserting direct quotes this time to eliminate my predilections for more credibility.

  • This service starts with some broad topics.

- Fossil fuels: Helium is locked in a supply crunch, and prices are surging.

- Renewables: Congress will probably pass new renewable fuel standards for 2026 and 2027.

- Policy: President Trump is now focused on California.

- Markets: The Shell/BP mega-merger? Don't bet on it.

- Universities in the spotlight: BYU, Purdue, and Princeton.

  • Spotlight: Helium. Due to the rise of AI, demand for helium is surging: semiconductors, fiber-optics, and especially for rapid cooling as an inert carrier. Today, helium is locked in a supply crunch. Prices have tripled in the past decade, to $400/mcf in 2023-24, with some spot cargoes trading as high as $1,000/mcf. (Note: Historically heliumwas primarily used for cryogenics, especially MRI machines (23% of market demand) and as a "lift gas" for floating (13% demand).
  •  A carbon capture and sequestration primer:
    •  CCS is the only available technology that can address carbon dioxide emissions from all stationary sources and across all applications (from power generation to industrial process heat. (Note: In the US, these sectors contribute about half of all greenhouse gas emissions.)
  • The 45Q tax credit, designed to incentivize CCS, was first established in 2008 through the Energy Improvement and Extension Act, and has undergone several modifications, including the 2018 Bipartisan Bill (which included other emissions in addition to CO2) and the 2022 IRA (for DAC).• Since its inception in 2010, the US EPA has issued permits for only 8 CCS projects, while there are more than 160 CCS projects still waiting for review.
  • On July 1, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), jointly owned by NOAA and the Department of Defense and responsible for collecting extreme weather (aka hurricanes, etc.) and environmental (aka drought, flooding, etc.) data, will cease operations due to cuts in federal funding.
  • The country that exports the most climate misinformation (both sides) is the United States (followed by the UK, Australia, and Denmark). AES Members have access to the report.
  • The world added 741 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity last year. That’s a new record, but not on pace to triple renewables capacity by 2030. At the current rate, the world will be 6.2 terawatts short of its stated goals — more than all renewables deployed to date.
  • The Trump administration is limiting the power of individual states to set their own energy and climate policies, with special emphasis on California. For instance, Trump signed three resolutions that will prevent California from setting its own vehicle emissions standards, including the elimination of renewable electricity (aka the "EV mandate"). There is little discussion on either side (Trump vs. California) about federalism and statutory authority (aka state vs. federal powers).
  • The DOE has 179 clean energy projects with $15B in award funding; the DOE with DOGE reviewed these projects and has cut or reduced $3.7B from 24 of these projects, most of which were focused on industrial decarbonization or are in California, including $284M for sustainable aviation fuels
  • The Trump administration is preparing to eliminate funding for 4 of the 7 hydrogen hubs; all four are in states that primarily vote for Democrats:  California (ARCHES), Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub (Washington, Oregon, Montana), Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware) and Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (Illinois, Michigan, Indiana).

This Energy Matters edition goes on and on.  It is clear that the Trump administration is on a quest to replace renewable energy projects with fossil fuel initiatives.  Plus, states not voting for him, as for example California, are being targeted.  Of course, all this you already know.  The question is, where will the nation and world be in the future?  

It could be worse.  

  • The USA is not yet a dictatorship.  
  • I've long predicted that the world will not take significant steps about climate warming until comes a hot summer when tens of millions perish.
    • You will read that extreme heat is searing Europe, but only two people died in Spain.
    • The worst so far was the summer of 2022 when there were 62,000 heat-related deaths in Europe.  The USA only had 2,325.  World?  No reliable accounting.
    • This summer has here and there been hot, but nothing close to calamitous.
  • Why is President Donald Trump so pro-fossil fuels, anti-renewables and against doing anything to remediate global warming?  According to Google AI Overview (to get the following info, go to that site).
    • Donald Trump has a preference for fossil fuels and a skepticism towards renewable energy and climate change policies.
  • He has an America First agenda, prioritizing domestic energy production and reducing reliance of foreign energy sources.
  • Google AI goes on to say:

    While Trump promotes fossil fuels and criticizes renewables, the transition to clean energy continues to advance globally, driven by market forces and technological advancements.  Some of Trump's claims about the benefits of fossil fuels or drawbacks of renewables have been questioned or refuted by experts. The effectiveness of his policies in achieving all his stated goals has been debated.

    Quotes at the end of this edition:

    “We officially rescue the US auto industry from destruction by terminating California’s electric vehicle mandate, once and for all.”  — Trump at an Oval Office signing alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin

     

     “Now we know why Elon doesn’t like me so much.”  

    — Trump announcing new policies that will restrict EVs in California

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