Nebraska’s Coming Energy Crisis

Green Energy Crash to Come

While you may see some protests and concerns over energy and green energy policies, much of the mainstream media is largely ignoring it. However, many alternatives news sites are reporting such news (https://beforeitsnews.com/eu/2022/10/forget-oil-the-real-crisis-is-diesel-inventories-the-us-has-just-25-days-left-tyler-durden-2696056.html and https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/german-farmers-protest-against-green-energy-grid-expansion/ and https://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2022/10/mass-protests-across-europe-against-food-energy-prices-eu-green-edicts-ukraine-war-3644036.html and https://www.johnlocke.org/what-protests-against-green-energy-policy-around-the-world-means-for-north-carolinians%EF%BF%BC/) You can find many more doing an internet search or using a news aggregate or check with organizations concerned about energy.

OPPD (Omaha Public Power District) has committed itself to a net-zero energy policy (https://oppdthewire.com/gaining-clarity-on-achieving-net-zero-carbon-production/). This means they are trying to get off coal but this has already been delayed some (https://www.wowt.com/2022/08/18/power-grid-gridlock-delays-transition-coal/). Yet, OPPD intends to make natural gas a backup energy source (https://www.oppdcommunityconnect.com/power-with-purpose ). OPPD is even creating more natural gas plants (https://www.oppd.com/about/energy-portfolio/).

At the same time, the Biden administration is pushing electric vehicles (EV) which will connect to the OPPD power grid (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/14/fact-sheet-president-bidens-economic-plan-drives-americas-electric-vehicle-manufacturing-boom/). This will increase demand for electricity and the need for natural gas, presuming coal is to be phased out. Out with gasoline, in with natural gas. Out with coal, in with natural gas. I don’t want to fully bash EVs but they are not hybrids and cannot adjust to changing energy resources like a hybrid can. All the eggs are being put into the natural gas basket.

So what? Our most important fuel for heating our homes is natural gas. This means OPPD and Metropolitan Utilities District MUD are now competing over the same energy source. If natural gas prices go up, all of our utilities will go up in price. This is why you should contact MUD and ask them why they are not raising concerns about OPPD’s switch to natural gas (https://www.mudomaha.com/our-company/board-of-directors). At the same time, contact OPPD and ask why they are narrowing energy options by abandoning coal (https://ww3.oppd.com/contact-management/)

You could go as far as replacing your furnace and water heater with more energy-efficient units but this would be costly. What you can easily do is replace your standard light bulbs with the new generation of LED lights which use less energy and last longer. You can even get LED lights which are motion activated!

But more importantly, is to contact your employer, your neighborhood organizations, and religious institutions and ask: what will they do if natural gas prices double? Do they have an energy conservation policy or committee to review how energy is used and purchased? Do they have power generators if the power goes out? Far better to ask these questions now instead of waiting for disaster to strike.

As far as the upcoming election, vote for Mike McGowan for MUD against John McCollister and vote for Kevin Ryan over Craig Moody!