Bill, Are you aware that here in Vermont, the PUC is apparently considering making a massive change in net metering compensation to owners of solar?
My understanding is that the reimbursement rate is proposed to drop by about two-thirds. Reportedly this is being driven by a report that came from the Department of Public Service.
There is clear concern for the impact on those who have installed solar, those who were motivated to help both the environment and to control utility costs.
Additional concern is that new installation of solar will be effectively halted by the very unfavorable economics of this idea.
With the threat of tariffs on energy (including electricity) from Canada, it would seem like a very poor time to discourage the installation of new solar.
Hi there Bill, thank you for the positive vision at the end of your stack. I think it’s important to have more positive visions of the world we want to see. Perhaps you can share more of such visions, ask readers to share theirs, and we can and will make them happen and soon.
One vision: those who can afford it decide to take one day off a week from driving anywhere. You’re allowed to carpool though, but no taxis, Ubers. Only public transportation or bike, walk, sail, paddle.
Another vision: those of us who can don’t buy anything on February 28. (Not my idea)
I love Snyder. But I can’t read through these newsletters & substacks anymore. They are too long. It’s destroying journalism. Everyone walking into their own substack forgetting that everyone else is also now writing a substack. Cox Richardson. Mckibben. Krugman. Applebaum. On & on. This is a self indulgence which is working against the sharing of information at a time when it could not be more urgent. It turns out everyone needs editors after all.
Bill as you know I’m your huge fan. But we need SO MANY MORE people to read you than will do so on here. It’s not about the cost, it’s about the time. When just a few people were on substack (& you were one of the first) it was possible to read you alongside the other journalism. But have you seen how many people are now moving from traditional news’s sources & providing long form almost hourly for us? We need a place where all your powerful & urgent voices are together again. Like a magazine or a newspaper. What you write is so incredibly necessary & maybe I don’t understand how this works but I don’t see how you’re reaching those we need you to reach?
Thank you regardless. Obviously I seek you out….so I’m here. Overwhelmed but here. 🙏❤️
Bills articles are more inclusive more comprehensive than most by far. I gladly pay to read them and support your remarkable civic engagement activism beyond the screens.
Science has studied LNG and we know it's harmful for people exposed to it cooking or heating their homes, so now we are exporting it overseas people!?!?!?!
Blackmailing foreigh nations with the treat of tarrifs has to be the lowest of blows when the production of LNG and fossil fuel global warming is a treat to the very existance of island nations like Japan. The fate of small islands that are part of this "friendly partern nation" doubles down on the bad idea of tarrifs. Worse idea, making nations pay with lives and land to placate petrolium industries, pipelines and the dying gasp of this industry. What will be underwater first Japan or LNG?
It's too bad that India, Japan and others are caving to the threat of tariffs. If they could just hold off on LNG and continue their renewable energy projects, those tariffs would cause large price/inflation increases here in the US, turning more turnable minds against Trump.
I would like to send you a donation, but not at the rates you have locked in. I would prefer to donate like I do to the Guardian that allows the donor decide what to give, however modest. I would bet you are missing out on a lot of small donations that would add up.
I’m a climate change advocate, but not an advocate of dishonesty.
If we want to create bipartisan legislation that won’t be whipsawn every four years like we are witnessing under Trump, we need to be realistic in what we propose to the American voter.
Those numbers for solar are for slapping up panels, not including the cost for firming the intermittency or transmission.
Here’s the real data, not advertisements from the solar industry:
As I’m sure you guys know, the Howarth Study was a lousy outlier, I’m surprised that you still peddle it. It used data from before NG was collected and used for propulsion.
Do you still subscribe to Marc Jacobsons discredited 2015 100% wind solar battery study?
Bill recall that Elon Musk understands the science of climate change and only one year ago called for a carbon tax as the solution. He joined Trump because he admired the man after the asassination attempt (pbs nightlynews). Could you get to Musk as a man to admire and turn him back to a path for dealing with climate change. Yes, you. Please. Consider this idea- hos power, his intelligence,for a great good. And from another man of persistence and great good. Yes you.
If I may be so optimistic, what if Japan, Taiwan and India are just saying they will by the dirty LNG, but then don't buy it to buy some time. Or buy small amounts, until the crappy trump admin is done in four years. And if they do buy small amounts, can they just not use it?
Good job Mr. Bill for expressing ideas in your article. If the Atlantic current shuts down, won't it start off another Ice Age? I have read your book Falter, and who can't be deeply worried that in the next 20 years or so things are going to be really bad if we keep blundering on as usual. We can't expect Trump to grasp the issues about climate change, since he blindly calls it a hoax. All we can do is continue to educate the current generation about the dangers we're seeing happening now, not in some part of the future.
Bill, Are you aware that here in Vermont, the PUC is apparently considering making a massive change in net metering compensation to owners of solar?
My understanding is that the reimbursement rate is proposed to drop by about two-thirds. Reportedly this is being driven by a report that came from the Department of Public Service.
https://publicservice.vermont.gov/sites/dps/files/documents/Act%20179%20of%202024%20Report%20-%201.15.2025%20PSD.pdf
There is clear concern for the impact on those who have installed solar, those who were motivated to help both the environment and to control utility costs.
Additional concern is that new installation of solar will be effectively halted by the very unfavorable economics of this idea.
With the threat of tariffs on energy (including electricity) from Canada, it would seem like a very poor time to discourage the installation of new solar.
Hi there Bill, thank you for the positive vision at the end of your stack. I think it’s important to have more positive visions of the world we want to see. Perhaps you can share more of such visions, ask readers to share theirs, and we can and will make them happen and soon.
One vision: those who can afford it decide to take one day off a week from driving anywhere. You’re allowed to carpool though, but no taxis, Ubers. Only public transportation or bike, walk, sail, paddle.
Another vision: those of us who can don’t buy anything on February 28. (Not my idea)
Peace!
Thanks Bill--Sunlight in the lengthening days--so grateful for you.
So he’s making them buy LNG. Like a protection racket.
I love Snyder. But I can’t read through these newsletters & substacks anymore. They are too long. It’s destroying journalism. Everyone walking into their own substack forgetting that everyone else is also now writing a substack. Cox Richardson. Mckibben. Krugman. Applebaum. On & on. This is a self indulgence which is working against the sharing of information at a time when it could not be more urgent. It turns out everyone needs editors after all.
well, that's why this is free. i don't think it's actually destroying journalism
Bill as you know I’m your huge fan. But we need SO MANY MORE people to read you than will do so on here. It’s not about the cost, it’s about the time. When just a few people were on substack (& you were one of the first) it was possible to read you alongside the other journalism. But have you seen how many people are now moving from traditional news’s sources & providing long form almost hourly for us? We need a place where all your powerful & urgent voices are together again. Like a magazine or a newspaper. What you write is so incredibly necessary & maybe I don’t understand how this works but I don’t see how you’re reaching those we need you to reach?
Thank you regardless. Obviously I seek you out….so I’m here. Overwhelmed but here. 🙏❤️
I get it. And that's why I keep writing for the New Yorker etc--but the advantage of this forum is I can combine reporting with advocacy
Bills articles are more inclusive more comprehensive than most by far. I gladly pay to read them and support your remarkable civic engagement activism beyond the screens.
Bill, bottom line, Trump is a mobster! Could somebody just, you know . . .him?
Science has studied LNG and we know it's harmful for people exposed to it cooking or heating their homes, so now we are exporting it overseas people!?!?!?!
Blackmailing foreigh nations with the treat of tarrifs has to be the lowest of blows when the production of LNG and fossil fuel global warming is a treat to the very existance of island nations like Japan. The fate of small islands that are part of this "friendly partern nation" doubles down on the bad idea of tarrifs. Worse idea, making nations pay with lives and land to placate petrolium industries, pipelines and the dying gasp of this industry. What will be underwater first Japan or LNG?
By the way, Tiawan is in the same sinking boat.
It's too bad that India, Japan and others are caving to the threat of tariffs. If they could just hold off on LNG and continue their renewable energy projects, those tariffs would cause large price/inflation increases here in the US, turning more turnable minds against Trump.
Incisive, heartwarming, great shot in the arm...post-election of the Trump-train sleaze, along with Muskrat in the caboose!
I would like to send you a donation, but not at the rates you have locked in. I would prefer to donate like I do to the Guardian that allows the donor decide what to give, however modest. I would bet you are missing out on a lot of small donations that would add up.
Thanks Bill--Sunlight in the lengthening days--so grateful for you.
This clever fable that Trump would need to threaten a country to buy the cheapest and highest quality energy in the world is preposterous!
And you’re recycling the lie that LNG is more carbon intensive than coal.
Exported US LNG will displace coal - that’s how the US lead the world in GHG reduction.
Remember folks, we haven’t even begun a global transition from fossil fuels.
We are just beginning a transition from coal.
the latest data on the cost of nat gas vs solar https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/12/08/solar-lcoe-now-29-lower-than-any-fuel-fossil-option-says-ey/
the latest data on the ghg intensity of lng vs coal is in the link in the piece--the Howarth study.
being a curmudgeon is not an excuse for getting behind in the data!
I’m a climate change advocate, but not an advocate of dishonesty.
If we want to create bipartisan legislation that won’t be whipsawn every four years like we are witnessing under Trump, we need to be realistic in what we propose to the American voter.
Those numbers for solar are for slapping up panels, not including the cost for firming the intermittency or transmission.
Here’s the real data, not advertisements from the solar industry:
https://images.app.goo.gl/22v2YmxEd6Ba6dKx8
As I’m sure you guys know, the Howarth Study was a lousy outlier, I’m surprised that you still peddle it. It used data from before NG was collected and used for propulsion.
Do you still subscribe to Marc Jacobsons discredited 2015 100% wind solar battery study?
Thank you for your invaluable truthful writing!
Bill recall that Elon Musk understands the science of climate change and only one year ago called for a carbon tax as the solution. He joined Trump because he admired the man after the asassination attempt (pbs nightlynews). Could you get to Musk as a man to admire and turn him back to a path for dealing with climate change. Yes, you. Please. Consider this idea- hos power, his intelligence,for a great good. And from another man of persistence and great good. Yes you.
If I may be so optimistic, what if Japan, Taiwan and India are just saying they will by the dirty LNG, but then don't buy it to buy some time. Or buy small amounts, until the crappy trump admin is done in four years. And if they do buy small amounts, can they just not use it?
Good job Mr. Bill for expressing ideas in your article. If the Atlantic current shuts down, won't it start off another Ice Age? I have read your book Falter, and who can't be deeply worried that in the next 20 years or so things are going to be really bad if we keep blundering on as usual. We can't expect Trump to grasp the issues about climate change, since he blindly calls it a hoax. All we can do is continue to educate the current generation about the dangers we're seeing happening now, not in some part of the future.