Twenty years after “An Inconvenient Truth,” none of Al Gore’s wild speculations about climate catastrophe have emerged, yet people still cling to the climate nonsense, and New York state energy policy remains absurdly captive to that narrative.

By way of example, climate fraud led New York to require houses built after Jan. 1 to use electric heat, and required the state have 70% “renewable” energy by 2030. The simple fact that these impossible regulations were devised by Albany politicians demonstrates the absolute incompetence of those who run New York.

Reality recently forced Albany to pause these impossible mandates, but we should not expect Albany politicians to stop rewarding their corporate sponsors with continued subsidies for Wind/Solar/BESS installations. The political gravy train still outweighs the good of working people, and still threatens our region.

Seven years ago Albany passed the impossible Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), and still ignores the impending economic disaster it will cause. After spending billions, New York still derives less than 10% of its total electrical energy from Wind/Solar, which costs two to four times as much as conventional power. CLCPA will bankrupt us while never coming close to attaining its impossible Net-Zero mandates, and here is why…

Wind and Solar require 100% backup; hence we must pay to build redundant generation infrastructure using fossil fuels. But why should we waste resources building Wind/Solar infrastructure in addition to backup generation infrastructure when Natural Gas alone will do the job? It’s economic malpractice.

Worse: If Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are used for backup, then at least 4 days of energy storage will be required to cover lapses in Wind/Solar generation. But to meet future demand under Net-Zero will require adding 10 times more Wind/Solar infrastructure than we have today. Hence, under CLCPA, we will need 40 times more Wind/Solar/BESS infrastructure than we currently have (we are being generous). Where will we put all that stuff? At what cost?

It gets worse: All BESS must be replaced every 10 to 15 years at an estimated cost of about $3.6 trillion for New York state alone ($200,000 per person), and Wind/Solar infrastructure must be replaced every 15-20 years at massive cost. How will we pay for that? Where will we put all the non-recyclable junk?

Further, we cannot generate enough energy using only “renewables” to replace aging Wind/Solar infrastructure as it wears out. This is why Dems won’t pass NY Senate Bill 2023-S6732. Renewables are absolutely not sustainable as was claimed.

To transmit enough electricity for EVs, school buses, home heating, computing, etc., and to balance the Grid using Wind/Solar sources, we must massively increase the carrying capacity and extent of the Distribution and Transmission Systems. Where will all that copper come from?

However, China must be pleased that the US is destroying its own economy by installing Chinese-made Wind/Solar infrastructure. China also holds major stakes in American Wind/Solar companies that soak-up US subsidies – stealing from taxpayers to make China rich. The high cost of “renewables” using Chinese-made infrastructure keeps US industry uncompetitive.

Meanwhile, gas turbine manufacturers are doubling production to meet increasing world-wide demand for Natural Gas power generation, while Hitachi and others are cutting production of Wind Turbines because of their high cost and low effectiveness. The world (except Albany) is rejecting Net-Zero nonsense.

Worldwide more than 100 new designs are being developed for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), with some (China and Russia) already in commercial production. Thirty-five of these new designs are being developed in the US, but we are significantly behind because we have utterly wasted our human and financial resources subsidizing Wind/Solar/BESS for the past 20-plus years.

Japan is now restarting the Fukushima nuclear plant that was shutdown after a tsunami 15 years ago, while Michigan is restarting the Palisades nuclear plant that they previously shut down in a fit of Green stupidity.

In the push for renewables, Albany prematurely killed the Indian Point nuclear plant, which produced over 2.1 GW of reliable clean power 24/7/365, costing NY residents billions of dollars. Indian Point can’t be brought back, but Gov. Kathy Hochul wants us to thank her for finally cracking the door open for nuclear power. Yet she offers no mea-culpa for having wasted billions of NYS taxpayer money killing Indian Point, even after she was warned what would happen when she did so.

NYISO warned of big trouble (October NY Draft Energy Plan) because Albany has continued to push Wind/Solar/BESS. In addition, NYSERDA’s latest report openly states the impossibility of Net Zero under current law (CLCPA). Yet Albany keeps throwing money at Wind/Solar/BESS while Hochul plays politics.

A recent report showed that electricity cost in the state is now 58% higher than the national average. Is it any wonder that our businesses and people pack up and leave?

It’s time to push the Reset Button and repeal CLCPA, and remove all its supporters from Albany for malpractice.

Scott Axelson is a Jamestown resident and Michael Dee resides in Silver Creek.