Japan's Earthquake Recovery: "Green Energy's" Failed Test

After 2011's devastating killer earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the Japanese government shut down its entire nuclear energy infrastructure, resulting in a huge gap between electricity supply and demand. As David Biederman reports at the Center for Industrial Progress, the shuttering of its nuclear capacity . . .

showed Japan’s commitment to the green agenda, which opposes not just fossil fuels but also nuclear power. Thus, the stage was set to demonstrate all of green energy’s alleged potential; a wealthy country, a demonstrated willingness to pass environmentalist policies, and a level playing field. What happened?

What happened was a demonstration of the utter futility of "green energy" to meet the energy needs of an advanced industrial civilization. "With nuclear offline, fossil fuels flowed into the nation. In 2012 'the combined amount of electricity generated from natural gas, oil and coal' increased by 21 percent," reports Biederman, quoting the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Meanwhile, says Biederman:

   During this tragic and perilous time, green energy did very little to alleviate Japanese suffering. Renewables went from contributing around 1.6 percent of primary energy in 2011 to 1.7 percent in 2012, hardly a demonstration of energy sources capable of powering the planet.

 As Biederman concludes:

    The Japanese disaster demonstrated the truly life saving value of fossil fuels. The people of Japan endured an earthquake, tsunami, and the self imposed energy scarcity of the nuclear generator shutdowns. When it is a matter of life and death, fossil fuels power life. With lives on the line, renewable demonstrated the extent of their viability.
    While the people of Japan continue to rebuild their lives, we should not allow others to rebuild the myth that renewable energies are a life-sustaining alternative to fossil fuels.

As Biederman notes, the world economy that sustains 7 billion human beings relies on fossil fuels for 87% of its energy needs. Keep that figure in mind for perspective the next time you hear enemies of fossil fuels predict a climate change catastrophe due to CO2 emissions. The real catastrophe would be any significant rollback in fossil fuel use.

A real-life lesson for those inclined to embrace the agenda of the environmentalist enemies of reliable, affordable energy.

Related Reading:

"Sustainable" Material Bounty Requires Sustainable, Reliable Energy—Like Fossil Fuels

We Are Doomed Without, Not Because of, Fossil Fuel Use