Merz declares wind power a transitional technology – and sells nuclear fusion as a way out
Friedrich Merz calls wind power a transitional technology, although the expansion of offshore plants and grids is planned for decades. Nevertheless, he links the expansion to a grand narrative of the future. He says Germany should "connect the world's first fusion reactor to the grid." At the same time, electricity prices remain high for many households, and approval for the expansion of wind power is crumbling in parts of the population.
Merz explains that wind energy will accompany us "for ten years, 20 years, maybe 30 years". In doing so, it is setting an expiration date, although the energy transition needs stable generation capacities. It also sends a signal to investors that sounds like a reservation. Offshore projects in particular expect long durations and high upfront investments.
Not truth, but error has always been the chief factor in the evolution of nations, and the reason why socialism is so powerful to-day is that it constitutes the last illusion that is still vital.
In spite of all scientific demonstrations it continues on the increase. Its principal strength lies in the fact that it is championed by minds sufficiently ignorant of things as they are in reality to venture boldly to promise mankind happiness. The social illusion reigns to-day upon all the heaped-up ruins of the past, and to it belongs the future. The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduce them.
Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.
Gustave Le Bon - The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind (1895)
9 comments:
Ah, nuclear fusion. Still thirty years away, as usual?
Oh what an interesting idea from the German chancellor. I've got another one. Suppose his thinking is based on geological time scales. He knows nothing about technology, so his 'transition period' may amount to thousands of years rather than just decades. How very useful to a people who only live three score years and ten.
I bid "forty".
Peter - I wouldn't bet on anything less than thirty years, not that I'd ever collect on the bet.
Tammly - yes, he's spinning a narrative which should last for as long as he does. It will be interesting if other prominent politicians do the same.
Wind power *has* to be the transitional supply otherwise people will ask why the transition couldn't be gas, coal, nuclear fission or solar cells from China...
DJ - yes, that's the elephant in the room, wind as the transitional supply makes no sense because we already had what everyone else relied on.
dearieme - I bid two fat ladies.
"They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduce them."
Yes.
James - and once seduced...
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