Russelville Powerplant by Edibobb
By Jo Nova
Remember all the people who said coal was a stranded asset?
The two largest economies on Earth are throwing money at it.
The AI boom is pushing the USA to invest in fossil fuel power in a big way(especially gas).
America Bets $50 Billion On Coal And Gas Power, More Than China, As Electricity Demand Soars
Irena Slav, OilPrice
U.S. companies are set to spend some $50 billion on power generation from coal and natural gas this year, the International Energy Agency has said, as quoted by the Financial Times.
This would be the first time in decades that U.S. spending on coal and gas generation would be higher than what China is investing in the two fuels, with the difference at $3 billion.
That is some transformation — wow.
Financial Times/ Zerohedge.
Waiting times have blown out for gas turbines:
The report cited a Rystad Energy analyst as saying prices for gas turbines have gone up from $800 per kWh to over $2,500. In addition to data centers, whose owners have bet on baseload power supply from gas power plants—and coal, too—the expansion of wind and solar has also prompted stronger demand for baseload generation to keep the grid balanced when the weather is unfavorable for either wind or solar generation, or both.
While demand for electricity soars, gas turbine production has been flat over the past few years, resulting in a deficit. Siemens Energy, one of the world’s top three gas turbine makers, reported in February that its gas services business had seen a record quarter in orders, with a total of 102 new turbines in the backlog. As much as 40% of these new orders came from the United States, and another 35% came from Europe.
As a commenter at Zero Hedge opined:
China spends $50B on coal plants and builds 50 new coal plants.
US spends $50B on coal plants and that pays for the permits, environmental studies and 10 years of litigation in the courts for one new coal plant.
We hope Trump has got rid of some of that red tape.
Still, it’s hard to sell the end of coal when the biggest economies are spending gangbusters on fossil fuels.
Good to see King Coal and Gas on the scene. Nuclear is next.
Australia needs to wake up and soon.
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Al Pinocchio & his fellow liars haven’t heard the expression “ you snooze, you lose “!!
It would appear that the LNP opposition are still basically comatose in spite of recent stirring! 😴😴😴😴
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See Johannes Leak’s latest.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/cartoons/johannes-leak-cartoons/image-gallery/de8f7d34d6dcf6dbb2f01239663cedd7?page=1
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Even if Australia gets a rational government like One Nation, there is little chance of Australia building a proper coal, gas or nuclear power station any time soon.
We would be too far down the waiting list behind the advanced economies like USA and China.
That’s on top of the already existing huge regulatory burdens, sacred site claims, lawfare, feral unions, enquiries and general BS, BS, BS which even if power station parts were available would already mean 10+ years delays in the “can’t do” country.
And as time goes on, Australia continues to blow up its power stations, just like the National Socialists’ Nerobefehl (Nero Decree) although even war criminal Albert Speer was smart enough not to implement that, unlike our own International Socialists.
Australians just have to accept their rapid decline into a second rate, energy starved country. (Not saying that’s going to happen, we’re already there.)
This is what Australians voted for.
What did Australia use before candles? Electricity.
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I guess this has always been how it goes.
They keep us blabbering on about ‘following science’ while they’re following the money.
As in our money.
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Remind me again how one is meant to run an AI data centre on wind, solar and Unicorn flatulence. Or aluminium smelters which are similarly power hungry.
Our politicians and Leftists in general seriously believe this is possible.
As usual, they are deluded. AI and aluminium production will be attracted to producers of cheap and reliable coal, gas, nuclear and real hydro (not SH2) power. E.g. USA and China but Chicomm censorship of AI might be severe so most AI will go to USA with First Amendment protections.
Wind and solar with battery backup is only suitable for a subsistence existence such as keeping a couple of low power lights on for a few hours a night, a small kitchen appliance to heat your ration of insects, and a small portable internet connected appliance for Big Brother to deliver propaganda to you and monitor you for thought crimes. A socialist utopia in other words.
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Speaking of a socialist utopia (for bureaucrats & politicians) https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2026/07/02/polish-consortium-unveils-35billion-plan-to-build-14-small-nuclear-reactors-across-britain/
SGE, the Warsaw-headquartered group behind the proposal, said the reactors would generate enough electricity to power around eight million homes within eight years.
The proposed fleet would provide up to 11 per cent of Britain’s electricity supply, making it one of the largest nuclear infrastructure projects announced in recent decades.
Under the plans, the consortium intends to build the reactors across three sites, with commercial operations targeted to begin in 2034.
I would think that by 2034 the initial proposal may have been discussed and listed as worthy of being discussed some time (once power is restored).
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Was it Heinrich Heine who said (about 1850 – couldn’t find reference) the advantage of living in England is that when the end of the World ends, it will be delayed for a hundred years here.
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How can a gas turbine be priced per Kilo Watt hour ? must be kW
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“We can not – drill – our way – out of this energy crisis.”
Barack Hussein Obama – October 2008 – 1 month before his 1st election in his typical, dull sing song cadence.
October 2008 US Oil production daily average – 3,974,000 barrels
April 2026 US Oil production daily average – 13,934,000 barrels
October 2008 US Natural Gas production daily – 1,675,027 – Millions cubic feet
April 2026 US Natural Gas production daily – 3,327,621 – Millions cubic feet
October 2008 Liquid Petroleum Nat Gas (Propane) – 1,487,000 barrels per day
April 2026 Liquid Petroleum Nat Gas (Propane) – 7,754,000 barrels per day
America is now not only the #1 producer in the world of ALL each one of these (3) categories of oil and gas production but is also now the #1 Exporter of ALL these these (3) categories by a huge margin.
Moral of the story: Don’t elect ignorant, stupid know nothings like Obama who in 2026 is still stuck on stupid.
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Heinrich Heine:
I have never seen an ass who talked like a human being, but I have met many human beings who talked like asses
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Nat Gas is a term for methane, although all gas is natural in some sense, but anyway it has been decided that methane is more natural than the others.
LNG is short for Liquified Natural Gas which is highly refrigerated methane, shipped seriously cold at -160C.
LPG is short for Liquified Petroleum Gas, and that’s the older product, your basic BBQ bottle … mostly propane with a bit of butane, and no need to keep them cold.
The USA exports both LPG and LNG but the main growth area has been the methane exports. That’s the place where recent technology has opened up new opportunities … including the fracking and the ability to handle materials at such low temperature.
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By the way NY and CA won’t frack/drill and they have huge oil (CA) and gas (NY) reserves. Meanwhile Texas and Texans are rolling in money. The University of Texas Univerity system now has the 2nd largest university endowment (Harvard is #1) – almost $50,000,000,000 and $billions come in every year in oil/gas royalties. The school is a money machine.
In the US the people who own the land have the mineral rights in most cases – not the governments unless a company has bought them. I love out West and I personally know many ranchers, farmers and Indian Tribal members who make $10,000 a month, $100,000 a month and $1,000,000 and up every month – the money just rolls in. All they do is cash the checks. It’s so cool. I love America.
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Many’s the time I have opined about underground property rights in Australia. If the Land Owner had the rights, stopping gas at the Farmer’s gate would be a distant dream of green delusion, and the Royalties would be in private hands, intelligently spent instead of in the hands of Gummint, where it isn’t.
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People NEED electricity ALL of the time.
NOT when nature thinks we might be able to use some.
Bloody well done, Mr. Trump.
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They would not have done this for humans … but since AI needs the power, oh well, it can’t be helped, gotta build real power stations now.
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