Energy demand from data centers growing faster than supply / Plants like the Campbell even more so need to keep operatingEnergy demand from data centers growing faster than supply / Plants like the Campbell even more so need to keep operating

Ottawa County has a right to take advantage of the legal offramp given what is happening: “The spike in energy consumption generated by data centers would likely derail Michigan’s nation-leading climate plan, which calls for 100% renewable energy use in electricity generation by 2040. The climate legislation approved last fall includes an “offramp” that would […]

Recommended Reform of Ottawa County’s Electric Utility System: A Call for More Local Control and Public AccountabilityRecommended Reform of Ottawa County’s Electric Utility System: A Call for More Local Control and Public Accountability

By Joseph Parnell McCarter Much of Ottawa County (cities of Zeeland, Grand Haven, and Holland) already has local control and public accountability of the electric utility system; now is the time to extend that to the rest of the county. This is really not a “Republican or Democrat/conservative or liberal” issue, but a local control […]

Consumers Energy Rep and “Save The Campbell” Rep Square Off Last Night (10/14/2024) During Grand Haven Township Board Agenda Item Considering the Campbell IssueConsumers Energy Rep and “Save The Campbell” Rep Square Off Last Night (10/14/2024) During Grand Haven Township Board Agenda Item Considering the Campbell Issue

The Grand Haven Township Board agenda is shown at https://ght.org/wp-content/uploads/delightful-downloads/2024/10/BoardPacket_101424.pdf . First up to explain the rationale for Ottawa County leaders saving the Campbell from planned 2025 closure and demolition was Joseph Parnell McCarter. His speech was followed by various questions of the Board directed to him, as well as some comments. Supervisor Mark Reenders […]

Don’t Be Fooled, Ottawa County, by Consumers Energy: Its Natural Gas Plants Are Also On the Chopping Block, After the Campbell Is Demolished and We Are Weak – by Joseph Parnell McCarterDon’t Be Fooled, Ottawa County, by Consumers Energy: Its Natural Gas Plants Are Also On the Chopping Block, After the Campbell Is Demolished and We Are Weak – by Joseph Parnell McCarter

Consumers Energy (CE) rep Richard Houtteman is telling town boards that we are safe because of CE’s natural gas plants, so that there needs to be no concern about the demolition of the Campbell in 2025. But here is what he is not telling the town boards: The Jamestown Township Board and Georgetown Township Board […]

We Are Saps, as This Graph ShowsWe Are Saps, as This Graph Shows

The fact is that industrialization is proportionate to carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. The West’s de-industrialization has been made possible by Asia’s industrialization, and to a lesser extent that of other parts of the world. The “green” UN Agenda 2030 in practical effect has been about this movement of where manufacturing and commodity production […]

Ottawa County Needs BOTH Coal and Gas Electric Generating Capacity for Energy Security and Has the Legal Tools to Keep ThemOttawa County Needs BOTH Coal and Gas Electric Generating Capacity for Energy Security and Has the Legal Tools to Keep Them

The experts tell us: “A problem emerging almost everywhere is the lack of diversity in dispatchable generation resources, a problem that will intensify as the remaining coal-fired generation fleet retires in the coming decades. Gas-fired power acts as a wonderfully effective balancing resource to wind and solar, but excessive reliance on it erodes this reliability […]