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All charged up

26 Jun 2024 | OP ED Watch

We have repeatedly argued that the fabled green energy transition is non-existent and the EV boom is on a fast track to going bust. But maybe we were wrong. Canada’s Department of Natural Resources tells us triumphantly that 40% of Canada has already achieved 100% electric vehicle charging capacity, defined as at least one charger per vehicle. Yes, the Arctic Territories of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, aka the far north, now boast fully 34 charging stations between them for their… um… uh… seven electric vehicles. We have seen the future and it is risible.

Periodically you see some politician or bureaucrat trying to recite such talking points as though describing an achievement and can see that they are in fact itching to put a paper bag on their head. But there seems to be less and less awareness that one is babbling inanities as competence fades out especially in complex public-sector “expert” bureaucracies. So here the Department writes to the Senate national finance committee that “The department understands the importance of ensuring there is sufficient public charging infrastructure and is taking steps to understand and address needs including in northern and remote areas.”

No it doesn’t. They weren’t even curious, at least judging by the fact that they couldn’t or didn’t actually say where the chargers were. Which is kind of important to the story since, with a combined area of 3.9 million out of Canada’s 10 million square kilometres, Canada’s three Territories boast fully one station per 100,000 square kilometres but just possibly they’re all clustered in what passes for the major cities there (for instance Yellowknife, capital of, largest community in and only city in the Northwest Territories, pop. 20,340). As for the seven EVs, well, folks in most of that rugged land want things you can refill from a jerry can for obvious reasons.

As Blacklock’s Reporter added:

“The Department of Environment in a 2023 Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement calculated federal agencies spent $680 million to subsidize the introduction of charging stations. Cost of the electric car program overall totaled at least $99 billion excluding direct subsidies to manufacturers.”

In consequence, and pass the paper bag again please, Canadians registered 1.7 million new motor vehicles last year of which 98,589 were battery-powered, 60% in B.C. and Quebec possibly due to provincial rebates of $4,000 in B.C. and $7,000 in Quebec on top of $5,000 from the feds.

Now you might think Canada an unfair test case given its vast size, unforgiving terrain and even more unforgiving winters. But actually the good news here is that the Territories are so sparsely inhabited that the cost of this folly is trivial. Take a place like Britain, dream of rigging it all up with alternative energy, and you start getting subsidies in the billions of pounds that, when reaching for the straw of job creation, works out to a quarter-million pounds per job.

The press take it for granted that this transition is happening anyway. For instance a May Canadian Press obituary of Canadian energy entrepreneur Arthur Irving of, of all things, Irving Oil, wrote blithely:

“Irving’s death comes as the company’s Saint John refinery is undergoing a ‘strategic review’ to determine its future, as climate change is prompting a shift away from fossil fuels in many nations.”

Oh really? Which nations are using less of the stuff today than a decade ago? Oh. You didn’t check.

3 comments on “All charged up”

  1. How many of the Northern charging stations are powered by non emitting electricity generation?

  2. The Trudeau and Biden Administrations will be singing the praises of this nonsense as they are carted out of their official residences after being kicked out of office!

  3. That paper bag can double as a barf bag!And China is just waiting to flood the market with their cheap EV's.Though they will face tariffs,right?And surely not qualify for thousands in taxpayer funded subsidies?Expect the Lie-berals to fumble that file too.And absolute SHAME on any Canadian or
    almost anyone else buying one of these Communist China-made machines!Despite billions in subsidies for EV's they can only capture <6% of the
    Canadian market?What would the sales be like without subsidies?Can't wait till this EV/renewable house of cards collapses!

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