A Free-Market Energy Blog

The High Cost of the United Kingdom’s Energy Policy (Helm study indicates mainstream concern)

By Mark Ahlseen -- May 15, 2018

“Dieter Helm of the University of Oxford estimates that, regardless what the benefits of emission reduction are, the government policies have wasted around £100 billion ($136 billion) to date, and the waste will continue to rise unless reforms are made. He is particularly concerned that the government picks which new technologies to back, leading to regulatory capture by special interests.”

This century, the government of the United Kingdom has adopted an energy policy designed to reduce the use of fossil fuels, especially coal, to generate electricity and replace them, as much as possible, with renewables, especially wind.

What has been the impact on its citizens? Is the policy wise?

Dieter Helm, Professor of Energy Policy at the University of Oxford, performed a review of the UK’s energy policies, released last fall.…

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Energy & Environmental Newsletter: May 14, 2018

By -- May 14, 2018

The Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions (AWED) is an informal coalition of individuals and organizations interested in improving national, state, and local energy and environmental policies. Our premise is that technical matters like these should be addressed by using Real Science (please consult WiseEnergy.org for more information).

A key element of AWED’s efforts is public education. Towards that end, every three weeks we put together a newsletter to balance what is found in the mainstream media about energy and the environment. We appreciate MasterResource for their assistance in publishing this information.

Some of the more important articles in this issue are:

If Solar And Wind Are So Cheap, Why Are They Making Electricity So Expensive?

Wind turbines dramatically decrease attractiveness of a tourist destination

Conservative Groups Take a Stand Against Carbon Tax

Introducing bill to ban non-disclosure clauses in wind contracts

Noise is the New Secondhand Smoke

Wind Turbine Construction Turning Ontario’s Water Supply to Toxic Sludge

NOAA/NWS document: wind turbines affect weather radar, create false storm impressions

The Connection Between Russia and Two Green Groups

Free Market Groups Call for Repeal of Clean Power Plan

Study: An empirical assessment: Have fossil fuels been substituted by renewables?

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Shell’s “Sky” Scenario: Pie-in-the-Sky Greenwashing?

By -- May 10, 2018

“Sky, an exposition of what consumers would have to pay in the near-term in order to defer the climate-model-predicted disastrous future, may be Shell’s ‘cover your ass’ defense against environmental lawsuits and attacks.  But by providing a scenario for evaluation, Sky might just prevent the politically correct from becoming the economically incorrect.”

Major oil and gas companies do seemingly funny things in a socio-economic climate where their main products are demonized. One company tried to get “beyond petroleum.” Another touts its support for a tax on carbon-dioxide emissions. Still another publicizes its long-run forecasts that demote the demand for its main products. Shell is that third company.

Shell’s Previous Scenarios

Leading up to Earth Day, the media was replete with articles and opinion pieces about the need to kill the fossil fuel industry before it kills the planet.

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Sierra Club on John Droz, Jr. “A Man to Watch” (we agree!)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 9, 2018
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Carbon Tax: Political Poison for Conservatives, Libertarians

By -- May 8, 2018
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Energy Realism at RFF (Krugman rebutted, decarbonization drawbacks specified)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 7, 2018
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Josiah Neeley’s Latest CO2 Tax Argument (real conservatives, libertarians will not be persuaded)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 3, 2018
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US Renewable Energy Output: A Closer Look

By Stanislav Jakuba -- May 2, 2018
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Amy Myers Jaffe: Anger at Fossil Fuel Dominance (remembering Jeffrey Sachs too)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- May 1, 2018
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Water Power: A Fickle Renewable

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 30, 2018
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